The bad gene: for whom coffee consumption is fraught with heart attacks
It is believed that the average person can consume up to 400 mg of caffeine per day. That is a maximum of about 5-6 cups of coffee. But in addition to its beneficial properties (antioxidant, tonic effect, brain stimulation, mood improvement, activation of some enzymes of the detoxification system) coffee, if drunk more than normal, can increase blood pressure, cause tachycardia, insomnia. In addition, the invigorating effect of coffee is temporary, and after its end may be drowsiness. Finally, coffee may well be addictive.
Why does someone calmly drink several cups of coffee a day, and someone after one small cup spikes blood pressure and starts tachycardia?
"The main enzyme responsible for the metabolism of caffeine in our body is the enzyme cytochrome P450 1 A2 and, accordingly, its gene CYP1A2. If the cytochrome is normal and active, you can drink the very recommended number of cups of coffee per day," Irina Kolesnikova, Ph.D., a leading researcher at the National Center for Genetic Research (MyGenetics), explained.
Interestingly, one cup of coffee a day is even useful for such people - for example, it reduces the risk of myocardial infarction. Perhaps this is because this very cup of coffee "spurs" the work of cytochrome, and it takes on the job with even greater zeal. So for owners of a normal, "good" genotype - great news: a cup of coffee is useful.
But there are known genetic variants in which the enzyme's work deteriorates and caffeine metabolism slows down. Then drinking coffee in large quantities is not worth it.
"Especially if you have both gene variants are unfavorable. In this case, it is better to replace coffee in general with other drinks. When drinking coffee in large quantities (4 cups a day or more), the risk of myocardial infarction in such people increases fourfold. And, by the way, this situation is observed on average in one out of 8-9 people. In addition, remember that caffeine, in addition to your favorite drink, is also contained in some popular medicines, such as citramone and ascophene," the expert warned.