In a new study, researchers found that excess coffee consumption can cause poor health.
Using data from over 300,000 participants in the UK Biobank, they examined connections between habitual coffee consumption and a full range of diseases.
They found that too much coffee can increase the risk of osteoarthritis, arthropathy (joint disease), and obesity.
The research was conducted by a team from the University of South Australia.
Cappuccino, latte, or short black, coffee is one of the most commonly consumed drinks in the world.
But whether it’s good or bad for your health can be clarified by genetics.
In earlier research conducted by the team, six cups of coffee a day were considered the upper limit of safe consumption.
The team says understanding any risks associated with habitual coffee intakes could have very large implications for population health.
In this study, they used a genetic approach – called MR-PheWAS analysis – to establish the true effects of coffee consumption against 1117 clinical conditions.
The results suggest that moderate coffee drinking is mostly safe.
But it also showed that habitual coffee consumption increased the risks of three diseases: osteoarthritis, arthropathy, and obesity, which can cause big pain and suffering for individuals with these conditions.
The prevalence of these conditions in Australia and around the world shows how important it is to determine possible causes and influencers of the diseases.
For people with a family history of osteoarthritis or arthritis, or for those who are worried about developing these conditions, these results should act as a cautionary message.
While these results are in many ways reassuring in terms of general coffee consumption, the message people should always remember is to consume coffee in moderation – that’s the best bet to enjoy the coffee and good health too.
The lead author of the study is Professor Hyppönen and the team. The study is published in Clinical Nutrition.
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