Study: People who drink coffee regularly have arteries "clean"
People who drink several cups of coffee each day have arteries "clean" and thus prevent arterial blockage - a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease - according to a study by researchers in South Korea, inform bbc.com.
Asian researchers monitored 25,000 volunteers - men and women - who agreed to participate in a series of routine medical checks carried out at their jobs.
For employees who drink a moderate amount of coffee - from three to five cups a day - scientists have observed a lower risk of heart disease after medical monitoring.
This research has reopened the debate on the beneficial effects of coffee on the heart.
Other studies have linked coffee consumption with cardiac risk factors such as hypertension and high cholesterol levels, while other studies have suggested that this drink provides some protection against heart disease.
However, there is no evidence for the role of definitive conclusion two currents of opinion. Analysis by researchers in South Korea was published in the journal Heart.
In their study, the scientists used the Asian medical scans to analyze the health of the heart. Specifically, they looked for any sign of disease of the arteries that supply the heart with blood - the coronary arteries.
For coronary heart disease, coronary arteries are clogged by a progressive accumulation of fat deposits on their walls.
Medical scans were made to detect small calcium deposits in the coronary artery walls, which provide a kind of early signal of the possibility of triggering heart disease.
None of the South Korean employees showed no signs of heart disease, but less than a tenth of them had visible calcium deposits.
Then, the researchers compared the results of those scans with answers provided by employees in a set of questionnaires related to their daily consumption of coffee. Asian scientists also took into account other risk factors such as smoking, exercise and medical history of heart disease on families each employee.
People who drink several cups of coffee a day had fewer calcium deposits in the coronary arteries compared to people who are drinking coffee in large quantities or do not drink coffee at all.
Coffee contains caffeine called a cardiac stimulant, along with many other compounds, but it is unclear whether they are beneficial or harmful to the body.
In the US, experts recommend healthy adults consume up to 400 ml of coffee per day.
In the UK there is no limit on the recommended daily consumption of coffee, with the exception of recommendations for pregnant women. These people should limit their consumption of coffee daily to 200 milliliters - the equivalent of two cups of instant coffee.
