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How Much Coffee Should You Drink?

How much coffee? That is one of the great modern debates. As far as research goes, the pendulum swings every few months or so.

Many Americans get more antioxidants from drinking coffee than from any other sources in their diet.

However, other research points to possible heart risks. Apparently it's a genetic thing. Some people metabolize caffeine quickly (and have a lower heart attack risk). Others have the opposite situation.

Among slow-metabolizers, those who drank two or more cups of coffee daily were at least 36 percent more likely to have a nonfatal heart attack than those who drank little or no coffee. Even higher risks were found for younger slow metabolizers -- those under 50. They were up to four times more likely to have a heart attack than slow metabolizers in their age group who drank little or no coffee.

So how much should you drink? The answer is, of course, individual. the co-author of the study admits "that one size does not fit all".

How do you find out if you are a fast or slow metabolizer?

For now, there's no easy way to know if you're a fast or slow caffeine metabolizer. Staying awake all night if you drink coffee in the afternoon doesn't mean you're a slow metabolizer, and a genetic test that could answer the question is used in research but is not commercially available

That's charming. It's like Russian Roulette. Drink your coffee - but you may or may not be one of those people who will end up with a heart attack.

Moderation is the key - and so is pleasure.

Note: Go to energy fiend to find out caffeine levels in coffee.

Coffee is my vice, and I will continue to slowly savor every sip of every coffee.

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43 Comments

hopefulloser

That scares me. Especially because I'm so anxious that I think I have an irregular heart beat (probably self induced). I love coffee and try to only have one cup a day early in the morning but I can tell you it certainly is difficult for me to go without it.

Maybe I'll try to quit again. But I need some remaining vice since I've successfully rid myself of all the others.

I wish researchers could make up their mind!

Stephanie

Trust me, one cup of coffee a day is fine, and with the levels of antioxidants, it can also be helpful. My husband, on the other hand, drinks too much. He drinks 3+ pots (10 cup pots) a day. I have started to split his coffee with decaf.

Matt

It stays in your body for around 10 hours (caffeine)

It's a diarrhetic which means it makes your body excrete it's liquids and you can become dehydrated.

Plus their is the anxiety and fastened heart beat.

My opinion is if your going to do it then only in the morning beca

Dr.AftabArif

hey there hpefullosere!
The problem ur having occurs to me often
It is something known as atrial premature contraction in which ur heart beats ahead of its normal beating time!!
To check it u have a pulse deficit test feel ur heart beats and ur wrist pulse it will be that sometime ull not feel a pulse although ur heart has beaten!
Theres nothing serioisly to worry about but yeah u beed to cut down ur coffee not suddenly but slowly!
This occurs even to athletes !! So nothing to worry about :) hope u find it useful

Telbags on 6 Feb 2012

hi all, I had the PAC issues described above and went for lots of tests that cost a fortune before my Doctor simply told me to cut caffeine out of my diet for a couple of weeks and then limit it to one cup of caffeinated coffee or tea (yes it has caffeine too) a day.

I had a headache for 4 days and was advised this is normal for caffeine withdrawal!

I now have 1 cup a day as a treat but make sure it is a good one.

if you just love the taste of coffee try buying decaf beans and grind them at home. Taste is great but no palpitations or caffeine rush. I also have mine with no fat milk, and after a week or two you just get used to it

Quig

Since I am a tea drinker, my comment is for Hopeful. Trust me as a person who is old, old, researchers will never make up their minds. I've seen things be good for you, bad for you, and then good for you again. (dairy products went through this tunnel)

Yan

I tend to drink up to 6 cups of coffee a day... and I still sleep pretty soundly at night. Although usually I'm not as well rested as I am with 2 cups or less.
I'm currently on a hiatus, but I have to say the withdrawals are enough to put me off for a month or so.

Still: I would have to pin myself as a pretty fast metabolizer.

jen blackert

Hi,

I'm a nutritionist and I always tell my client to get off the crack. Caffeine causes cravings, blood sugar surges and anxiety. eek. Why risk it?

