Latest news with #SiweiLiu
Mint
09-07-2025
- Health
- Mint
Beware coffee lovers! New study reveals this type of common brew can make you blind. And it's incurable
Love coffee? If your day doesn't start without a steaming cup of coffee, you might want to take a closer look at what's in your mug. A new study has revealed the danger of consuming a commonly consumed type of coffee, linking it to an increased risk of blindness among those who drink coffee regularly. The study, published in the journal Food Science & Nutrition, mentions that instant coffees can increase your risk of getting age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by 700 per cent. AMD is the leading cause of blindness. And it is incurable! The study mentions that the results showed a genetic correlation between those who consume instant coffees and dry AMD. In fact, with every increase in instant coffee intake, the risk of getting dry AMD was nearly seven times higher. 'Our results revealed a genetic correlation between instant coffee consumption and dry AMD, with each standard deviation (SD) increase in instant coffee intake associated with a corresponding odds ratio (OR) of approximately 6.92 for dry AMD, indicating a 6.92-fold increased risk,' the study says. 'Instant coffee may increase the risk of AMD, and reducing its intake could help prevent dry AMD.' It further suggests that people who are at high-risk for AMD should avoid instant coffee. The journal explains that age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common eye disease and one of the 'leading causes of irreversible blindness'. There are two types of AMD: wet AMD and dry AMD. Dry AMD: The most common type of AMD has no exact cause. According to John Hopkins, the 'loss of vision in this condition is usually slow and gradual.' Wet AMD: Though this type is less common, it usually leads to more severe vision loss in patients than dry AMD, John Hopkins says. It is the most common cause of severe loss of vision. 'Wet AMD happens when abnormal blood vessels start to grow beneath the retina. They leak fluid and blood – hence the name wet AMD – and can create a large blind spot in the center of the visual field,' it said. Blurry or fuzzy vision Straight lines appear wavy A dark, empty area or blind spot appears in the center of vision Loss of central vision Dr. Siwei Liu, a researcher in the Department of Ophthalmology at Shiyan Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, China, told Medical News Today, "This genetic overlap suggests that there may be shared biological pathways or metabolic mechanisms connecting the preference for instant coffee with the risk of developing dry AMD.'
New York Post
08-07-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Your risk of developing an incurable blinding condition goes up 700% if you prefer this kind of coffee
Blinded by the brew? Whether you're a latte lover, a mocha monster or an espresso elitist — people have strong preferences when it comes to coffee. But what if we told you your choice of java wasn't simply a matter of taste? 3 A recent study suggests your choice of java is much more than a matter of taste. brizmaker – An eye-opening study — published recently in the journal Food Science & Nutrition — found that drinking instant coffee may dramatically increase your risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of blindness. Researchers analyzed data from over 500,000 participants in the UK Biobank and discovered that instant coffee drinkers with a certain genetic predisposition were 700% more likely to develop dry AMD, the more common — and currently incurable — form of the disease. 'This genetic overlap suggests that there may be shared biological pathways or metabolic mechanisms connecting the preference for instant coffee with the risk of developing dry AMD,' Dr. Siwei Liu, a researcher in the Department of Ophthalmology for Shiyan Taihe Hospital at Hubei University of Medicine in China, told Medical News Today. 'It provides new insight into AMD pathogenesis and offers a potential direction for personalized prevention strategies, such as gene-informed lifestyle interventions.' 3 Researchers found that drinking instant coffee may dramatically increase your risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of blindness. Vitalii – Dry AMD affects the macula, a small region in the back of the retina responsible for central vision. As the damage progresses, people may experience blurry spots, difficulty reading and, eventually, a permanent loss of vision. While risk factors like age and genetics are beyond our control, lifestyle choices such as diet, exercise and smoking play a role. Researchers are now adding coffee preference to the list. 3 'Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages worldwide and is rich in polyphenols and antioxidants that may offer neuroprotective effects,' one researcher said. Getty Images/iStockphoto Liu noted that AMD is a leading cause of vision loss among older people in industrialized nations, which is why recognizing and managing lifestyle factors is important for slowing disease progression, preserving vision and improving quality of life. The findings suggest that, when it comes to eyesight, all coffee is certainly not created equal. 'Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages worldwide and is rich in polyphenols and antioxidants that may offer neuroprotective effects,' Liu told Medical News Today. 'At the same time, growing evidence shows that genetics influence dietary preferences. Studying the genetic predisposition to coffee consumption and its relationship with AMD risk may help reveal potential causal links between diet and eye diseases.' Liu's team plans to validate these findings in other populations, dig deeper into the metabolic pathways and figure out whether instant coffee is directly affecting the mechanisms behind AMD. 'We also aim to perform longitudinal cohort analyses to clarify the causal relationship between coffee intake and AMD progression,' she said.
