Summarised by Centrist
Coffee drinkers have been handed some unusually welcome health advice.
The American Heart Association says drinking up to five standard cups of coffee a day is safe for most adults and may even benefit the heart.
Around three to five cups daily, or roughly 400mg of caffeine, was associated with lower risks of heart disease, heart failure, stroke and Type 2 diabetes.
“We could even be recommending soon that people have coffee,” cardiologist Eugenia Gianos said.
Researchers said the likely “sweet spot” was between two and four cups a day, enough to produce a biological effect without reaching harmful levels.
The evidence is not final. Many of the studies were observational and cannot prove that coffee caused the health benefits.
Individual reactions also vary. “We all metabolize caffeine at different speeds,” lead author Gregory Marcus said.
Coffee may help by encouraging physical activity, acting as a mild diuretic and blocking a substance associated with atrial fibrillation. It also contains polyphenols that may reduce inflammation.
There is a catch. Researchers warned that any benefits could be “diluted or eliminated” by loading coffee with sugar, syrups and fatty creamers.
Energy drinks did not receive the same endorsement. Their much higher caffeine levels have been linked to high blood pressure and irregular heartbeats.
