Coffee And Tea May Lower The Risk Of Heart Attacks And Strokes In People With Lupus

According to a study released on Wednesday, increasing the amount of caffeine consumed—found in coffee, tea, and cocoa—may help those with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis maintain better heart health.

Heart attacks and strokes are more common in patients with inflammatory rheumatic conditions like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. This is caused by the illness as well as some of its therapies, especially cortisone derivatives.

The new study, published in the journal Rheumatology, added drinking coffee to the traditional advice that these patients had previously received, such as stopping smoking, lowering cholesterol, and managing high blood pressure, to improve their heart health.

Caffeine, which is found in coffee, tea, and cocoa, may actively support endothelial progenitor cells—a subset of cells that aid in vascular growth and blood vessel lining regeneration—according to research from Sapienza University of Rome in Italy.

Fulvia Ceccarelli, the paper’s principal author, stated, “The current study is an attempt to provide patients with information on the possible role of diet in controlling the disease.” In addition to its stimulating effects, caffeine also has anti-inflammatory properties. This is because it attaches itself to receptors expressed on immune cell surfaces.