Coffee May Reduce Stroke Risk in Women

If you enjoy drinking coffee and feel a little guilty about it, a new study published in the Journal Circulation provides just the excuse to keep on drinking it. The study, performed by Harvard Physicians analyzed the coffee-drinking patterns of thousands of women across the United States and found a significant association between coffee drinking and a lowered stroke risk by comparison with non-coffee drinkers.

For those who believe that coffee and cigarettes go hand in hand, the researchers have bad news: Smoking abolishes the benefits of coffee drinking on stroke risk.

I should caution you that this does not necessarily mean that coffee itself prevents stroke and that drinking more coffee will equate to more stroke protection. Some behaviors are associated with other behaviors which then do the protection. For instance, coffee drinkers may be more active than non-drinkers. After all coffee wakes you up doesn’t it? And it might be the increased activity, and not coffee, that provides stroke protection.

Recommended reading:
What is a Stroke Risk Factor?
Am I at Risk of Stroke?
What are the Symptoms of Stroke?