Study: Excessive coffee consumption increases cardiovascular disease risk

New research conducted at the University of South Australia has found that excessive coffee consumption is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

The researchers also revealed the point at which excess caffeine could lead to cardiovascular problems. Six or more cups, they say, increases heart disease risk by up to 22 percent.

Having set out to uncover the relation between long-term coffee consumption and heart disease and to explore the potentials of the caffeine-metabolizing gene, the researchers made quite interesting findings.

They used the UK Biobank data of 347,077 participants and found an increase in cardiovascular disease risks to be in line with increasing coffee consumption and genetic variations.

“Coffee is the most commonly consumed stimulant in the world. It boosts our energy and helps us focus. But people are always asking how much caffeine is too much,” said Elina Hyppönen of the Australian Centre for Precision Health.

“If you drink a lot of coffee, you might feel jittery, irritable or even nauseous. That’s because caffeine helps your body work faster and harder. It is also likely to suggest that you’ve reached your limit for the time being.

“Risk of cardiovascular disease increases with high BP, a consequence of excess caffeine consumption. In order to maintain a healthy heart and healthy blood pressure, people must limit their coffees to fewer…cups a day.”

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), with one person dying from the disease every 12 minutes.

This study is published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.