We all know that caffeine consumption can cause health problems such as anxiety, restlessness, tremors, irregular heartbeat, and trouble sleeping. Too much caffeine may also lead to headaches, migraine, and high blood pressure. Some people are more sensitive to the effects of caffeine than others.
Now, in an unexpected discovery, researchers from the McMaster University in Canada have identified how caffeine can help fight cardiovascular disease. As per their research, just two to three average-sized cups of coffee per day contain enough caffeine to reduce the levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol.
Coffee lovers can enjoy their caffeine!
The team found that caffeine consumption was linked to lower levels of a protein called PCSK9 in blood.
Lower levels of this protein boost the liver’s ability to remove the “bad” LDL cholesterol that can block arteries and lead to cardiovascular disease.
Caffeine not only works directly on PCSK9, but it also blocked the activation of another protein called SREBP2 that also reduces levels of PCSK9.
“These findings now provide the underlying mechanism by which caffeine and its derivatives can mitigate the levels of blood PCSK9 and thereby reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease,” said Austin, senior author of the study and professor in the Department of Medicine at McMaster University.
Research suggests that your caffeine habit may be slightly beneficial but it’s not as simple as guzzling coffee to stave off heart disease.
While too much caffeine can be bad, scientists haven’t yet established how much is too much.
