Drinking up to, five cups of coffee a day could help prevent heart disease, study says

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Tuesday 03 Mar 2015 - 15:34 Makkah mean time-12-5-1436 Drinking up to, five cups of coffee a day could help prevent heart disease, study says (Google image) Seoul, South Korea (IINA) - Drinking up to five cups of coffee a day could help prevent heart disease, according to media reports, An international team of researchers, led by the Kangbuk Samsung hospital in Seoul, South Korea, found that people who consume a moderate amount of coffee had the least risk of coronary calcium in their arteries. Researchers examined a group of 25,138 men and women in South Korea, with an average age of 41, who had no signs of heart disease, attending a health-screening examination. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) is an early indicator of coronary atherosclerosis, a hardening and narrowing of the arteries, which can cause blood clots that can trigger a heart attack or stroke. Previously concerns had been expressed about a potential increase in heart disease risk associated with drinking coffee, which has been linked to increased cholesterol concentrations and heightened blood pressure. But the authors of the paper, published in the journal Heart on Monday, said their findings chimed with a recent meta-analysis of 36 studies that showed moderate coffee consumption was associated with a decreased risk of heart disease. The authors concluded: "Our study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that coffee consumption might be inversely associated with CVD (cardiovascular disease) risk. "Further research is warranted to confirm our findings and establish the biological basis of coffee's potential preventive effects on coronary artery disease." On the other side, Victoria Taylor, senior dietician at the British Heart Foundation, said: "While this study does highlight a potential link between coffee consumption and lower risk of developing clogged arteries, more research is needed to confirm these findings and understand what the reason is for the association." It is noteworthy that the researchers were looking for the presence of coronary artery calcium - an early indicator in heart disease. SM/IINA