Experts have long debated whether drinking coffee is actually good for your health. A new study in Canada shows that some people have a special gene in their bodies. For these individuals, drinking too much coffee can increase the risk of heart disease by 60%; conversely, people with another type of gene can boost their metabolism by drinking more coffee. Since it's difficult to know our own genetic makeup, experts say that even if you love coffee, you shouldn't drink more than 3 cups a day.
Researchers including Almed El-Sohemy from the University of Toronto published their findings in a U.S. medical journal. The researchers studied more than 4,000 people in Costa Rica over a 10-year period (1994-2004) to try to solve the mystery of coffee's effects on the body. Gene 1F: Excessive coffee consumption increases the risk of heart disease
There have been many past studies on caffeine, and many of them have been contradictory. Some say coffee can trigger heart attacks, while others say it is beneficial to health. The latest research found that if a person has a gene called 1F, drinking two cups of coffee a day increases the risk of heart disease. For people under 50 who drink a lot of coffee, the risk of the disease is four times higher than for those who drink one cup a day. For those with the 1F gene, drinking three or four cups a day increases the odds of heart disease by 36% and 64%, respectively. Gene 1A: More coffee consumption promotes metabolism
The study also found that if your body has a gene called 1A, then go ahead and drink coffee, as it has great benefits! Drinking two or three cups a day can actually reduce the risk of heart disease by 40%.
Unfortunately, it's difficult to know our own genetic makeup, so experts advise: Regardless of your genes, drinking one cup of coffee a day will definitely not harm your body!
Pregnant women should be especially careful not to drink more than 3 cups of coffee a day, as this can increase the risk of miscarriage.