Many people can’t imagine starting their day without at least one cup of coffee However, whether coffee is actually good for us or if there are some health risks has long been up for debate. Now a new study offers some relief, as scientists say we can enjoy up to 25 cups of coffee a day, which most would probably agree is much more than we really need.
According to The Guardian, several studies have suggested that coffee has bad consequences for our health, like stiffening arteries, increased pressure to the heart, and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack or stroke.
However, a new study examined more than 8,000 people across the U.K. and revealed that drinking between five and 25 cups of coffee a day doesn’t cause more damage to the arteries than drinking less than one cup a day. The study, which was partially funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) will be presented at the British Cardiovascular Society conference in Manchester.
A team of scientists at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) split 8,412 people into three groups to test the good and bad effects of drinking a lot of coffee in the study. The people in the first group didn’t drink any more than one cup of coffee per day. The second group consisted of people who drank between one and three cups a day, while the third group of people consisted of people who drank more than three cups of coffee per day. Some people in the third group drank up to 25 cups of coffee a day, even though the average number for people in this group was five.
The results indicate that people who drank an excessive amount of coffee per day were no more likely to have stiffened arteries than those in the other groups who consumed much less coffee. The researchers also conducted MRI heart scans and infrared pulse wave tests on the participants. The results held true while accounting for factors like age, weight and smoking.
“Despite the huge popularity of coffee worldwide, different reports could put people off from enjoying it,” Dr. Kenneth Fung from QMUL told The Guardian. “Whilst we can’t prove a causal link in this study, our research indicates coffee isn’t as bad for the arteries as previous studies would suggest.”
Prof Metin Avkiran, associate medical director at the BHF, told the Guardian that the study “rules out one of the potential detrimental effects of coffee on our arteries.”
