Can your heart handle that cup of coffee?
You might want to put that coffee cup down until after you read this. It turns out that just one morning cup of coffee can be enough to trigger a heart attack if you already have heart disease risk factors.
Recently discovered evidence shows that light to moderate coffee drinkers face an elevated heart attack risk within an hour of having a cup of coffee. The risk increases even more among people who get too little exercise, who smoke, or who suffer from a heart-risky disease like diabetes or high blood pressure.
This study included 503 adults from Costa Rica, all who had suffered a heart attack between 1994 to 1998. Scientists questioned them about their coffee intake and diet in the hours and days immediately before they had the heart attack. They also collected information on their medical histories, backgrounds, and lifestyles.
Strangely enough, long-time heavy coffee drinkers who consume four or more cups of coffee daily had little to no increased risk. During the study, scientists decided that the difference is that heavy coffee drinkers build up a tolerance to the cardiovascular effects that come with caffeine.
The risk applies mainly to middle-aged and older folks who drink three or fewer coffees per day. For these guys, that extra cup of joe could be the last straw.
To be honest, there's a lot of confusion out there about the health benefits of coffee. Some people think it's good for you, in moderation. Some people think it's bad for you no matter how little you drink.
