Explained: How much coffee is too much for a human body

New Delhi : Are you a coffee addict? Do you take more than five to six cups of coffee on daily basis? If the answer is yes, then its time you must reconsider the choice as you are putting yourself into a high health risk.

Sipping five to six cups of coffee daily increases the risk of heart diseases by up to 22 per cent, claims a study.

While morning coffee is a day starter for many people across the world, the researchers from the University of South Australia wondered how much caffeine is too much for a human body.

They investigated the association of long-term coffee consumption and cardiovascular disease, finding the point at which excess caffeine can cause high blood pressure, a precursor to heart disease.

As mentioned by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the major cause of death across the globe is cardiovascular diseases.

As mentioned in the study, which was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, this is for the first time an upper limit for caffeine has been placed.

 “Most people would agree that if you drink a lot of coffee, you might feel jittery, irritable or perhaps even nauseas – that’s because caffeine helps your body work faster and harder, but it is also likely to suggest that you may have reached your limit for the time being,” said Elina Hypponen, professor at the University of South Australia.

"We also know that risk of cardiovascular disease increases with high blood pressure, a known consequence of excess caffeine consumption,” she said.

In order to maintain a healthy heart and a healthy blood pressure, people must limit their coffees to fewer than six cups a day, researchers said. Based on the data, six was the tipping point where caffeine started to negatively affect cardiovascular risk.

Hypponen said that despite carriers of the fast-processing gene variation being four times quicker at metabolising caffeine, the research does not support the belief that these people could safely consume more caffeine, more frequently, and without detrimental health effects.

 “An estimated three billion cups of coffee are enjoyed every day around the world,” Hypponen said.

"Knowing the limits of what’s good for you and what’s not is imperative,” she said.