Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that moderate coffee consumption is not associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) associated morality or all-cause mortality.1 The investigators followed a cohort of 11,697 women and found there to be no association between the consumption of filtered caffeinated coffee and the risk of all-cause or CVD mortality.1

These data build on research in the area of cardiovascular health which has shown that long-term coffee consumption does not increase the risk of coronary heart disease2, stroke3, and premature death from CVD or all-causes.4

This research is important as:

- Heart and circulatory disease is the UK's biggest killer5
- More than one in five deaths in women before the age of 75 is due to CVD5

Dr Euan Paul, Executive Director of the British Coffee Association, commented, "These data add to the overwhelming weight of scientific research which demonstrates that moderate coffee consumption of 4-5 cups per day is safe and may be associated with some health benefits. This research also builds further on the British Heart Foundation's advice that moderate amounts of caffeine (four to five cups per day) does not lead to arrhythmias, coronary heart disease, or effect an individual's blood pressure, and nor does it increase the risk.6"

As advised by the NHS, pregnant women should moderate their intake of caffeine to 200mg per day from all sources.7

References

1. Lopez-Garcia E, Rodriguez-Artalejo F, et al. Coffee consumption and mortality in women with cardiovascular disease. Am J Clin Nutr. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.110.010249

2. Lopez-Garcia E, van Dam RM, Willett WC, et al. Coffee consumption and coronary heart disease in men and women: a prospective cohort study. Circulation 2006;113:2045-53

3. Lopez-Garcia E, Rodriguez-Artalejo F, Rexrode KM, Logroscino G, Hu FB, van Dam RM. Coffee consumption and risk of stroke in women. Circulation 2009;119:1116-23

4. Lopez-Garcia E, van Dam RM, Li TY, Rodriguez-Artalejo F, Hu FB. The relationship of coffee consumption with mortality. Ann Intern Med. 2008;148:904-14

5. Coronary Heart Disease Statistics 2010. British Heart Foundation

6. The British Heart Foundation.

7. NHS Choices

Source:
British Coffee Association