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coffee linked to bone disease, obesity: study

too many cups of joe can increase the risk of health problems such as obesity, joint disease and osteoarthritis.

coffee linked to bone disease, obesity: study
drinking too much coffee can have serious health issues. stock/getty
most people like to start the day with a big old cup of joe to get energized. but as we all know, too much of a good thing — like coffee — can be bad for your health, with long-term effects that can’t always be reversed. researchers at the university of southern australia recently discovered that too much coffee can increase the risk of health problems such as obesity, joint disease and osteoarthritis. an earlier study by the same team found that six cups of coffee per day is the absolute limit for safe consumption. but since so much coffee is consumed around the world, about three billion cups a day in fact, researchers wanted to fully understand the potential impact on one’s health.
the research was conducted against over 1,100 different clinical conditions, rather than using traditional means of comparisons with non-coffee drinkers. the findings indicated that a cup or two of coffee a day is fine, but drinking coffee excessively can increase the risk of developing obesity, joint disease and osteoarthritis.
they note that these are the three most common and widespread health problems globally, suggesting that our love of coffee could be impacting the growth of these diseases.
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osteoarthritis in particular is prevalent across the world, affecting over 240 million people. the condition causes pain and stiffness in joints and cartilage in the body, making even small movements extremely painful.
this condition cannot be reversed, leaving only one option for patients — finding treatments to reduce pain. the researchers say it’s especially important for people with a family history of osteoarthritis, arthritis or obesity to take the results seriously and limit their coffee consumption as much as possible.
“the body generally sends powerful messages with respect to coffee consumption, so it’s imperative that individuals listen to these when consuming coffee,” said lead study author professor elina hyppã¶nen in a press release.
this doesn’t mean that you need to cut out coffee altogether, but making sure you’re reducing your consumption (especially if you have a family history of bone disease), may be beneficial in the long run.
“while these results are in many ways reassuring in terms of general coffee consumption, the message we should always remember is to consume coffee in moderation — that’s the best bet to enjoy your coffee and good health too,” said hyppã¶nen.
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jordan heuvelmans is a freelance journalist with healthing.ca. you can follow her on twitter at @jordanheuvelm
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