A
study that followed more than 2,300 patients for 12 years found those
who drank plenty of the beverage slashed their risk of dying by a
quarter.One or two cups also increased
the participants chances of survival by 12 and 22 per cent,
respectively, compared to those who never touched it.
Portuguese researchers believe their results suggest advising patients with chronic kidney to disease to drink more coffee.
Dr
Miguele Bigotte Vieira, of North Lisbon Hospital Centre, said: 'Our
study showed a dose-dependent protective effect of caffeine consumption
on mortality among patients with chronic kidney disease.
'These results suggest advising patients with chronic kidney disease to drink more caffeine may reduce their mortality.'
Kidney disease affects nearly two million
in the UK, and five million have been diagnosed in the US. It is most
common among the elderly.Patients are
at a much higher risk of having a heart attack or stroke as the
condition leads to the accumulation of fatty deposits in arteries.
Described as a 'silent killer' because awareness is low, it can also lead to kidney failure.
The new findings were presented at the American Society of Nephrology Kidney Week conference in New Orleans.
Dose-dependent
The
link was ‘dose-dependent’, meaning the more they drank, within reason,
the less likely they were to die over the study period.Dr
Viera also said the potential phenomenon held firm even after other
factors that affect kidney patients’ risk of death were taken into
account. These include age, gender,
family income, education, high blood pressure, smoking status, BMI,
previous strokes or heart attacks, diet, alcohol consumption and race.
Coffee
is the world's most popular hot beverage and has been linked to a
longer life in the general population, offering a host of health
benefits.But this is the first research to suggest it also holds true for individuals with chronic kidney disease.
How was the study carried out?
it was based on consumption and death rates among 2,328 US patients taking part in a national survey between 1999 and 2010.
Compared
with those who never or rarely drank the beverage, participants who
consumed two reduced their risk of dying during the study by 12 per
cent.
Three cups was linked to a 22 per cent decreased risk, and anymore than this was found to slash the risk by 24 per cent. Dr
Vieira said there was now an urgent need for a bigger study with kidney
patients selected at random either to drink coffee, or not.
He
added: 'This would represent a simple, clinically beneficial and
inexpensive option, though this benefit should ideally be confirmed in a
randomised clinical trial.'
Dr Vieira stressed as the study was only observational it did not examine cause and effect.
So it cannot prove caffeine, the active stimulant in coffee, reduces the risk of death in patients with chronic kidney disease.
HOW MUCH CAFFEINE IS SAFE?
The EU’s food safety watchdog advised a daily limit of 400mg for adults in its first guidelines on caffeine intake in 2015.European Food Safety Agency officials suggested pregnant women should keep intakes below 200mg.
It
also advised children to consume no more than 3mg of caffeine per KG of
body weight - the equivalent of two mugs of milky tea for a child of
four.
Health officials warned those who break the limits run the risk of a host of health problems, from anxiety to heart failure.Its warning also showed links between high caffeine intake in pregnancy and having a baby that is underweight.
\The NHS says too much caffeine can cause a miscarriage. There are also links to birth defects.
However,
with coffee far from the only food or drink to contain caffeine, people
may unintentionally be going over the safe limit. (Daily Mail Health)
A
study that followed more than 2,300 patients for 12 years found those
who drank plenty of the beverage slashed their risk of dying by a
quarter.One or two cups also increased
the participants chances of survival by 12 and 22 per cent,
respectively, compared to those who never touched it.
