The human body functions like a bar. At the end of the day, what matters is how much (energy) you’ve consumed and how much you’ve spent. However, nutrition suggests there are optimal times to consume different types of food. For instance, carbohydrates are most beneficial when eaten before physical activity because they provide a boost of energy.
Another example is coffee. A recent study confirms what many have long suspected: Drinking coffee in the morning is more beneficial. Interestingly, it isn’t just the caffeine that helps wake you up. Those who drink coffee in the morning also have a lower likelihood of mortality.
Health and coffee. There are many myths about coffee. Some are based on scientific evidence. Others are completely unfounded, yet they continue to influence society’s perceptions. Researchers have spent years analyzing these misconceptions and have discovered that coffee actually has health benefits. These benefits can be physical and neurological, although some studies present opposing views.
The study. Coffee is the most consumed beverage in the world, second only to water. A recent study published in the European Heart Journal, titled “Coffee Drinking Time and Mortality in U.S. Adults,” explores the relationship between coffee consumption timing and mortality rates.
This observational study involved 40,725 adults who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2018. Participants provided information about their coffee-drinking habits. The team also analyzed data from an additional group of 1,463 individuals, who kept detailed diaries of their diet and beverage intake for one week.
Morning coffee. Around 36% of participants reported drinking coffee in the morning, while 16% consumed it later in the day. Researchers noted an intriguing conclusion. Drinking coffee in the morning is more strongly associated with a lower risk of mortality than consuming the same amount of coffee later in the day.
The analysis found that morning coffee drinkers were 16% less likely to die from any cause and 31% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease over a 10-year follow-up period compared to those who didn’t drink coffee in the morning. However, as the day advanced, the cardiovascular benefits seemed to diminish. There was no significant reduction in mortality among those who consumed coffee later in the day compared to those who didn’t drink it at all.
Drinking time. The study presents data but doesn’t definitively address the connection between the time we drink coffee and mortality rates. It suggests that consuming coffee later in the day may disrupt circadian rhythms and affect hormone levels, particularly melatonin. This disruption can lead to poor sleep, which is associated with inflammation and elevated blood pressure, ultimately harming heart health.
Lu Qi, an expert in nutrition and epidemiology at Tulane University in New Orleans, told The Guardian, “It’s not just whether you drink coffee or how much you drink, but the time of day when you drink coffee that’s important.” She added, “We don’t typically give advice about timing in our dietary guidance, but perhaps we should be thinking about this in the future.”
Caffeine doesn’t matter. The timing of coffee consumption is a frequent topic of discussion. Some influencers and social media users have claimed–without evidence–that it’s better to postpone coffee intake to avoid experiencing a slump later in the day. However, scientific research has disproven this notion. Other studies suggest that having coffee before bed might not be as detrimental as once thought.
Additionally, some researchers have examined whether caffeine genuinely “wakes us up” in the morning or if its effects are merely a placebo. While caffeine does impact our bodies (and health guidelines recommend limiting intake to certain amounts), the benefits highlighted in the recent European Heart Journal study may not be solely attributed to caffeine. Instead, several bioactive compounds found in coffee seem to counteract potential arterial inflammation, particularly in the morning.
According to researchers, these anti-inflammatory compounds are present in both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee. Supporting this study, Thomas Lüscher, a cardiologist at Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals in London, published an accompanying editorial titled “Start your Day with a Morning Coffee!” In it, he says, “Overall, we must accept the now substantial evidence that coffee drinking, particularly in the morning hours, is likely to be healthy.” The word “likely” emphasizes the need for further research.
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