New study compares heavy and light drinkers.

Heavy coffee drinkers are no more at risk of heart problems than once-a-day drinkers, according to a new research study.

Whilst previous research has suggested that increasing a daily intake of coffee in the office is bad for a person’s health, a new study finds this might not be the case after all.

The study, part funded by the British Heart Foundation, put participants under MRI heart scans and infrared pulse wave tests and concluded that those who decide to drink coffee in the office at the rate of a cup an hour are no more at risk than those who drink less than once cup of coffee a day.

Dr Kenneth Fung, who helped to co-ordinate the study, commented: “Despite the huge popularity of coffee worldwide, different reports could put people off from enjoying it. While we can’t prove a casual link in this study, our research indicates coffee isn’t as bad for the arteries as previous studies would suggest.”

The study included some individuals who drank up to 25 cups a day, while the average intake amongst the highest coffee consumption group was five cups a day.”

It's estimated that in countries such as Australia, the UK and US, more than 50 per cent of coffee is drunk outside the home - primarily in the workplace.