Drinking one to two cups of coffee a day reduces the risk of recurrent blood clots in the veins by 51 percent, scientists have found, according to News-Medical, reports infohub.kz.
Norwegian researchers from the Karolinska Institute and the University of Tromsø conducted a large observational study of 2,071 patients who had previously suffered venous thromboembolism. Participants were followed for an average of about three years, with their lifestyle, diet and rate of recurrence assessed.
The lowest risk of recurrent clotting was found among those who drank 1–2 cups of coffee a day. Increasing the number of cups provided no additional protective effect, while recurrences were more common among participants who gave up the drink entirely.
The most pronounced risk reduction was recorded in patients whose first clot was triggered by external factors — surgery, trauma or prolonged immobilization. In this group, the estimated rate of recurrent clots was 67 percent lower.
The scientists stress that the work was observational and has not yet proven a direct cause-and-effect relationship. Coffee does not reduce risk for all types of clot formation, so the researchers plan to continue their studies to determine the precise biological mechanisms by which the drink affects blood vessels.