Impact of Coffee Consumption on Cardiovascular Health

Abstract

Background: Coffee is a widely available beverage that is enjoyed by individuals of many cultures. The publication of new studies prompts a review of the clinical updates regarding the association between coffee consumption and cardiovascular disease. Methods: We present a narrative review of the literature related to coffee consumption and cardiovascular disease. Results: Recent (2000-2021) studies have shown that regular coffee consumption is associated with a decreased risk of developing hypertension, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation. However, results are inconsistent with regard to coffee consumption and risk of developing coronary heart disease. Most studies show a J-shaped association, wherein moderate coffee consumption resulted in decreased risk of coronary heart disease and heavy coffee consumption resulted in increased risk. In addition, boiled or unfiltered coffee is more atherogenic than filtered coffee because of its rich diterpene content that inhibits bile acid synthesis and ultimately affects lipid metabolism. On the other hand, filtered coffee, which is essentially devoid of the aforementioned compounds, exerts antiatherogenic properties by increasing high-density lipoprotein-mediated cholesterol efflux from macrophages through the influence of plasma phenolic acid. As such, cholesterol levels are principally influenced by the manner of coffee preparation (boiled vs filtered). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that moderate coffee consumption leads to a decrease in all-cause and cardiovascular-related mortality, hypertension, cholesterol, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation. However, no conclusive relationship between coffee and coronary heart disease risk has been consistently identified.

Keywords: Atrial fibrillation; cholesterol; coffee; coronary disease; diterpenes; heart failure; hypertension; lipids; phenolic acid.