Great article!

Jen Blackert
nutritionblog.jenevice.com
nutrition.jenevice.com

Jim

What tools, skills, or "replacements" do you give your clients to aid them in coming off the coffee? How does coffee cause cravings?

philena

Every since I started my vitamins.. I haven't had coffee since Sept. And I don't have a craving for it anymore. I get such a big energy boost, and I also drink tea, so I don't need coffee. But as a treat, I'll have a caramel frappicino at starbucks.

Vern Kirkman

I've been off all caffeine for awhile now. Through my own experimentation, I learned that drinking coffee and using other products that contain caffeine, make me have cravings for food. Don't know if it's physiological or phsychological. Just know that when I quit using it, my appetite diminished.
I quit by first determining how many cups I averaged a day, then over a period of time, reducing the amount by one cup a day, until at last, I just totally quit. I had no withdrawal problems. I sleep better now too, and I had been under the impression that coffee did not affect my sleeping.

Spectra

I used to drink a lot of coffee/caffeine-rich beverages and now I drink 2 cups of coffee a day. I don't think I've ever had issues with sleeping or irregular heartbeats, but I drink the coffee mainly for the taste so I often make it with half de-caf beans. My dad drinks 3 pots of the stuff a day and he doesn't ever have problems sleeping. I guess some people really can drink a lot of coffee without any negative effects.

Sarah-C

The problem with drinking coffee on a regular basis, is that when you don't get that drug for a day or so, you devellop the most splitting headache ! I use decaf, once in a while, and absolutely avoid drinking coffee when visiting others - coffee is NOT coffee. Here in Norway it's little more than dishwater in color and not much better in taste. When visiting France however, I do indulge in one good cup per 24 hours ... only in the Brittany region where they use 100% arabica coffee and no robusta.

DONNA

I RECENTLY WENT TO DECAF.. I'VE DEVELOPED SEVERE ANXIETY, AND SWITHCHING WAS THE BEST THING I CAN DO AND NOW FEEL NORMAL AGAIN...

bernie

The thing with any caffinated drink is you either wean yourself slowly or go cold turkey.
The headaches that occur when one goes cold turkey are for a couple of days. Promise it does get better.
After these few days it is smooth sailing (perhaps starting on a weekend so you are over the worst of it by Monday is the way to go).
I find coffee is extremely addictive and a comfort thing! I have started to mix decafe with regular and the will eliminate the caffeine altogether. this is not as hard as people think. the key to all of it is moderation anyway....that way if you skip a day, you won't suffer the headaches.

JEAN

I drink 3 to 4 cups of coffee a day. I notice if I have to get blood work done and do not have coffee, i get a pounding headache. Then I rush to 7-11 for a cup. What would I do if someday I needed surgery and couldn't have coffee the day of the surgery. I can't imagine going in for surgery with a pounding headache.

Please advise

shailen

I drink about 4-5 8 oz cups of coffee

but lately when i have my coffee I tend to yawn and feel sleepy.

Its like caffeine no more got the effect on me.. kinda sad as now i got to look onto something else.

lee

shailen if you feel like that then you clearly drink alot of coffee , i used to feel the same and went on to redbull which is an amazing drink but i would'nt recommend it as i now have a reaction to caffine in the form of migraines. anyway back to my question i heard that de-cafe coffee still had caffine in , does anyone now if that is true ? by the way caffine is like any drug and should be taken seriously.when i came off caffine the side affects were aweful, it was a form of cold turkey and i dont recommend anyone else getting in to that state . thanks for your time,lee.

carmen

Hi
i drink about 7 to 8 cups off coffee aday and it takes me to the bathroom every cup i drink i just got started drinking coffee about 4 month's ago i don't even feel hungry anymore why is that plus i love the rush you now i do lots of things i have kids to take care house chores got to keep on moving can't be slow

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