Lead author Susanna Larsson, PhD, Associate professor at the Institute of Environmental medicine said, “The results of the study says It is safe to consume Coffee, at least in moderation, without the risk of developing this condition”. The American Heart Association estimated 2.7 million Americans have atrial fibrillation.

For the study, Larsson and her colleagues used data from two long-running studies, the Cohort of Swedish Men and the Swedish Mammography Cohort, which involve about 42,000 men and almost 35,000 women. In 1997, all the participants filled out questionnaires that asked about their health and diet, including how many cups of coffee they drank daily or weekly.

The researchers also did a meta-analysis, looking at six other studies on atrial fibrillation and coffee intake, which confirmed their results.

“Whether men may be more sensitive to a high coffee or caffeine intake warrants further study”, the researchers wrote in their article, published today (Sept. 22) in the journal BioMed Central.

The study looked at the link between coffee consumption and the incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF), which is the fancy name for the two upper chambers of the heart contracting either too quickly or in an irregular manner.

While moderate coffee consumption has been associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease and stroke, its association with a heart condition that causes an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate, has been unclear.

The researchers suggested that more research should be done confirming that there is no relationship between atrial fibrillation and coffee drinking.

Interestingly, the study found that even those who enjoy “extreme levels of coffee consumption” experienced no increased risk of AF, meaning healthy coffee lovers can enjoy the beverage to their heart’s content.

The investigators found no link between drinking coffee and atrial fibrillation in any of the studies.

Despite the evidence, coffee may trigger other forms of irregular heartbeat, since some people with atrial fibrillation at the start of the study may have quit drinking coffee or lowered the number of cups per day because they believed it triggered an arrhythmia.

The authors says in sex-specific analyses, coffee consumption was associated with a non-significant increased risk of AF in men, but a non-significant decreased risk of AF in women. In conclusion, additional research needs to be conducted in order to answer such questions.