Is coffee a friend or an enemy of heart disease?

Coffee, as one of the three major drinks in the world, has become a drink in people's daily life. In addition to having a cup of refreshing drink when drowsy, it is also a kind of enjoyment. However, there has been a lot of controversy about coffee in society. Coffee lovers highly praise the anti-cancer, liver and anti-aging effects of coffee, while the neurological and heart function problems caused by coffee addiction once kept people away from drinking coffee. So, in terms of heart disease alone, is coffee a friend or an enemy?

The right amount of coffee can protect the heart

Moderate drinking coffee can protect the heart, improve left ventricular systolic function and coronary blood flow, reduce blood pressure, control blood pressure, and help to prevent hypertension. People who drank 2-3 cups of coffee a day had the best protective effect on heart failure, reducing the risk of heart failure by 11% compared with non-drinkers.

As long as the daily intake of caffeine is kept within 400 mg (equivalent to 3-4 cups of coffee), it will not cause atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Excessive coffee increases the risk of heart disease

Caffeine has the function of nerve excitement, many people drink coffee, there will be palpitations, premature beats, heart rate accelerated phenomenon, this is a normal reaction. However, the longer you drink coffee and the more you drink, the more likely you are to have a heart attack.

High concentrations of caffeine can change heart function and increase cholesterol in blood vessels. Data show that drinking more than four cups of coffee a day will increase the incidence of heart disease by 30% in men and 60% in women. For people who already have high blood pressure and coronary heart disease, drinking coffee is easy to cause myocardial ischemia, angina pectoris and so on, which needs to be measured according to their own situation.

In addition, the reaction of coffee and drugs can not be ignored, especially the neuroexcitatory drugs with coffee and use, the effect will be greatly enhanced. And the metabolism of many drugs will interact with caffeine, some will increase the effect of caffeine, some will affect the effect of drugs, so you can not drink coffee during medication.

From this point of view, coffee for the heart, but also friends and enemies, the pros and cons coexist. People who love coffee should be careful not to become addicted and become dependent, and people who want to drink coffee as a habit do not have to worry too much. As long as it is moderate, the benefits of coffee will naturally outweigh its risks. In addition to coffee, drinks such as tea and cola also contain caffeine and should not be consumed too much.

(source: 39 Health Network)