AHA Backs Up to 5 Cups of Coffee Daily as Studies Link It to Lower Heart Risks
Updated
Updated · Scientific American · Aug 11
AHA Backs Up to 5 Cups of Coffee Daily as Studies Link It to Lower Heart Risks
3 articles · Updated · Scientific American · Aug 11
Summary
Up to five cups of caffeinated coffee a day has been linked to lower risks of heart attack, diabetes, stroke and irregular heartbeat, the American Heart Association said in its latest review.
More than 100 studies in a 2025 literature review and large prospective cohort research helped drive that shift, as newer methods better controlled for smoking, stress and other confounding factors.
Earlier warnings from the 1970s and 1980s, including a 1981 pancreatic-cancer study of about 1,000 patients, largely failed to hold up in later research.
The AHA still cautioned that benefits do not necessarily extend beyond five cups, and added sugar, milk, individual metabolism and other caffeine sources such as energy drinks can change the health picture.
About two-thirds of U.S. adults drink coffee daily, making the reassessment significant as scientists continue probing which of coffee’s thousands of compounds may drive the apparent benefits.