I’ve already had this conversation with my Cardiologist and would like to see what others have to say or do!
Do any of you with AFib have coffee? My Cardiologist let me in the hospital but once I got out he seemed against it. My electro cardiologist said one cup of coffee in the morning is ok. He said if I went into AFib it isn’t the coffee. I am 50 years old ( 49 at the time of conversion) and thank the lord haven’t had an AFib episode since my first . I’d like to hear what others do. Thanks -Pete
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At the risk of being pedantic .......... I have a full blown AF event about once every 4 or 5 years. I do experience ectopics from time to time but these are now significantly reduced and controlled thanks to Sotalol. So, I always have two cups of full strength instant coffee ( from a supermarket ) a day, mornings only. Apart from that its cups of tea, as and when, until about the time of my evening meal, then its a beer or maybe red wine. That's it !
Been doing this for years and at no time has any such activity kicked off AF - or significantly had an impact on ectopics.
Hi Ben, Unfortunately a half pint of Guinness triggers attacks in me and a single coffee increases my ectopics 5 fold. We're all different so maybe Pete should just try out for himself. My EP at Barts looked very suspiciously at me when I first told him that alcohol was my trigger. These EP's should get themselves on here and listen to their patients.
Coffee has never caused me a problem, in fact it tends to keep me out of afib. This is probably because my AF has always been vagal in origin, so higher heart rate (within reason!) tips the balance away from fib. Won't be true for predominantly adrenergic AF.
Hi Cliff could you expand on ‘vagabond in origin and so higher heart rate…’ I have GERD which affects my vagabond nerve and increases my heart rate - and now AF
Depends on the coffee - I never drink dehydrated instant as it nearly always triggers arrythmias. I have 1 cup of organic coffee in the morning 4-5 times a week. Some brands of coffees do affect me so I stick to the ones I know are OK.
My AF burden is around 2% at the moment, if I have an episode I lay off the coffee for a few days.
How do we calculate our AF burden by percent? Curious to know. I assess mine as - better than it was, manageable, and not spoiling my life anymore 🙃 I also consider it a plus to be using PiP only occasionally, rather than on meds all the time.
Pacemaker report & Kardia report. My iWatch also but evidently 2% is their base line whereas I know I’ve had AF - had a short episode this evening. I don’t take any meds.
If I remember correctly I don't think a burden figure is on the Kardia. That's because it's up to you when you take a reading, which could be only once a day or less even. The burden figure is a feature of Iwatches as they monitor the heart "loosely" throughout the day.
The Apple Watch neg result was explained by a physician on this site. The pacemaker is a direct measurement whereas the watch is less sensitive. There is no zero measurement for afib on the watch just 2% or less.
I have paroxysmal AFl I find even one cup of coffee brings out more PACs than usual and for that I avoid it -- and I use to love that one cup. AF is in my family and my older brother with paroxysmal AF can easily have a cup or two without a problem. Go figure huh?
in general caffeine is a known trigger of AF. As a physician with a history of AF, I only drink decaffeinated coffee and drinks. Why play with known trigger. Eliminate the ones you can control like caffeine , smoking, reduced alcohol.
I had about 5 years when I didn’t drink, no coffee, gave up gluten and dairy and didn’t make a jot of difference. My understanding is that the jury on caffeine is not proven but some people may be susceptible. For me the benefits of coffee outweigh the risk from caffeine. Nowadays I drink coffee, have the occasional drink 2-3 units/week, wine or beer and eat dark chocolate - avoid decaffeinated drinks because for me the processing of chemical decaffeination is more problematic so stick to herbal infusions. What I DO avoid is added sugar, all ultra processed foods - especially white bread.
I have PAF but do suffer from ectopics quite frequently. My cardiologist advised me to give up caffeine and alcohol completely, so it’s decaf all round for me. To be honest, after a short time, I couldn’t really tell the difference.
It isn't a trigger for me, I had always drank coffee however I believe in everything in moderation and now, in may 80's, I just have one or two a day. If it acts as a trigger then the answer is obvious.
When I'm at home I mostly drink decaff tea and coffee. Usually about 3 mugs of coffee and 5 of tea.At weekends, though, I drink caffeinated filter coffee. I also often drink caffeinated tea and coffee when I'm out and about as it's often easier.
