You might want to cut back if you’re drinking more than four cups of coffee and/or other caffeinated drinks on most days, for the sake of your heart. — dpa
Drinking too many teas, coffees or soft drinks could be a heart disease risk, according to doctors in India who are warning against “chronic caffeine consumption”.
“Drinking over 400mg (equivalent to four cups of coffee) of caffeine per day on most days of the week could increase the susceptibility of otherwise healthy individuals to cardiovascular disease,” the researchers told attendees at a recent American College of Cardiology (ACC) conference in Delhi, India.
“Regular caffeine consumption could disturb the parasympathetic system, leading to elevated blood pressure and heart rates,” according to Dr Nency Kagathara of the Department of Internal Medicine at Zydus Medical College and Hospital in Dahod, India.
In a study involving coffee, tea and fizzy drinks, including cola and energy drinks, the team carried out tests on people aged between 18 and 45 to “determine the effects of chronic caffeine consumption on heart health, specifically the recovery of heart rate and blood pressure”.
“Due to its effect on the autonomic nervous system, regular caffeine consumption could put otherwise healthy individuals at risk of hypertension and other cardiovascular events,” said Dr Kagathara.
People who ingest 600mg or more of caffeine a day were found to have “significantly elevated heart rates and blood pressure”, the researchers said, pointing out that the “highest daily caffeine intakes were observed in participants who were female, employed in business and management roles, and living in urban areas”.
While both drinks have become more expensive in recent years, the world’s fondness for a cuppa is not expected to diminish, regardless of health concerns, with global trades in coffee and tea projected to expand at compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) of 1.1% and 0.7% from 2023 to 2040, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Other research published in recent years showed coffee as possibly helping to stave off or offset cognitive decline. – dpa
