Number of Coffee Cups That Doubles Risk of Death

Japanese scientists from the Tokyo National Center for Global Health and Medicine found that people with extremely high blood pressure (above 180/100 mmHg) who drink two or more cups of coffee per day double their risk of death from cardiovascular disease. For people with blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg or lower, there is no such risk. Green tea is not associated with increased risks. The study involved about 20,000 Japanese people from 1990 to 2009.

Japanese researchers from the Tokyo National Center for Global Health and Medicine found that drinking two or more cups of coffee per day doubles the risk of death from cardiovascular disease in people with extremely high blood pressure (above 180/100 mmHg). For people with blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg or lower, coffee does not carry such a risk. The study, which lasted from 1990 to 2009, involved about 20,000 Japanese people, including 12,000 women and more than 6,500 men. Participants were divided into five categories based on blood pressure levels. Results showed that in the first three groups (optimal blood pressure, high normal, and grade 1 hypertension), coffee did not increase mortality risk, but in the group with severe hypertension (above 180/110 mmHg), the risk doubled. Green tea was not associated with increased risks in any group. The authors note that caffeine temporarily raises blood pressure and heart rate, which may be dangerous for people with advanced hypertension. Doctors recommend that such patients exercise caution and replace coffee with less caffeinated beverages.

Number of Coffee Cups That Doubles Risk of Death