your heart health may determine your love of coffee

an australian study of close to 400,000 people, published in the academic journal of clinical nutrition , has uncovered causal genetic evidence that a person’s cardiovascular health plays a role in their thirst for a caffeine-packed punch to start the day. researchers found people with high blood pressure, angina and arrythmia were more likely to drink less coffee — or avoid it altogether — and that this decision is in their body’s best interest.

“people drink coffee for all sorts of reasons — as a pick me up when they’re feeling tired, because it tastes good or simply because it’s part of their daily routine,” said elina hyppönen , lead researcher of the study and director of the australian centre for precision health at the university of south australia. “but what we don’t recognize is that people subconsciously self-regulate safe levels of caffeine based on how high their blood pressure is, and this is likely a result of a protective genetic mechanism.

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approximately six million canadians — or about 19 per cent of the population — have high blood pressure, according to the heart and stroke foundation , with just 17 per cent of people aware of their condition. only two-thirds of patients have the issue under control despite it being the leading risk for death in the country. around 90 per cent of canadians will develop high blood pressure or hypertension at some point in their lives.

one of the most popular drinks in the world, coffee has long been the subject of study with recent research concluding the savoury stimulant to be useful for everything from decreasing the obsessive compulsive behaviour of germaphobes to increasing the rate at which the body burns fat when consumed before a workout.

dave yasvinski is a writer with   healthing.ca

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your heart health may determine your love of coffee

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