Cardiology
More coffee could damage heart
By IANS
Mar 9, 2006, 18:26

Drinking more than three cups of coffee could damage your heart, says a study rejecting earlier research which said otherwise.

Previous research had mixed results about the effects of caffeine on the heart. Some showed it could reduce heart attack risks while others showed an increased risk.

The new study of 4,000 people in Costa Rica by researchers from Toronto University, Harvard's School of Public Health and the University of Costa Rica, discovered that people who drink more than three cups of coffee are at risk of heart disease.

It said people, particularly those under 50, were at greatest risk.

"It appears that one cup a day is not associated with any harm, regardless of your genetic make-up," researcher Ahmed El-Sohemy, of Toronto University stated.

"There may be some in the population for whom several cups a day may not be harmful, but until such exceptions have been identified, moderation would appear to be best."

But Peter Weissberg, medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said caffeine was a relatively small risk factor.

He said: "We know that the speed at which people break down different drugs varies from person to person, depending on their genetic make-up.

"This research suggests that heavy coffee drinkers, having four or more cups a day, who break down caffeine more slowly may have a slightly increased risk of having a heart attack.

"However, for most people other lifestyle choices, such as smoking, diet and exercise, are far more likely to affect their heart health than the occasional cup of coffee."

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