Five Cups of Coffee Daily May Lower Heart Disease Risk, AHA Says

Drinking up to five cups of coffee a day is safe for most adults and may be associated with a lower risk of stroke, diabetes and heart failure, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA), Dr. Yonathan Daniel reported for ABC News.

The AHA says up to five cups of coffee daily may benefit heart health.

Published recently in the journal Circulation, the report addresses years of conflicting advice about caffeine and heart health.

"Coffee is potentially linked to lower risks of Type 2 diabetes, stroke and heart failure, though its relationship with blood pressure is complex and the data are not entirely consistent," said Dr. Jennifer Miao, a board-certified cardiologist and ABC News Medical Unit fellow.

For decades, physicians often advised heart patients to avoid stimulants. However, the AHA's comprehensive review distinguishes between naturally brewed coffee and synthetic caffeine.

It also incorporates recent clinical studies indicating that even among patients treated for irregular heart rhythms, daily coffee consumption may reduce the risk of recurrence by as much as 39%.