A new study establishes what researchers are calling the first definitive limit of how much coffee is really too much coffee.
The study from a team out of the University of South Australia recognizes that a cup or two of Joe is OK for some caffeine enthusiasts. Three, four or even five cups, all is still good. But stop there.
The researchers determined that six or more coffees a day can be extremely detrimental to an individual's health, causing higher blood pressure and increasing vulnerability to disease.
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In fact, drinking six or more cups per day will increase your risk of heart disease by up to 22%, the report published May 10 finds. The link between caffeine and heart disease stems from the risks associated with high blood pressure, which can be triggered by excessive caffeine consumption.
“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," Professor Elina Hyppönen of the Australian Centre for Precision Health said of findings.
Hyppönen called six cups of coffee "the tipping point," leading to adverse health effects, even among people who are carriers of the quicker variation of human caffeine-metabolizing gene. The results of the study were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Cardiovascular disease is the global leading cause of death, according to the World Health Organization. In 2016, an estimated 17.9 million people died of a cardiovascular disease — representing 31% of all deaths worldwide.
The study claims to be the first that limits safe caffeine intake linked to cardiovascular health.
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