How much coffee is too much?

Hi Mohamed,

There is a J shaped curve associated with coffee intake and risk of heart attack. Moderate intake, approximately 1-2 cups/day has been shown to protect the heart, increasing intake significantly beyond that, increases risk of a heart attack. There has also been good data demonstrating that regular coffee intake reduces risk of developing type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease and dementia. I've also read that coffee has anti-depressant qualities. I do know that I'm a whole lot happier after I've had my first cup of coffee in the morning, and perhaps that's why many of us find ourselves reaching for a cup of coffee during stressful situations!

My suggestion is, if you're not experiencing any heart palpitations (a really fast heart rate at rest that you can feel), anxiety, depression, difficulty sleeping, nausea, restlessness, or tremors, or if your doctor hasn't advised you to cut your coffee intake, as long as you're not regularly having 4-6 cups/day, your coffee intake is probably fine.