Long-term excessive coffee consumption (six or more cups a day) can increase the amount of lipids (fats) in your blood to significantly increase your risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
It is the positive correlation suggested by the world’s first genetic study , carried out by researchers at the Australian Center for Precision Health at the University of South Australia.
More risk at more doses
The study used data from 362,571 UK Biobank participants , aged 37 to 73, using a triangulation of genetic and phenotypic approaches to perform comprehensive analyzes.
The study analyzed the genetic and phenotypic associations between coffee intake and plasma lipid profiles (cholesterol and fats in the blood), finding evidence that habitual coffee consumption contributes to an adverse lipid profile that can increase the risk of heart disease .
Remember that coffee beans contain a very powerful cholesterol-raising compound, cafestol . A typical grain of Coffea arabica contains approximately 0.6% by weight of cafestol. In filtered coffee beverages, such as drip brewed coffee, it is present only in negligible amounts. Studies have shown that regular consumption of boiled coffee increases cholesterol by 8% in men and 10% in women. For those who drink the filter coffee, the effect was significant only for women .
As cafestol is mainly present in unfiltered beverages, such as French, Turkish and Greek press coffees, but it is also present in espressos, which is the basis of most barista-made coffees, including lattes and cappuccinos, keep these results in mind, among people with high cholesterol or who are concerned about having heart disease, they should choose carefully what type of coffee they drink .