Medical News Today
26-06-2025
- Health
- Medical News Today
Instant coffee tied to almost sevenfold higher risk of vision problems, study finds
About 200 million people around the world are living with the vision loss condition age-related macular degeneration (AMD).Of the two types of AMD, most people have dry research shows there are several risk factors for AMD, including nonmodifiable factors such as genetics, and modifiable ones like eating a healthy diet. A new study has found that a combination of genetics and drinking instant coffee may increase a person's risk of developing dry AMD. Researchers estimate that about 200 million people around the world are living with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) — an eye condition impacting a person's central vision, causing blurriness or other vision the two types of AMD, most people have dry AMD, where damage to the eye's macula — an area located in the back of the retina — happens naturally with age. Wet AMD occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow in the back of the eye, harming the are several risk factors for AMD. Some of these risk factors are not changeable, such as age and genetics. Others are modifiable risk factors, such as smoking, weight, exercise levels, and following a healthy diet that is high in antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin, minerals like zinc, vitamins C and E, and omega-3 fatty acids could help lower the risk for AMD.'AMD is a leading cause of vision loss among the elderly in developed countries,' Siwei Liu, MD, a researcher in the Department of Ophthalmology for Shiyan Taihe Hospital at Hubei University of Medicine in China, told Medical News Today.'As there is currently no cure, identifying new modifiable factors is crucial for slowing disease progression, preserving vision, and improving patients' quality of life,' Liu is the lead author of a new study published in the journal Food Science & Nutrition, which has found that a combination of genetics and drinking instant coffee may increase a person's risk of developing dry AMD. How are coffee and genetics linked to macular degeneration?For this study, researchers first obtained coffee consumption data for more than 500,000 participants from the UK Biobank genome-wide association studies (GWAS) summary statistics. Scientists broke participants into decaffeinated, ground, and instant coffee consumption groups. Scientists also obtained both dry and wet AMD data for adults 50 and over from the Finngen GWAS dataset.'Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages worldwide and is rich in polyphenols and antioxidants that may offer neuroprotective effects,' Liu explained.'At the same time, growing evidence shows that genetics influence dietary preferences. Studying the genetic predisposition to coffee consumption and its relationship with AMD risk may help reveal potential causal links between diet and eye diseases,' the study author coffee may increase dry AMD risk sevenfoldResearchers used the collected data and a variety of methods to determine their study's findings, including mendelian randomization and linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) to evaluate any genetic correlations. At the study's conclusion, researchers identified an overlap between a person's genetic disposition towards drinking instant coffee and their risk for dry AMD. Additionally, within this genetic correlation, scientists found that drinking instant coffee, compared to other types of coffee consumption, increased dry AMD risk by about sevenfold. 'This genetic overlap suggests that there may be shared biological pathways or metabolic mechanisms connecting the preference for instant coffee with the risk of developing dry AMD,' Liu said. 'It provides new insight into AMD pathogenesis and offers a potential direction for personalized prevention strategies, such as gene-informed lifestyle interventions.'Researchers stated they did not find any association between coffee consumption and wet AMD risk. For the next steps in this research, Liu said she and her team plan to validate the association in independent populations and conduct functional studies to explore whether the metabolic pathways linked to instant coffee consumption are directly involved in AMD pathophysiology. 'We also aim to perform longitudinal cohort analyses to clarify the causal relationship between coffee intake and AMD progression,' Liu added. Too soon to make assumptions about instant coffeeMNT had the opportunity to speak with David I. Geffen, OD, FAAO, director of optometric and refractive services at the Gordon Schanzlin New Vision in La Jolla, CA, about this study. 'This study finds an interesting association with instant coffee and AMD,' Geffen, who was not involved in the research, commented. 'With our population living longer, AMD is one of the leading disabilities in the senior population. Any change in lifestyle to minimize this risk is well worth exploring.' 'With the large increase in AMD seen in [the United States] it is important to continue with vital research in this area,' he added. 'The costs associated with caring and treating AMD patients it is worthwhile to find ways to minimize the risk associated with this disease.'Geffen said that while he found this research interesting, he would need to see a more direct association before he would tell patients not to drink instant coffee. He explained that:'Questions like how much instant were being consumed by those individuals with AMD. Also, is social economic class associated with this? Is there some lifestyle associated with the risk in these individuals? This is way too early to make large assumptions about instant coffee drinking.' More evidence on the health risks of processed foodsMNT also spoke with Benjamin Bert, MD, a board-certified ophthalmologist at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA, about this research, who shared that it fascinated him in two different ways. 'First the study demonstrates one of the future directions of medicine that we have been hearing about: directing care based off of someone's specific DNA risk profile,' Bert, who was not involved in the research, explained. 'In this study they found that people have a higher risk of dry AMD with certain genetic markers and consumption of instant coffee.''Which brings the second fascinating part of the study, food as medicine,' he continued.'More and more we are realizing how our food and drink choices can impact our overall health. This study once again points to the dangers of highly processed foods, like dehydrated instant coffee, compared to its more natural form of brewed coffee, which had no added risks.' – Benjamin Bert, MD'With additional research, it would be beneficial to know other foods that could be risks for these patients,' Bert added. 'Is instant coffee the only food risk? Does the conclusion of this study apply to all highly processed foods?'
