Drinking four cups of coffee a day has no health risks, say experts

We'll drink to that

Our caffeine addiction might not be as bad for us as we once thought (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

How much caffeine we consume and whether or not coffee is good or bad for our health is an area of much contention.

But finally, one group of experts have concluded that our caffeine addiction might not be as bad for us as we once thought.

After reviewing more than 740 studies, scientists from the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) found that drinking up to your cups of coffee every day carries no risk to your health whatsoever.

The data showed that consuming 400mg of caffeine – the equivalent to four cups – was safe for adults as long as this quantity isn’t regularly exceeded.

Similarly, it found that pregnant women can drink 300mg without any adverse effects while it is safe for children to consumer 2.5mg a day.

The US study looked at five effects of caffeine on health including acute toxicity, bone, heart, brain and the reproductive system.

To try and determine its effectiveness, the researchers carried out an extensive review of studies published between 2001 and 2015.

“This provides evidence that furthers our understanding of caffeine on human health,” said Lead author Dr Eric Hentges, executive director of the ILSI.

“Also, this provides the research community with data and valuable evidence to support the development and execution of future research on caffeine safety that will impact public health.

“The complete transparency with which the data has been shared will encourage other researchers to build upon this work.”

However, with large variations in the amount of caffeine in coffees sold on the high street our daily intake can often be higher than we think.

Similarly, it’s also important to recognise that other goods contain caffeine including tea, dark chocolate, some soft drinks and even some medication.