I've never known caffeinated drinks to trigger an attack for me.
After I had a DCCV, I was off to New York with my kids. My Cardiologist said have a lovely time and don't drink the coffee, go Decaf... That's all I drink now, just in case.
Got paroxysmal afib. Never had any issues with coffee. My EP has never told me to quit coffee. Have 2 a day with no problem. Was told to reduce alcohol as far as possible (which I have done) and eat a heart healthy diet. Otherwise no restrictions advised.
Hi, I drink three cups of coffee a day (not instant) and it's never been a trigger for me. I have several friends with AF and it's never been a trigger for them either. My cardiologist has no problems with my coffee intake.
Coffee was definitely a trigger for me when I had paroxysmal AF. Caffeine in tea or cola was not a trigger. Though I have had permanent, though asymptomatic, AF for the last 7+ years I still avoid coffee. I've not had a cup for 17 years. I drink about three bottles of red wine a year,taking sips rather than gulps. I live alone so drink from the bottle, as a sip is less than 5ml. Just enough to taste it on the tongue. If I go to a social event, I don't drink alcohol. My last bottle of wine was bought a fortnight before last Christmas and lasted until the first week of February.
There's also a lot of research that indicates coffee consumption is good for your cardio health, so unless coffee provokes AF for you personally, I believe the experience of many here, including myself, that coffee consumption doesn't affect their AF.
Fortunately, I’d rather gone off coffee preferring herbal teas, before my paroxysmal AF arrived but the advice here in the UK is that it is not a good idea for us. But we also know that we are all different so it might be that you are fine continuing as you are. Good luck!
well that’s a good question when I was younger, 35 I would only get AF once every 4 or 5 years and the triggers were having too much coffee or alcohol and then exerting myself. Going forward I continued drinking wine and coffee but not over the top and definitely no exercise after. That worked for the next 29 years with the occasional AF when I’d forgotten to be conscious of my triggers. I’m now 67 and getting episodes more often maybe 4-5 times over the last 3 years and now only drink Decaf, zero beer and the occasional sip of red wine
I avoid tea and coffee with caffeine, as I tend to find it affects me with small flutters and ectopics. Anything that could make my heart remember AFIB is avoided.
Cardiologist Dr John Day, whose book "The AFib Cure" a lot of people here recommend, lists caffeine as the number 2 trigger for AF ( you can Google his website page "The Top 10 Atrial Fibrillation Triggers" for the list). He quotes research finding that "people who are healthier usually have definitive triggers, while people who are less healthy might not even require a trigger to push their heart out of rhythm. They also found that while just about everyone has different triggers, some triggers are far more common than others."
But for some months now, having forgotten it might be a trigger, I've often had one cup of not very strong caffeinated coffee in the mornings without triggering any episodes, having avoided coffee altogether for years, since well before AF (I'd forgotten about coffee being a potential trigger!) The triggers for my 2 periods of persistent AF seem quite possibly to have been chemical additives in foods, and/or steroids, and I've been back in normal rhythm for a year since my second cardioversion.
Glad you've stayed free of your AFib since your cardioversion. It could be just down to whether you are individually susceptible, and whether you want to take the risk.
Coffee can be a trigger for some, I avoided all caffeine for a year or two after my ablation, but then succumbed to a lovely espresso when I visited a friend in Italy.
Since then I have one or two cups of latte a day made in an espresso maker (lavazza rosso ❤)
No ill effects in the last 5 years. So I'm lucky with that.
Alcohol is not a trigger for me either, but I probably have one unit a week on average but do have the odd night out when I may have 3 or 4.
Chinese take away and certain flavours of Doritos can give me palpitations , its the MSG, so I avoid those things.
Other than that my trigger is stress and being ill.
But as you can see from the messages in this post, we are all different
On a side note I think I remember seeing some researh that showed a big increase in AF in younger people from drinking those horrible energy drinks. Why they need so much energy to sit in front of a PlayStation for 12 hours is beyond me (wow I'm sounding old )
What angers me about energy drinks is that they don't appear to give the youngsters who walk around the streets drinking them the energy to carry them to the next litter bin.