Time of India
22-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Instant coffee consumption can rob you of your eyesight, reveals study
Image credits: Getty Images Fans of instant coffee might have to find a new wakeup call, as according to a new study , the consumption of this coffee can rob one of their precious eyesight. Yes, drinking instant coffee can lead to the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is a common eye condition that worsens the condition of the eyes. According to scientists from the Hubei University of Medicine in China, people at risk of this disease should avoid instant brews. AMD generally first affects people in their 50s. While it doesn't cause total blindness, it makes simple day-to-day activities like reading and recognising faces difficult. The study used genetic data from more than 500,000 people and found a statistically vital link between instant coffee intake and the risk of dry AMD- one of the forms of the sight-robbing disease. "Our results revealed a genetic correlation between instant coffee consumption and dry AMD," wrote Siwei Liu, corresponding author from the Department of Ophthalmology in Shiyan Taihe Hospital at the Hubei University of Medicine. AMD is a common eye disease and "one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness", said researchers. To conduct the study the researchers used data from the UK Biobank that had details on people's coffee consumption-how much they drank in total and whether it was instant, ground or decaffeinated. They also obtained health data, including the diagnoses of AMD. Researchers found a significant overlap between the genetic predisposition to instant coffee intake and the risk of dry AMD, suggesting shared DNA signals between the two traits across the human genome. What is AMD? Image credits: Getty Images According to the National Eye Institute , age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a chronic eye disease that slowly damages the macula- the central part of the retina responsible for clear and sharp vision. It is the leading cause of loss of vision in older adults. AMD is of two types, dry and wet. Most people have dry AMD, also called atrophic AMD. In this, the macula gets thinner with age. However, there is no treatment for dry AMD. Wet AMD, also called neovascular AMD is less common but causes faster vision loss. It occurs at a later stage and it is also possible that a dry AMD turns into a wet AMD. It happens when abnormal blood vessels grow in the back of the eye and damage the macula. However, wet AMD is treatable. People near the age of 50 or those who have a family history of AMD are at risk. There are no particular symptoms of the disease but one can be on the lookout for problems such as blurriness and trouble with vision in the eye. "Epidemiological studies indicate that AMD affects nearly 200 million people worldwide, with the number expected to reach 290 million by 2040," wrote the study authors in Food Science and Nutrition. Essentially, byproducts, additives or chemicals such as acrylamide, oxidised lipids and other compounds found in instant coffee can contribute to dry AMD. Thus, people with early-stage AMD and those with a genetic predisposition to AMD should consider switching to ground beans instead. One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Daily Mirror
19-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Warning to instant coffee drinkers amid 'significant' link to eye disease
Chinese reserachers have said they discovered a statistically significant correlation between consumption of instant coffee and common degenerative disorder AMD Instant coffee drinkers have been handed a new warning by researchers who have discovered the beverage could be linked to a condition that robs people of their sight. Scientists from the Chinese Hubei University of Medicine have warned that people at high risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) should avoid slugging down the popular beverage, which accounts for roughly 13 percent of worldwide coffee consumption. An increasing number of people are living with the eye condition, which affects around 200 million people around the world at present, with 88 million more expected to be diagnosed with the disease in the next 15 years. While it mostly impacts the sharpness of people's eyesight when they reach their 50s, Hubei researchers have found that instant coffee is a potential exacerbating influence. Scientists found a significant statistical link between dry AMD disorder and the drink after studying the genetic data of more than 500,000 people. Corresponding author Siwei Liu, from the the university's Department of Ophthalmology at the Shiyan Taihe Hospital, said the results showed a "genetic correlation" not seen in decaffeinated or non-instant coffee. She said: "Our results revealed a genetic correlation between instant coffee consumption and dry AMD. Instant coffee may increase the risk of AMD, and reducing its intake could help prevent dry AMD." The scientist added that people deemed "at high risk for AMD" should "avoid instant coffee". Researchers believe that AMD is caused by a combination of factors, including diet, smoking habits and genes, with people likely to be more at risk of the disease if they have family members who suffer from it. People are also more at risk later in life, if they are white, obese, or if they suffer from cardiovascular disease, which affects the heart and blood vessels. Symptoms of AMD usually include noticeable loss of sight but not total blindness, with signs of the disease typically including: Visual disturbances like distorted lines and other features Shrinking central vision in one or both eyes Requiring brighter light when reading or working up close Difficulty adapting to dimming lights - such as in a cinemas or dimly lit restaurants Printed words seem increasingly blurry Impaired ability to recognise faces A blurry or blind spot within the field of vision that appears well-defined The Chinese researchers used data from diagnoses of AMD in the UK and additional statistics from the UK Biobank, which details how people consume coffee. Details included in the bank include whether the coffee was instant, ground or decaffeinated, and how much coffee people drank in total. While scientists found a correlation between AMD and instant coffee, they have stressed the results do not immediately indicate that coffee consumption can directly cause the disorder.
