1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:03,720 Speaker 1: The other day, Friday. In fact, this was an embargoed 2 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:06,440 Speaker 1: story until earlier today. I did hear news stories about 3 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:10,239 Speaker 1: it this morning. But a study has been done on 4 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: coffee and that creal fibrillation, and the story was embargoed 5 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:17,680 Speaker 1: until today. I caught up with the professor Chris Wang 6 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:21,320 Speaker 1: from Adelaide UNI though on Friday morning. Well, I'm standing 7 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:23,920 Speaker 1: in a coffee shop on Hut Street, Parco where some 8 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:28,320 Speaker 1: interesting research has been released on the fact that coffee 9 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:30,640 Speaker 1: is good for you. It can reduce the risk of 10 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:33,159 Speaker 1: an irregular heartbeat. We always knew coffee was good for 11 00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:37,320 Speaker 1: you anyway. Lead researcher at the UNI of Adelaide is 12 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 1: Chris Wang, and he is here with me. Chris, how 13 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:41,839 Speaker 1: did you come about this research? 14 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:45,360 Speaker 2: Well, look, we've actually always assumed that coffee is bad 15 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:48,360 Speaker 2: for the heart. In fact, we've recommended that patients with 16 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 2: abnormal heartbeats minimize their coffee intake, and patients themselves tell 17 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:55,360 Speaker 2: us that it worsens their palpitations. But this has never 18 00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 2: actually been tested in a proper trial called a randomized trial, 19 00:00:58,240 --> 00:00:59,240 Speaker 2: which is what we sort had to do. 20 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 1: I've never been tested before. You get the anecdotal stories 21 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:05,759 Speaker 1: of people drinking coffee and then experiencing a faster heartbeat. 22 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 1: Is that not right? Yeah? Absolutely. 23 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:11,039 Speaker 2: Look, most studies are are what we call observational in nature, 24 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:14,919 Speaker 2: so people don't people choose to drink coffee or not themselves. 25 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:16,560 Speaker 2: But the problem with that is that we can't be 26 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 2: sure it's not due to other factors. Maybe they drink 27 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 2: coffee and have a smoke. So we did this randomized 28 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:25,600 Speaker 2: trial where we flipped a coin and that coinflic determined 29 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 2: whether half the group drank coffee or didn't drink cofee 30 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 2: for six months in duration. 31 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:32,360 Speaker 1: Okay, what did you find as a result of that? 32 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 2: To our surprise, we found that those who drank coffee 33 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:38,080 Speaker 2: had a thirty nine percent lower risk of irregular heartbeat. 34 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:41,680 Speaker 2: It's called AF voyage fibrillation, which is surprising because it's 35 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:43,560 Speaker 2: different to what we've always recommended patients to do. 36 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:46,360 Speaker 1: Is this world leading researchers that's been done before. 37 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 2: This is the first randomized trial of coffee and AF 38 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 2: and we believe it's the longest trial of coffee in 39 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 2: any heart condition to be honest. And so this is 40 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:58,840 Speaker 2: really important because seventy five percent of Australians drink coffee 41 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:01,720 Speaker 2: every day, and one in three people will eventually develop 42 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 2: AF during their lifetime. So we think it's really impactful 43 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:04,800 Speaker 2: in important research. 44 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:07,639 Speaker 1: Is it because of the coffee then that the AF 45 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:08,239 Speaker 1: comes about? 46 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 2: Well, it's definitely coffee or some ingredient of coffee. You know, 47 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 2: we don't know which ingredient it is. Could it be 48 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:17,240 Speaker 2: caffeine or other antioptimists and anti influnctions that are beneficial. 49 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:19,840 Speaker 2: So future studies should now look to see which ingredient 50 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:20,800 Speaker 2: is in fact beneficial. 51 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:25,240 Speaker 1: Okay, so you can drink coffee. It won't harm your AF, 52 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 1: right correct. 53 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:29,320 Speaker 2: We can now reassure patients with AF that they can 54 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 2: continue to enjoy their coffee, and maybe even people who 55 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 2: don't drink coffee can start drinking coffee and that be 56 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:36,240 Speaker 2: beneficial for their. 57 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:40,480 Speaker 1: Health, beneficial for the coffee industry too, No doubt. Absolutely coffee. 58 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:43,680 Speaker 1: I mean it's a natural product that grows on a 59 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 1: little bush and we get the beans and away we go. 60 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 1: A natural product like that, it shouldn't necessarily cause harm, 61 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:49,679 Speaker 1: should it. 62 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:51,239 Speaker 2: Well, we don't know until we actually test it. And 63 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:54,079 Speaker 2: there's lots of you know, naturally occurring sufficers which are harmful. 64 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:57,200 Speaker 2: I should caution by saying that we tested coffee. You know, 65 00:02:57,280 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 2: as you say, a natural source of caffeine. We shouldn't 66 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 2: necessarily extra plaud of results to other synthetic forms. I 67 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:05,520 Speaker 2: could feel like any drinks which could definitally be harmful, 68 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 2: maybe they've got other ingredients that aren't with your health. 69 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:11,880 Speaker 1: And a thirty nine percent reduction is a remarkable thing 70 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 1: in af as a result of drinking coffee. 71 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 2: Absolutely, it's not a small difference. And to be honest, 72 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 2: we didn't know whether coffee would be harmful, beneficial, or 73 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:23,320 Speaker 2: maybe neutral in effect, so this was really a remarkable finding. 74 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:25,359 Speaker 1: We've got Brian with us. He was one of your 75 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 1: EU recipients and I think ended up on the well, 76 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:30,799 Speaker 1: shall we say the right side of that coin flip? Brian? 