American Heart Association deems up to five coffee cups safe
The American Heart Association released a scientific statement in San Francisco saying that drinking up to 400 mg of caffeine a day — roughly five eight-ounce cups of coffee — does not increase cardiovascular risk and may even lower it. Gizmodo reported that the association’s analysis found no rise in heart disease risk at that level of intake. ABC News and WTOP echoed the finding, noting that paper-filtered or instant coffee up to five cups is generally safe for most adults and may be linked to reduced rates of stroke, type-2 diabetes and heart failure. The statement also warned that unfiltered coffee can raise LDL cholesterol and that the higher caffeine concentrations typical of energy drinks could pose cardiovascular hazards.
Fortune later added that consumption beyond four cups may elevate the chance of heart-failure, citing the same AHA data. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that higher coffee intake could increase heart-failure risk and reiterated the warning about unfiltered coffee’s effect on cholesterol. The Mercury News and The Seattle Times reiterated the core conclusion that most adults can safely consume about five cups daily while emphasizing the potential risks of energy drinks.
