Is Drinking Too Much Coffee Bad For Health? Experts Reveal

For years, scientists have been trying to figure out if drinking coffee is good or bad for health. Some studies suggest that drinking coffee is linked to cardiovascular problems while others say that it has no affect on heart health.

A 2017 study had indicated that consuming too much coffee can put pressure on the heart by stiffening the arteries and that this can eventually increase the chances of heart attack or stroke.

A new study partially funded by the British Heart Foundation has come up with a good news for coffee lovers. According to the research, up to 25 cups of coffee is safe for heart health.

During the research work, researchers found that there is no relationship between coffee consumption and its impact on human body. They say drinking large amounts of caffeinated beverage won’t harm the heart or stiffen the arteries. Researchers also said drinking five cups of coffee a day or less than a cup will have the same affect on the arteries.

For the study, a group of researchers from the Queen Mary University of London observed over 8,000 people from various parts of the United Kingdom. During the research, they found that those who drank around 25 cups of coffee a day did not experience more stiffening of the arteries than someone who drank less than a cup on a daily basis.

The study, which was presented at the British Cardiovascular Society conference on Monday, focussed on the coffee consumption of 8,412 people. The scientists divided the participants into three groups depending on their drinking habits.

Participants self-reported their coffee habits. One group had people who drank less than a cup a day, the second said they consumed one to three cups. The third group consisted of people who drank more than three cups a day with some consuming around 25 cups.

To analyze the impact of coffee consumption on human bodies, all the participants were given infrared pulse wave tests and MRI heart scans. Researchers then analyzed the data after correcting certain factors such as weight, diet, age, gender, ethnicity, blood pressure, smoking status and the amount of alcohol they consumed.

“What we found was that drinking more than three cups of coffee a day did not significantly increase the stiffness of blood vessels compared to people who drink one cup or less a day,” Lead researcher Kenneth Fung told CNN.

the study, however, is not a free pass to drink several cups of coffee a day. As with everything else, moderation is the key here.

“The main message for people to take away from this is that coffee can be enjoyed as part of a healthy lifestyle, and coffee lovers can be reassured by this result in terms of blood vessel stiffness outcomes. [However] We're not telling people to drink 25 cups a day per se. If anything, if you drink within recommended guidelines, then we don't expect to see an increase in arterial stiffness compared with those who drink one cup or less a day,” he added.

Fung revealed that “the highest coffee consumption group” consumed only five cups of coffee a day. There were very few participants who drank up to 25 cups, and the people who had more than 25 cups of this drink were excluded from the search.

“We would like to study these people more closely in our future work so that we can help to advise safe limits,” the researcher added.