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Coffee Consumption Linked to Lower Risk of Irregular Heartbeats
10 Nov
Summary
- Clinical trial finds coffee consumption reduces risk of irregular heartbeat recurrence
- Contradicts common advice for people with atrial fibrillation to avoid caffeinated coffee
- Over 10 million Americans diagnosed with atrial fibrillation
According to a study published on November 10, 2025, drinking coffee may help protect people with atrial fibrillation from experiencing recurring irregular heartbeats. The Does Eliminating Coffee Avoid Fibrillation (Decaf) clinical trial involved 200 patients with persistent irregular heartbeats and found that those in the group allocated to coffee consumption had a 47% risk of recurrence, compared to 64% in the group abstaining from coffee.
The findings, presented at the American Heart Association conference in New Orleans, contradict the conventional wisdom that people with atrial fibrillation should avoid caffeinated coffee, which can trigger an elevated heart rate. More than 10 million Americans have been diagnosed with the condition, which causes palpitations and increases the risk of heart failure, blood clots, and strokes.
The six-month trial followed older adults from the US, Canada, and Australia who regularly drank coffee in the previous five years. Participants were randomly assigned to either cut caffeine or have at least one cup daily, with their coffee intake self-reported during video checkups. The researchers used tools like electrocardiograms and wearable monitors to track irregular heartbeats.
The results suggest that caffeinated coffee may have a protective effect against atrial fibrillation, with participants who drank coffee 17% less likely to experience a recurrence during the trial and going longer before their first instance of an irregular heartbeat.