77 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 1: How did you go with the study? Well? 78 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:37,560 Speaker 3: I was lucky in that they said at the start 79 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 3: that if you go to the trial, you have to 80 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 3: read the volunteers who keep drinking coffee or stop drinking 81 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 3: coffee for the six months, and then Crisis people contacted 82 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 3: me and said you're one of the ones who can 83 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 3: keep drinking coffee. So I thought, they said, I thank 84 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:54,680 Speaker 3: goodness for that. 85 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 1: What would you have done otherwise? I mean the withdrawal 86 00:03:57,280 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 1: so horrible. 87 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 3: Oh well, no, I did volunteers stop if that was 88 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 3: the way it went. But I've been happy to keep going. 89 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 3: And yeah, I'm glad to hear about the results. 90 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:09,120 Speaker 1: I think. 91 00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:12,080 Speaker 3: Come on, And as soon as Chris rang me the 92 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:15,960 Speaker 3: other day and told me about the results of the trial, 93 00:04:17,080 --> 00:04:19,239 Speaker 3: I went and made myself a cup of coffee. 94 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:22,280 Speaker 1: That option would have been enough to rule me out 95 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:23,840 Speaker 1: of the whole experiment. I got to tell you. So 96 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:24,599 Speaker 1: you're very brave. 97 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, no, that's fine. And no, and I'm feeling fine. 98 00:04:30,520 --> 00:04:31,440 Speaker 3: My heart's going good. 99 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 1: Okay, you must feel that coffee makes a positive difference, then. 100 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:42,239 Speaker 3: Well, Chris tells me so, but my cardiologist has been great, 101 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:44,360 Speaker 3: and yeah, my heart's going well. 102 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 1: Okay, what's your cardiologist said about the whole the whole 103 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:49,080 Speaker 1: coffee thing is? Did he advise you to stop? 104 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:53,360 Speaker 3: Oh no, No, The cardiologists known about my cardigalist known 105 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:56,479 Speaker 3: about the trial, and that's been fine. 106 00:04:56,640 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 1: Chris, if I can come back to you the incident 107 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,360 Speaker 1: of coffee drink, does it matter three cups a day, 108 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:04,800 Speaker 1: five cups a day, one cup of day. Is there 109 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:05,560 Speaker 1: a factor there? 110 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a good question. So The average coffee consumption 111 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:12,479 Speaker 2: in our trial was one cup a day, and so 112 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 2: we can now safely say that about one cup of 113 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 2: day is probably beneficial. But you're quite correct. Do we 114 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 2: know whether five cups a day is still beneficial or 115 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:22,159 Speaker 2: is that in the harmful territory. That's something that should 116 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:25,760 Speaker 2: be evaluated further. We also know that people reactively to the coffee. 117 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 2: Some people can drink five cups and feel perfectly fine. 118 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:29,839 Speaker 2: Other people drink one cup and it very much affects them. 119 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 2: And so you know, further research or tease out whether 120 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 2: some people affect the more than others and what's the 121 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 2: safe amount that can be consumed. 122 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:37,920 Speaker 1: So there's still more research to be done. Are you 123 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 1: going to do that here in Adelaide? 124 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, we certainly hope. So this is world first resage 125 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 2: run from Adelaide in conjuncting with US researches, and so 126 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 2: we're proud to be on the forefront of research in 127 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:45,400 Speaker 2: this regard. 128 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:48,440 Speaker 1: Okay, So look out for more calls volunteers presumably and 129 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:50,320 Speaker 1: hopefully more coffee to be drunk. 130 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 2: Absolutely absolutely, do. 131 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:54,560 Speaker 1: You have your researchers wanting to be part of this. 132 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,039 Speaker 1: The people at Adelaide UNI saying, well, all volunteer and 133 00:05:57,080 --> 00:05:59,040 Speaker 1: drink more coffee. I mean that must be a thing. 134 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:02,120 Speaker 2: Everyone's willing to drink coffee, but there's a lot of 135 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:03,719 Speaker 2: people who don't want to give in their daily cup, 136 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:06,000 Speaker 2: you know, which is understandable given how much it's ingrained 137 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 2: in our culture society. 138 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:08,599 Speaker 1: Where do you think we're going to go for this, 139 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 1: I mean, it's part of the culture. You're right. Imagine 140 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:13,120 Speaker 1: if your results came back that it's bad for you either, 141 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:14,160 Speaker 1: that would be a nightmare. 142 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 2: Absolutely. I've had a lot of people warning me that 143 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:18,520 Speaker 2: they will stop being friends with me if I have 144 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:21,039 Speaker 2: at least negative results on please that they'll be glad 145 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:21,960 Speaker 2: to hear the RESOL just. 146 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 1: A wonderful breakthrough in dealing with AYF. Could it lead 147 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:27,760 Speaker 1: to treatment options? Do you think in the future? I 148 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 1: think so. 149 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:29,600 Speaker 2: It just goes to show that there's so much more 150 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 2: that we can learn and that, you know, coffee and 151 00:06:31,200 --> 00:06:33,600 Speaker 2: caffeine a very common substance that has been used for decades. 152 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:36,560 Speaker 2: It's actually beneficial and you know, this is the type 153 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:38,520 Speaker 2: of research that we're trying to do to try to improve, 154 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:40,159 Speaker 2: you know, people with a common heart condition. 155 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:43,280 Speaker 1: Professor Chris Wang from Adelaide, UNI, Thank you very much 156 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 1: for your time. And Brian Willing participant Lucky coffee drinker 157 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:48,280 Speaker 1: and I'm glad it's worked out well. 158 00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:49,680 Speaker 2: Thank you, thanks for your time.