My GP immediately told me to cut out alcohol and caffeine. I've only spoken to the cardiologist on the phone, but he practically laughed and said "no, coffee is fine."
I always have decaffeinated coffee and tea. I never have caffeine. I don’t find they taste any different. I have tried them all and my favourites are Yorkshire tea decaff and Nescafe Gold blend decaff coffee.
I read a published paper on research into Afib triggers some time ago and the only trigger identified for which there was clear evidence was alcohol. This was for food/drink type triggers. I have also read other research that indicates moderate caffeine intake may be a protective factor against developing afib. Some people feel that caffeine does trigger their Afib so in that case it's a sensible decision for them to avoid it. Also this research was specifically in regards to Afib and does not therefore apply to other heart rhythm problems.
I have had PAF for years but diagnosed only a couple of years ago. I’ve been drinking 2-3 pints of coffee every weekday for about 40 years. When I was diagnosed they told me in no uncertain terms to stop the coffee. We discussed the science and I researched it. It has never been a trigger for me so I decided to obey (almost). I now drink decaf about a third of the time. Still no problem.
Caffeine definitely drives my afib. I’ve found that tea doesn’t. Tea generally has half the caffeine of coffee. I drink decaf coffee and matcha tea these days.
The doc who did my ablation said having a second one should allow me to enjoy regular coffee again. I’m not in any rush to schedule it.
These days I go into afib about once every 3-4 weeks, usually linked to alcohol or caffeine sometime in the prior 48 hours.
just to add, I have had PAF for 10+ years, have episodes every few months but coffee does not seem to trigger. I drink one large cup of americano in the morning plus a couple of instant coffees daily without any significant effects
I never stopped drinking my morning I love flavored coffee. It’s my dessert lol now only have one cup maybe a second but that’s rare.
this past November, I started trying mushroom coffee. I love it the flavor of it, etc. and it’s only 35% caffeine. I like what are supposed to be the benefits of it. I do still have a cup of regular coffee again flavored now and again, but honestly, I’ve never really had a problem drinking any
my has never had a problem with me on it either same with CoQ10 and I just asked him about mushroom coffee he laughed. He said why don’t you just eat the mushrooms? I told him I like the flavor of the mushroom coffee. It’s a bit like having Cocoa They also have Matcha mushroom as well. It’s good that you asked. They all have different on things. By the way he was right about. I should eat the mushrooms and I do lol with that being said you do have to be even with natural things I recently discovered turmeric as well as licorice root tea are not good if you have a fib. I had wanted to take turmeric for joint pain and it’s a shame because they have it everything that these days.
I say enjoy your coffee. I feel better focused with the mushroom coffee. Regular coffee is I think of all the bad things you could be doing. I don’t think that’s so bad.
I am a bit older than you (76 next birthday) and my paroxysmal AF started when I was 69 (resulting in hospitalisation). A year and a half ago I had a bad episode of AF (resulting again in hospitalisation) which appeared to be precipitated by a cup of delicious 'real' coffee made from recently ground beans... the episode started within 10 minutes of me drinking this. But prior to that I had built back up to several cups of caffeinated (real and instant) coffee a day which might have had something to do with it. I have since had an ablation but still steer clear of caffeinated coffee, but do still drink 'ordinary' tea, with no apparent adverse consequences.
I have been drinking Decaff tea and coffee for decades - before I ever had AF, for bladder and prostate reasons. So if caffeine does trigger my AF at all then it is the very small amount that is left. However, I do know someone with AF who did find that coffee triggered his AF. He used to treat himself to a large cappuccino on a Friday break time and by lunch time would have an AF episode. Another guy in our group found that white wine triggered his AF - though not red wine or beer. So yes it can be a trigger but often it’s can be hard to narrow down your own triggers.
On the recovery ward after my ablation they brought me a nice cup of black coffee, which was much appreciated!
I drink about 3 mugs of instant coffee most days, followed by a mug of half normal, half decaf late afternoon, then a full decaf in the early evening. I find that to be best for me for a few reasons - fewer palps, less likely to get that, edgy, 'wired' feeling I get from too much coffee; better sleep.
