Are you drinking too much coffee? Scientists weigh in

By MiNDFOOD

How many cups of coffee is to many?
How much really is too much? That morning cup of coffee is "essential" for so many of us, but while the humble coffee may be a vital feature of the daily grind, is there a limit?

We’ve heard about the benefits of drinking coffee, that it’s not as bad for you as commonly thought. We also know the downside of drinking too much coffee. A new Australian-lead study sheds some light on how many cups of coffee you should be limiting yourself to a day.

Research from the University of South Australia reveals that drinking six or more coffees a day can be detrimental to your health. This, in turn, increases your risk of heart disease by up to 22 per cent.

The study points out that in Australia, one in six people are affected by cardiovascular disease. It is a major cause of death with one person dying from the disease every 12 minutes. And, according to the World Health Organisation, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, yet one of the most preventable.

How much coffee is too much coffee?

Answer: 6 cups of coffee a day.

The point at which excess caffeine can cause high blood pressure, a precursor to heart disease, is 6 cups. This is according to UniSA’s Dr Ang Zhou and Professor Elina Hyppönen of the Australian Centre for Precision Health. The pair investigated the association of long-term coffee consumption and cardiovascular disease.

The research, according to Science Daily, looked at the ability of the caffeine-metabolising gene (CYP1A2) to better process caffeine. It identified increased risks of cardiovascular disease in line with coffee consumption and genetic variations.

“Most people would agree that if you drink a lot of coffee, you might feel jittery, irritable or perhaps even nauseous – that’s because caffeine helps your body work faster and harder, but it is also likely to suggest that you may have reached your limit for the time being … In order to maintain a healthy heart and a healthy blood pressure, people must limit their coffees to fewer than six cups a day – based on our data six was the tipping point where caffeine started to negatively affect cardiovascular risk,” Prof Hyppönen says.

“As with many things, it’s all about moderation; overindulge and your health will pay for it,” he adds.

Read more: when is the best time to drink coffee?

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