Canadians across the country mark Remembrance Day
Today Canadians will remember and honour the sacrifice of men and women in uniform who gave their lives in service of the country's values and principles.
A morning cup of coffee may do more than just perk you up, according to new research.
Moderate amounts of caffeine intake 鈥 defined as about three cups of coffee or tea a day 鈥 were associated with a lower risk of developing cardiometabolic multimorbidity, said the study鈥檚 lead author, Dr. Chaofu Ke, associate professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at Soochow University in Suzhou, China.
Cardiometabolic multimorbidity, or CM, is the coexistence of at least two cardiometabolic diseases such as coronary heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.
鈥淐offee and caffeine consumption may play an important protective role in almost all phases of CM development,鈥 Ke said.
Researchers analyzed data from about 180,000 people in the UK Biobank, a large biomedical database and research resource that follows people long-term. Those involved did not have cardiometabolic diseases at the outset.
The information included the participants鈥 self-reported caffeine consumption through coffee or black or greentea and the cardiometabolic diseases they developed through their primary care data, hospital records and death certificates, according to the study published Tuesday in the Endocrine Society鈥檚 Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Moderate caffeine consumers had a reduced risk of new onset cardiometabolic multimorbidity. The risk was reduced by 48.1 per cent if they had three cups a day, or 40.7 per cent if they had 200 to 300 milligrams of caffeine daily, compared with people who didn鈥檛 drink or drank less than one cup, Ke said.
The study had a large sample size and used multiple biomarkers to support the findings, making it a strong look at how caffeine affects heart health, said Dr. Gregory Marcus, associate chief of cardiology for research and professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. He was not involved in the research.
鈥淭hese observations add to the growing body of evidence that caffeine, and commonly consumed natural substances that contain caffeine such as tea and coffee, may enhance cardiovascular health,鈥 Marcus said in an email.
The methodology is strong and the results line up with existing data about caffeine and heart health, but there are still questions about the extent of the connection between caffeine and heart health, Marcus said.
鈥淚t is important to emphasize that, while these data suggest a relationship between caffeine, tea, and coffee and a reduced risk of a combination of cardiovascular diseases, we need to be careful before we infer true causal effects,鈥 Marcus said.
Because the study is observational, it can only show a connection between caffeine and heart health, he said. Other factors may actually be the cause of the improved heart health, he added.
鈥淚t remains possible that the apparent protective effects do not truly exist at all and that the positive associations are all explained by some as yet unknown or unmeasured true determining factor,鈥 Marcus added.
鈥淔or example, perhaps those more likely to consume these substances also tend to have a healthier diet or to be more physically active.鈥
The study also didn鈥檛 take into consideration the impact of caffeine from carbonated beverages or energy drinks, meaning that researchers can鈥檛 say whether those substances would also have a positive effect, Ke said.
Plenty of literature shows a benefit from caffeine consumption.
Several studies have suggested a lower risk of diabetes, Marcus said. And contrary to popular wisdom, drinking caffeine in coffee is associated with experiencing a lower risk of abnormal heart rhythms, he added, pointing to his and others鈥 research.
But much of that research is observational, and one study showed a mixed result, with more caffeine linked to additional daily step counts but less sleep, Marcus said.
Although the new study should provide comfort to those who already have a coffee or tea habit, it isn鈥檛 necessarily a sign to start a regular caffeine routine, Marcus said.
鈥淚t is also important to mention that more is not necessarily better,鈥 he said.
鈥淓ven if caffeine, coffee, and tea in the amounts described in this study 鈥 are indeed healthy, there is also strong evidence that high-dose caffeine, particularly when included in artificial concoctions like energy drinks, may actually cause harmful and even dangerous heart rhythm problems.鈥
Today Canadians will remember and honour the sacrifice of men and women in uniform who gave their lives in service of the country's values and principles.
Two nephews of the beloved Harry R. Hamilton share stories about his life and legacy.
Canada has announced changes to their visitor visa policies, effectively ending the automatic issuance of 10-year multiple-entry visas, according to new rules outlined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
Toy giant Mattel says it 'deeply' regrets an error on the packaging of its 'Wicked' movie-themed dolls, which mistakenly links toy buyers to a pornographic website.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump says that Tom Homan, his former acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement director, will serve as "border czar" in his incoming administration.
If Earth's astronomical observatories were to pick up a signal from outer space, it would need an all-hands-on-deck effort to decipher the extraterrestrial message. A father-daughter team of citizen scientists recently deciphered the message. Its meaning, however, remains a mystery.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court鈥檚 2022 Dobbs decision eliminated the federal right to abortion, miscarriage management has become trickier and in some cases, deadlier.
The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.
Rod Ashby was desperate to find his wife Kim Ashby after their newly built home in Elk Park, North Carolina, was swept away by Hurricane Helene鈥檚 floodwaters in late September and she went missing.
A congestion crisis, a traffic nightmare, or unrelenting gridlock -- whatever you call it, most agree that Toronto has a congestion problem. To alleviate some of the gridlock, the Ontario government has announced it plans to remove bike lanes from three major roadways.
For the second year in a row, the 鈥楪ift-a-Family鈥 campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.
Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.
A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.
As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.
A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts 鈥 not for themselves, but for those in need.
A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.
Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.
A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.