Coffee Doesn't Cause Palpitations: Study

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A new study suggests that drinking coffee, tea or chocolate does not cause palpitations contrary to what most believe. The new finding challenges a widely held belief that caffeinated drinks can cause irregular heart palpitations.

NBC News reports that the 12-month study included 1,388 participants from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) with an average age of 72. Researchers assessed the coffee, tea and chocolate consumption of the participants. To check their heartbeats, participants wore a portable device that continuously monitored heart rhythm for 24 hrs.

Researchers found that 61 percent of the participants take in caffeinated products more than once every day. This group and the others who were found to consume large amounts of caffeine did not exhibit palpitations, according to the researchers.

The researchers measured instances of premature ventricular and atrial contractions. However, no matter how much coffee, tea or chocolate participants had, they couldn't find any difference.

"Therefore, we are only able to conclude that in general, consuming caffeinated products every day is not associated with having increased ectopy or arrhythmia but cannot specify a particular amount per day," Dr. Gregory Marcus, a cardiologist at the University of California, San Francisco and colleagues wrote in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

A previous study has revealed that extra heartbeats may be dangerous. In the past, it was thought that premature cardiac contractions with symptoms like heart palpitations, skipped heartbeats or fluttering were considered harmless. Now, these symptoms may signal a serious cardiovascular condition such as heart failure, stroke, coronary artery disease or atrial fibrillation.

Premature contractions, whether ventricular or atrial, were tied to caffeine consumption, as proven in previous studies and trials. However, these studies were done decades ago. The recent study conducted by Dr. Marcus and his team is the first study to actually measure premature ventricular contractions and premature atrial contractions with caffeine.

"Clinical recommendations advising against the regular consumption of caffeinated products to prevent disturbances of the heart's cardiac rhythm should be reconsidered, as we may unnecessarily be discouraging consumption of items like chocolate, coffee and tea that might actually have cardiovascular benefits," said study senior author Dr. Marcus said, as reported in CBS News.

Previous studies have shown that regular consumption of coffee was linked to a decrease in type 2 diabetes, obesity and depression. More so, larger studies have found that regular consumption of coffee lowers risk for cardiovascular and coronary artery disease.

However, the Food and Drug Administration has warned of excessive consumption of coffee, limiting to five cups a day. The FDA also warns about powdered caffeine as it can deliver as much as 25 cups of coffee per teaspoon. Check out the video below to know more about the FDA warning: