Those who drink coffee in the morning have a 31% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and are 16% less likely to die early compared to others, the research showed.
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“This is the first study to test coffee-drinking timing patterns and health outcomes,” lead researcher Lu Qi from Tulane University in New Orleans said in a statement.
The research identified two main consumption patterns: morning-only and all-day. After nearly a decade of follow-up, there were 4,295 deaths from all causes, including 1,268 from cardiovascular disease and 934 from cancer.
Interestingly, those who drink coffee throughout the day have the same risk of the disease as non-coffee drinkers.
To reach these conclusions, the authors analysed dietary and health data from 40,725 adults aged 18 and older, collected between 1999 and 2018. This included a subgroup of 1,463 adults to validate and cross-reference dietary data, enhancing the accuracy and reliability of the overall findings.
Researchers connected the data to death records and their causes for a follow-up period of nine to 10 years. Caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee consumption was examined, categorising intake times into morning, afternoon, and evening.
For morning drinkers, the amount of caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee consumed – whether less than one cup or more than three cups daily – did not significantly alter the observed benefits.
Furthermore, consuming coffee in the morning was associated with a reduced mortality risk regardless of quantity.
Sympathetic activity
Lu explained that in the morning hours, there is commonly a marked increase in sympathetic activity as we wake up and get out of bed, an effect that fades away during the day and reaches its lowest level during sleep.
The sympathetic nervous system’s primary process is to stimulate the body’s fight-or-flight response.
“Thus, it is possible that coffee drinking in the afternoon or evening disrupts the circadian rhythm of sympathetic activity. Indeed, many all-day drinkers suffer from sleep disturbances,” he said.
Lu stressed that the findings remained consistent even after accounting for confounding factors and physical-activity levels, dietary habits, and health conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol.
“Overall, we must accept the now substantial evidence that coffee drinking, particularly in the morning hours, is likely to be healthy,” said Lu. “Thus, drink your coffee, but do so in the morning!”
