Good news! Three coffees a day may help your heart stay regular

Recent Australian research finds drinking a moderate amount of coffee can help protect people from developing irregular heart beats, or arrhythmia

The researchers say there is a perception that caffeine can be a trigger for heart rhythm problems, but this study suggests that drinking up to three cups of coffee a day may be safe for people with arrhythmia and may even have protective effects .

“There is a public perception, often based on anecdotal experience, that caffeine is a common acute trigger for heart rhythm problems,” said Peter Kistler, MBBS, PhD, director of electrophysiology at Alfred Hospital and Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, and the review’s lead author. “Our extensive review of the medical literature suggests this is not the case.”

However, energy drinks containing caffeine should still be avoided by patients with pre-existing heart conditions as they can contain as much caffeine as six cups of coffee in a single drink.