Starting the day with a jolt of caffeine – whether it be a from a cup of coffee or a can of energy drink – is a no-brainer for many people. New research indicates that having too much throughout the day can put a person’s heart at risk.
“According to a new study being presented at ACC Asia 2024 in Delhi, India, drinking over 400 mg of caffeine per day on most days of the week could increase the susceptibility of otherwise healthy individuals to cardiovascular disease,” said a press release issued this week by American College of Cardiology. The conference will be held from this Friday through Sunday.
Already, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends that healthy adults not have more than 400 milligrams a day to avoid “dangerous” and “negative” effects. It said that’s about four to five cups of coffee.
“However, there is wide variation in both how sensitive people are to the effects of caffeine and how fast they metabolize it (break it down),” said the FDA.
Nency Kagathara of the department of internal medicine at Zydus Medical College and Hospital in Dahod, India, and lead author of the study said: “Regular caffeine consumption could disturb the parasympathetic system, leading to elevated blood pressure and heart rates.”
According to the National Coffee Association’s spring 2024 trends report, 67% of American adults surveyed had coffee in the past day (up 37% since 2004) and 75% had coffee in the past week. More Americans had consumed coffee in the past day than any other beverage.
Coffee lovers in particular should know that some research indicates their habit isn’t all bad, at least in moderation. Back in 2021, Audacy reported that on research presented at European Society of Cardiology Congress that indicated that up to three cups of coffee per day could actually lower the risk of stroke and heart disease.
Still to count as a “chronic” caffeine drinker for the purposes of the recent study, an individual would need to drink any caffeinated drink five days a week for more than one year. Kagathara said the goal was to find if chronic consumption impacted heart health.
“The study focused on tea, coffee and aerated beverages such as Coke, Pepsi, Redbull, Sting and Monster,” said the press release. “The authors evaluated a randomized group of 92 normotensive and healthy individuals between the ages of 18 and 45 years.”
Researchers measured blood pressure and pulses for all participants who went through a three-minute step test. Results indicated that chronic caffeine consumption at 400 mg daily significantly impacted the autonomic nervous system and raised both patients’ heart rate and blood pressure over time. Women employed in business and management roles living in urban areas were the most likely to be chronic caffeine drinkers.
“Those who consumed the highest amounts, chronic caffeine consumption of more than 600 mg of caffeine per day, had significantly elevated heart rates and blood pressure after five minutes of rest following the step test,” said the press release.
Due to its impact on the automatic nervous system, the study authors concluded that excessive caffeine intake could put otherwise healthy people at risk of hypertension (high blood pressure and other cardiovascular events. Hypertension alone is associated with an increased risk of coronary artery disease, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, and dementia. It can also weaken the heart over time and is a risk factor for heart disease – the leading cause of death in the U.S.
“Increasing awareness of these risks is vital to improve heart health for all,” said Kagathara.