Coffee may protect your heart but energy drinks could harm it
The American Heart Association has released a scientific statement confirming that moderate coffee consumption is generally safe for cardiovascular health. However, the report warns that high doses of caffeine from energy drinks may pose significant risks to heart health.
Why it matters
Provides evidence-based dietary guidance for the millions of people who consume caffeine daily, helping distinguish between safe habits and potentially dangerous stimulant intake.
Caffeine is the most widely used stimulant and psychoactive substance in the world, and coffee is how most people consume it. According to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association, most adults can safely consume up to 400 mg of caffeine/day (or up to five 8-ounce cups of caffeinated coffee per day). For some people, moderate coffee consumption may also be associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
The picture changes at higher doses. Concentrated sources of caffeine, especially energy drinks including energy shots, may raise the risk of cardiovascular problems. The findings were published in the American Heart Association's flagship peer-reviewed journal Circulation in the scientific statement "Caffeine and Cardiovascular Disease."
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