CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A new trial suggests drinking at least one cup of caffeinated coffee a day may help protect against recurrent irregular heart rhythms like Afib.

Researchers followed 200 coffee drinking adults with Afib or similar conditions. One group drank coffee daily, the other avoided it. The coffee-drinkers had 17% fewer recurrences than the no-coffee group.

While many doctors have suggested people with Afib cut caffeine, this study hints moderate coffee may be safe — and possibly beneficial — for recurrence prevention.

It's important to note the study is relatively small and only six months long. It doesn't prove coffee causes protection, just that a cup of coffee a day may be okay — and might even help reduce the chance of irregular heartbeats.

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