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Researchers found that instant coffee can increase the risk of age-related macular degeneration, and speculate that it has to do with the production process
NEED TO KNOW
- Researchers found that instant coffee has been linked to an increased risk of developing the eye disease age-related macular degeneration (AMD)
- According to research published in Food Science & Nutrition, “instant coffee significantly increases the risk of AMD.”
- Researchers caution that those at risk of developing the disease avoid instant coffee altogether
Instant coffee “significantly increases” the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a common eye disease that can cause permanent blindness that commonly affects people after age 50.
Researchers studied the impacts of ground coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and instant coffee and found that “instant coffee significantly increases the risk of AMD,” according to research published in Food Science & Nutrition.
Macular degeneration impacts your macula — the center of your retina, which controls central vision, the Cleveland Clinic explains. There are two types of AMD: wet (caused by abnormal blood vessels, which leak fluid and blood) and dry (caused by the formation of protein deposits).
Those who are overweight, smoke, have high blood pressure, or have a family history of the disease are at risk of developing AMD.
The results were surprising, as researchers point out that “previous cohort studies have shown that coffee can reduce the risk of AMD and slow its progression.” But researchers found that “only instant coffee consumption had a statistically significant association with dry AMD.”
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Researchers say they “speculate that the different effects of various types of coffee on AMD may be related to manufacturing processes, additives, and other factors," pointing to other studies that found that the “production of instant coffee may lead to the formation of potentially harmful substances.”
Given the findings, researchers caution that “people at high‐risk for AMD should avoid instant coffee intake.”
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