If there’s any truth in the latest South Korea coffee study,
can we really unclog our arteries by just drinking 3 to 5 cups of coffee a day?
By: Ringo Bones
A recent South Korean study on the health benefits of
drinking coffee suggests that drinking 3 to 5 cups of coffee a day can make one
avoid having clogged arteries thus reducing risks of getting a heart attack.
The findings published in Heart came from a study of 25,138 participants who
have had their calcium levels of their coronary arteries measured to find out
if there’s any correlation with increased coffee drinking habits.
In recent months, Medical News Today has reported on a
number of studies finding potential health benefits in regular coffee
consumption. In past study results, moderate coffee consumption has been shown
to statistically reduce the risk of multiple sclerosis, endometrial cancer and
melanoma skin cancer.
Despite of this, the study’s authors state that the effect
of coffee consumption on cardiovascular health has, so far, remained
controversial. A recent meta-analysis of 36 studies demonstrated that moderate
coffee consumption was linked to a decreased risk of heart disease and other
research has made associations with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.
In contrast, moderate coffee consumption has also been
associated with increased cholesterol levels and hypertension. Due to these
inconsistent results, the researchers decided to examine levels of coronary
artery calcium – a predictor of coronary heart disease – in connection with
coffee consumption.
Specifically, the presence of coronary artery calcium can
indicate the early stages of coronary arteriosclerosis, a condition whereby the
arteries become clogged up, hardened and narrow. When this occurs, arteries are
more susceptible to blood clots that can lead heart attacks and strokes.
Researchers led by the Kangbuk Samsung Hospital in Seoul,
South Korea analyzed participants attending regular health screening, including
food frequency questionnaires and CT scanning to determine coronary artery
calcium. The participants had an average age of 41 with no signs of heart
disease.
Victoria Taylor, a senior dietician with the British Heart
Foundation (BHF) agrees that the findings of the study will require further
investigation. “We need to take care when generalizing these results because it
is based on the South Korean population, who have a different diet and
lifestyle and habits when compared to people in the UK.” she suggests. Last
year, the Medical News Today reported on a study suggesting that different
people’s coffee drinking habits could be driven by genetics.
