Good news for Pacific Northwest coffee lovers: AHA says it’s safe to drink this much coffee every day

Coffee is practically a way of life in the Pacific Northwest, and a new review of the research brings some good news for those who rarely stop at one cup.

Most adults can safely consume up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day, or roughly three to five 8-ounce cups of regular caffeinated coffee, according to the American Heart Association.

That could be particularly welcome news in a region where coffee is part of everyday life.

Seattle’s commercial coffee-roasting history stretches back more than a century, while coffeehouses and espresso bars have become fixtures in communities across Washington and Oregon.

The American Heart Association’s new statement, published in its peer-reviewed journal Circulation, examined what researchers currently know about caffeine and cardiovascular health.

The findings suggest moderate coffee consumption is generally safe for most adults and may be associated with some heart-health benefits.

How much coffee can most adults safely drink?

The American Heart Association found that consuming up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day does not appear to increase cardiovascular risk for most adults.

That’s equivalent to as many as five 8-ounce cups of caffeinated coffee, although the amount of caffeine in an individual cup can vary considerably.

A regular brewed, non-specialty coffee typically contains about 9.4 to 20.6 milligrams of caffeine per fluid ounce, according to the association. That works out to roughly 75 to 165 milligrams in an 8-ounce cup.

Cup size matters, too.

An 8-ounce serving is considerably smaller than many mugs, travel cups, and coffee shop drinks, so five cups should not automatically be interpreted as five large café drinks.

Could drinking coffee actually be good for your heart?

The report found several potentially beneficial associations.

Drinking caffeinated coffee without added sugars, flavors, or cream was linked to a lower risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and some irregular heart rhythms.

The association also found that drinking two to four cups of caffeinated coffee per day was linked with a lower risk of heart disease, heart failure, and stroke.

However, consuming more than four cups per day may increase the risk of heart failure.

Researchers stressed that many studies involving coffee and caffeine are observational. That means they can identify associations but cannot necessarily prove that drinking coffee caused the health outcome.

Coffee also contains compounds other than caffeine, making it difficult for researchers to determine exactly which ingredients may be responsible for potential benefits.

What about coffee and an irregular heartbeat?

The findings are more complicated when it comes to heart rhythm.

According to the American Heart Association, drinking one to three cups of caffeinated coffee per day was not associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, commonly known as AFib.

However, caffeinated coffee may be associated with more premature ventricular contractions, or PVCs. These are early heartbeats that originate in the heart’s lower chambers.

The effects also vary considerably from person to person. Age, medications, health conditions, genetics, metabolism, and a person’s usual caffeine intake can all affect how the body responds.

Are energy drinks different from coffee?

Yes, a regular coffee and an energy drink are definitely different.

The American Heart Association cautioned against applying research on regular coffee to highly caffeinated energy drinks and energy shots.

Higher caffeine doses found in some of those products have been associated with increased blood pressure and abnormal heart rhythms.

Energy shots can contain about 40 to 69 milligrams of caffeine per fluid ounce, roughly three to four times the caffeine concentration of regular coffee.

Does the way you make coffee matter?

It can, particularly when it comes to cholesterol.

The American Heart Association noted that cafestol, a compound found in coffee, has been associated with higher LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol levels.

Cafestol is found in unfiltered brewing methods, including French press, Turkish coffee, boiled coffee, and espresso. Paper-filtered and instant coffee contain much less of it.

The new statement also primarily looked at caffeinated coffee without added sweeteners, flavors, or dairy. Researchers said ingredients such as sugar, flavored syrups, milk, and cream may reduce some of coffee’s potential health benefits, although more research is needed.

What should Pacific Northwest coffee drinkers know?

For the Northwest’s many coffee drinkers, the takeaway isn’t that everyone should aim for five cups a day.

Instead, the research suggests that moderate caffeinated coffee consumption can fit safely into the routine of most adults, with up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day generally considered a safe upper level.

Individual tolerance still matters. Caffeine can cause heart palpitations, anxiety, temporary changes in blood pressure, and disrupted sleep in some people, even at amounts others tolerate without problems.

People with health conditions, those taking certain medications, or anyone experiencing symptoms after drinking caffeine should talk with a health care professional about an appropriate amount.

For Pacific Northwest coffee drinkers who tolerate caffeine well, the latest research may offer some peace of mind when reaching for another cup of coffee throughout the day.