But the most effective element of my fluid intake is plenty of plain water. I try to remember to drink roughly 1.5L every day and a quiet heart is the reward. Sometimes I forget and the resultant arrythmia is often how I realise I haven't drank enough. Other times I'll think I've drank enough yet the arrythmia kicks off, then I'll notice my urine is very yellow, a sure sign I'm less well hydrated than I thought I was.
I know that as a stimulant caffeine directly effects the heart rate, but I wonder sometimes if the diuretic effect of coffee, causing us to pee more, plays a significant role in arrythmia too.
When I was 1st diagnosed I cut down, but now (in permanent afib 3 years) I just drink it as I normally used to.... strong and fairly frequent, seems ok no issues.
Seems to depend on the source of the problem. Whether low HR or high HR riggers afib. Vaso constriction vs vaso dilation. Also, whether one is having ectopics under certain conditions.
My theory is that for some ppl, i know this sounds crazy, a slight increase in hr or blood pressure, might be beneficial. The opposite for others.
Hopefully someone will do a proper study someday. Let's plead for some rich person.to fund some good research. There's not a one size fits all solution for rythm issues. Phd idea, not md idea, so take everything i say as completely false until studies are done.
My afib started in a time when i was off the coffee. Since, I'm on the morning coffee big time, with beneficial effect so far.
Caffeine affects each afibber differently. And so does the amount. It can also interact with some of the heart drugs we take. Tread lightly and be careful of taking it with sugar or a sugary pastry. Don't ask me how I know.
not sure if i am replying correctly but wondering can afib ever go away? When i was diagnosed with PMR i had a cardioversion procedure because my heart rate was erratic. I have taken one sotol daily for years and have had no more problems in 10 years. Even stopped going for checkups with my cardiologist
i love my coffee (and wine) and was sad to give them up. everyone with afib is different & what may be a trigger for you may not be for me. I started reading all these articles about studies that said coffee is no longer considered a trigger & may actually be beneficial . i had been drinking plain decaf coffee (which tastes like mud) and slowly started adding my favorite regular coffee back in . I am now up to a ratio of about 70/30 (decaf to regular ratio). My coffee tastes great & it doesnt seem to impact my PAF at all. Also, I love my dark chocolate & every night after dinner, have a few pieces of good dark chocolate; again no impact on my heart rate. Wine-- just about everyone agrees alcohol IS a trigger --is another story. My cardiologist said i could have a glass every now and then, & I was ready to implement that but balked because there are so many studies out there where alcohol really needs to be avoided. I have had PAF for 5 yrs now and have found out that a 1/2 glass of wine drunk with my meal is OK. I used to love my glass of wine (or two) going out to dinner with family & friends, but had to settle for the half glass of wine 1x or 2x per month. i tell myself there is no glass of wine out there , that delicious, that is worth going into afib for 5 hrs!! again, everyone is different and what may be a trigger for me, may not for you.
I have seen several studies that conclusively prove that coffee has, for the vast majority of drinlers, zero impact on AF. This is, of course, unless you are one of those very few unfortunates who have a particular sensitivity to caffeine. That said, I've also read trials that have shown a strong placebo response to coffee with people claiming to experience a "caffeine high" even when there is no caffeine present, much like the so-called "sugar high".
I had avoided coffee and any caffeine for 20 years. Recently I've been drinking a 12 oz. decaf or a half caf every other day and it does nothing more than improve my mood. I try to keep it light though so as not to get 'used' to the caffeine at these very small doses.
DodgerGuy. I am 69 and drink about 1-3 cups in the morning only. I drink organic coffee from a place called PaleValley which also has some small % of various alledgedly healthy for you mushrooms. It's delicious and I seem to suffer no ill affects from it.
I'm taking Diltiezem 240mg and Metrolpolo 1.25mg 2 x daily, AM and PM.
Blood thinner is a combination Nattokinase, Vitamin "E" and turmeric.
My arrhythmia is SVT with associated ectopics. My triggers are caffeine and alcohol so I gave up both 2 years ago. I’ve cut right back on ultra processed foods and I ensure I leave at least 3 hours between a meal and then going to bed. I also no longer have large portion sizes. I drink 2.5 litres of water a day and 3-4 x 10K power walks per week.
I’ve not had any SVT and minimal ectopics since this regime plus obviously the medication of dronedarone (Multaq) for the SVT and bisoprolol 2.5 for the ectopics.
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