In a new study, researchers found that drinking too much coffee every day may harm heart health.
They found that people who drink six or more coffees a day have a 22% higher risk of heart disease.
The research was conducted by a team from the University of South Australia.
Coffee is a very popular beverage in the world, and the pros and cons of drinking coffee have been debated for decades.
Previous research has shown that drinking coffee can provide many health benefits, including reducing risk of Parkinson’s disease and dementia, cutting cancer risk, protecting kidney health and boosting exercise performance.
However, recent studies have linked excessive coffee drinking with heart problems. For example, one study found that food additives commonly used in coffee could raise blood pressure.
In the current study, the team focused on the link between long-term coffee drinking and heart disease.
They analyzed data of 347,077 participants aged 37-73 years from UK Biobank.
They explored the ability of the caffeine-metabolizing gene (CYP1A2) to better process caffeine.
They also identified increased risks of cardiovascular disease in line with coffee consumption and genetic variations.
They found that excessive coffee drinking (more than 6 cups a day) was linked to a 22% higher risks of heart disease.
The harmful effect exists even in carriers of the caffeine-metabolizing gene.
The team suggests that their research confirms the point at which excess caffeine can cause high blood pressure, a precursor to heart disease.
This is the first study putting an upper limit on safe coffee drinking and heart health.
The researchers suggest that just like many things, it’s all about moderation. Overindulge and your health will pay for it.
The authors of the study include Dr. Ang Zhou and Professor Elina Hyppönen.
The study is published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
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