Elderly Greeks from Ikaria Boast Longevity, Moderate Coffee Consumption Helps Reduce Risk of Coronary Heart Disease

Whether it's Socrates or Plato, or even Alexander 'the Great,' the Greeks were known for making more than their fair share of influential markings to the modern world. You might not have known that the Greeks discovered static electricity after rubbing amber, silk and other materials together. Or, you have been unaware of their significant advances in math and engineering. But, we're guessing you probably didn't know that elderly inhabitants of the Greek island, Ikaria, are boasting about their high rates of longevity just from a cup of coffee.

In a new study in Vascular Medicine, published by SAGE, researchers investigating cardiovascular health believe that a cup of boiled Greek coffee holds the clue to the elderly islanders' good health.

Only 0.1 percent of Europeans live to be over 90, yet on the Greek island of Ikaria, the figure is 1 percent. This is recognized as one of the highest longevity rates anywhere - and the islanders tend to live out their longer lives in good health.

Gerasimos Siasos, a medical doctor and professor at the University of Athens Medical School, Greece set out with his team to find out whether the elderly population's coffee drinking had an effect on their health. In particular, the researchers investigated links between coffee-drinking habits and the subjects' endothelial function. The endothelium, a layer of cells that lines blood vessels, is affected both by aging and by lifestyle habits (such as smoking).

The team homed in on coffee because recent studies suggest that moderate coffee consumption may slightly reduce the risks of coronary heart disease, and that it may also have a positive impact on several aspects of endothelial health.

With a sample of 673 Ikarians aged over 65 who lived on the island permanently, the researchers randomly selected 71 men and 71 women to take part in the study. Medical staff used health checks (for high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.) and questionnaires to get more detail on the participants' medical health, lifestyles and coffee drinking, in addition to testing their endothelial function, investigating all types of coffee taken by participants -

Researchers note that more than 87 percent of those in the study consumed boiled, Greek coffee daily. More importantly, subjects consuming mainly boiled Greek coffee had better endothelial function than those who consumed other types of coffee. Even in those with high blood pressure, boiled Greek coffee consumption was associated with improved endothelial function, without worrying impacts on blood pressure.

Reports show that the study provides a new connection between nutritional habits and cardiovascular health.