What are the advantages and disadvantages of drinking N cups of coffee every day?

a cup of coffee

Pro: A Greek study found that drinking a cup of coffee a day helps lower blood pressure. Scientists believe this is because antioxidants in coffee help increase the production of nitrogen oxides in the body, which relax blood vessel walls and lower blood pressure.

In addition, a study of the effects of coffee on intelligence at the University of Bristol in the UK found that people who drank a regular cup of coffee a day were smarter than those who drank decaf coffee or no coffee.

Cons: Drinking just one cup of coffee a day may cause you to count sheep at night, say experts from the British Dietetic Association. Because it takes your body about eight hours to metabolize caffeine, it's best not to drink coffee after 3 to 4 p.m. or you'll suffer from insomnia.

two cups of coffee

Lee: Drinking two cups of coffee a day may help reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease, say scientists at the University of Florida. Drinking two cups of coffee 30 minutes before exercise can improve exercise performance.

Cons: If you're pregnant, limit your caffeine intake to 200 milligrams, or two cups, per day. Because coffee can increase stress hormones in the body, thereby increasing the risk of miscarriage.

three cups of coffee

Lee: Drinking three cups of coffee a day reduces a woman's risk of ovarian cancer by one-fifth and reduces her risk by 35 to 43 percent, according to a report in the American Medical Journal Cancer.

A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that men who drank three cups of coffee a day reduced their risk of gallstones by 40 percent.

Cons: People who drink three cups of coffee a day have an increased risk of heart disease, a study found. Scientists explained that after three cups of coffee, the heart beats faster, which causes a significant rise in blood pressure.

Another study from Lund University in Stockholm, Sweden, found that drinking three cups of coffee a day may shrink women's breasts.

four cups of coffee

Pros: Four cups of coffee contain about 400 milligrams of caffeine, which is the most effective amount of coffee for antioxidant effects. Scientists at the University of Utah found that people who drank four cups of coffee a day had a 39 percent lower risk of oral and throat cancer.

Cons: People who drank four cups of coffee doubled their risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers believe coffee raises levels of certain chemicals in the body that cause inflammation and joint pain.

five cups of coffee

Pro: researchers at the national cancer center in tokyo found that drinking five cups of coffee a day reduced people's risk of serious liver damage by three-quarters.

Cons: Several studies have found that caffeine is an important factor in osteoporosis because it interferes with calcium absorption.

six cups of coffee

Pro: Drinking six or more cups of coffee a day reduces the risk of skin cancer by 31 percent, according to a study from Wayne State University in Detroit.

Cons: Drinking so much coffee may cause dehydration, because coffee causes the loss of body fluids and the loss of minerals and vitamins will be accelerated.