Could Four Cups of Coffee A Day Actually Be Good For You?

Four cups of strong coffee a day is what scientists are saying is the right amount to make our hearts healthier, especially older adults.

A team of German researchers, led by the molecular biologists Judith Haendeler and Joachim Altschmied, has discovered more about how caffeine works and the effect it has on our bodies.

The team studied caffeinated lab mice and dosed human tissues with caffeine, and observed that the caffeine could actually improve the way cells inside our blood vessels work. This is especially beneficial for older adults, as their caffeinated cells begin to act like younger ones, which can improve blood flow.

“When you drink four to five cups of espresso, that seems to improve the function of the powerhouses of our cells, and therefore seems to be protective,” Altschmied told Business Insider.

Coffee also has multiple other health benefits, including a lower risk of liver disease, developing certain kinds of cancer, depression, and lower rates of dementia and Alzheimer’s, along with it being good for your heart.

Altschmied said he hoped his new study would debunk the old advice that people with heart problems shouldn’t drink coffee, and explains that drinking about four cups of strong coffee a day could help reduce the risk of heart future problems, especially for people who are obese or prediabetic.

“It will not replace other things,” he said. “Keep on doing your sports, eat healthy, and add coffee to your diet.”