We all have our coffee preferences, but this recent study could have you rethinking your favorite coffee choice. A recent study published in the journal Food Science & Nutrition found that instant coffee drinkers could be at increased risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a condition associated with blindness. The study analyzed data collected from over 500,000 individuals, concluding that instant coffee drinkers may be at an increased risk of developing AMD. The most common type of AMD, known as dry AMD, is a leading cause of vision loss in older adults and does not currently have a cure. This condition affects a small region in the back of the retina, causing damage that can lead to blurry spots and a loss of vision over time.
The complex study identified an overlap between a person’s genetic disposition towards drinking instant coffee and their risk for dry AMD. Within this genetic correlation, the study suggests that drinking instant coffee (compared to other types of coffee) could increase the risk of developing dry AMD by about 700 times. This research provides new insight into AMD pathogenesis, offering a potential next step for researchers to contribute to personalized prevention strategies such as genetically informed lifestyle interventions. The study did not find any correlation between instant coffee and wet AMD.
Though this research is interesting, some experts say it may be too soon to make assumptions about instant coffee. This study finds an interesting association between AMD and instant coffee, but many want to see research that finds a more direct association before ditching instant coffee.
