It is already established that moderate coffee consumption is linked to health benefits, including a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and overall mortality. Nevertheless, the findings from such studies have frequently been inconsistent, particularly among individuals who consume large amounts of coffee. Researchers hypothesized that one likely source of these discrepancies is variation in consumption habits, specifically the time of day when coffee is consumed.
To test this proposition, investigators scrutinized data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which included over 40,000 adults. Participants in the survey detailed their 24-hour dietary intake, precisely noting the timing of their coffee consumption. Employing cluster analysis, scientists identified patterns and sorted subjects into three categories: those who primarily drank coffee in the morning (between 4 AM and noon), those who consumed it throughout the day, and non-drinkers.
To validate these initial findings, the researchers analyzed two supplementary datasets featuring dietary records spanning seven days for more than 1,400 healthcare professionals. This secondary investigation corroborated the patterns observed initially.
Unlike coffee consumed in the morning, ingesting it at other times of the day showed no impact on lifespan
After stratifying the cohort based on their established coffee habits, the scientists monitored the participants’ health status for nearly a decade. Over this period, more than 4,200 deaths occurred, with 1,270 attributed to cardiovascular ailments and 930 to cancer. The study controlled for numerous health-influencing variables, such as age, ethnicity, smoking status, dietary quality, physical activity levels, sleep patterns, and total daily coffee intake.
The results indicated that those whose coffee intake was concentrated in the morning exhibited a substantially lower risk of death—16% lower—compared to those who abstained from coffee entirely. The impact was even more pronounced concerning cardiovascular diseases, where the risk of death dropped by 31% relative to non-coffee drinkers. Conversely, individuals who sipped coffee continuously throughout the day did not demonstrate any significant risk reduction.
These correlations persisted even after accounting for potential confounding factors, including sleep quality, sleep onset difficulties, or the intake of other caffeinated beverages. The trends were observable across diverse age and socioeconomic demographics, which further underscores the importance of the timing of coffee intake.
When consuming coffee, maintaining moderation is crucial, keeping in mind that additives like sugar, syrups, and cream significantly increase the beverage’s caloric content
The precise biological mechanisms behind this phenomenon remain unclear to scientists, but they have put forth several potential explanations. Circadian rhythms might play a role. Consuming coffee later in the day could disrupt these rhythms by potentially suppressing melatonin—the sleep-regulating hormone—leading to elevated blood pressure and an increased risk of cardiovascular issues.
Another conceivable pathway involves inflammation. Coffee contains compounds capable of lowering inflammatory markers in the body. Since some of these markers peak during morning hours, consuming coffee then might mitigate inflammation more effectively than drinking it later in the day.
While the study is admittedly constrained by its reliance on self-reported data, which possess inherent inaccuracies, a conclusion can already be drawn: starting the day with a cup of coffee appears to be beneficial for health.
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