Regular consumption of coffee is associated with a lower incidence of atrial fibrillation, according to a large prospective cohort study published in the journal Food & Nutrition Research.
Researchers analyzing data from nearly half a million adults in the United Kingdom found that drinking two to three cups daily yielded the most pronounced risk reduction.
The observational study, led by investigators from institutions including Zhengzhou University and Peking University, tracked 495,269 participants from the UK Biobank over a median follow-up period of 13 years. During this timeframe, 37,261 participants developed atrial fibrillation, the most common cardiac arrhythmia, which affects about 33 million individuals, as reported by News-Medical.
After adjusting for confounding variables such as age, sex, ethnic background, body mass index, and smoking status, investigators observed a non-linear relationship. Participants consuming 0.5 to 1 cup of coffee daily exhibited a 7% lower adjusted hazard of developing the heart rhythm disorder compared to non-drinkers, while those consuming 2 to 3 cups showed an 11% reduction, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 0.89 and a 95% confidence interval of 0.86 to 0.92.
Intake of four or more cups daily corresponded to a 9% lower risk. The inclusion of decaffeinated coffee varieties in the analysis indicates that the observed associations cannot be attributed solely to caffeine exposure.
For tea consumption, researchers identified a more modest association. Drinking two to three cups of tea daily was linked to a 5% lower adjusted hazard of atrial fibrillation, while other intake volumes did not demonstrate statistically significant associations in the main analysis.
The research team emphasized several methodological limitations. Beverage intake was self-reported exclusively at baseline, precluding any tracking of changing habits over time. Cup sizes, brewing methods, and beverage strengths were not standardized.
Because the investigation was observational in design, it cannot establish a direct causal mechanism or prove that either beverage actively prevents atrial fibrillation. Residual confounding remains a possibility, and the predominantly White demographic of the UK Biobank cohort limits the generalizability of these findings to more ethnically diverse populations.
- Association, Not Causation: Drinking coffee is linked to a lower statistical risk of developing an irregular heart rhythm, but the data does not prove that coffee actively prevents the condition.
- The Optimal Window: The strongest risk reduction appeared in adults consuming two to three cups of coffee daily, with higher amounts failing to yield progressively greater risk reductions.
- Beyond Caffeine: Because decaffeinated options were included in the evaluation, the protective associations cannot be explained by caffeine alone.
- Liang R, et al. Association of coffee and tea consumption with the risk of atrial fibrillation: a prospective cohort study from the UK Biobank. Food & Nutrition Research. 2026;70:14612. DOI: 10.29219/fnr.v70.14612.
- News-Medical. Drinking 2–3 cups of coffee a day? A study of 495,000 adults links it to lower AF risk. Available from: News-Medical.
- UA.News. Study links 2–3 cups of coffee to lower atrial fibrillation risk. Available from: UA.News.
