If you're feeling groggy this morning, you probably perked up with a cup of coffee. You may have even put some butter in your java for an extra kick.
But before you reach for another cup or three, it's worth noting a new study in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings says men age 55 and under who drink 28 cups of coffee a week -- 4 cups a day – have an increased risk of death. Researchers tracked over 43,000 people with interviews, medical exams and questionnaires.
But on TODAY Friday Dr. Nancy Snyderman poked a few holes in the research, explaining that participants in the study had worse cardiovascular disease and weren’t taking care of themselves.
"I happen to believe there’s been no great study to show caffeine hurts you unless you have underlying heart palpitations or cardiac arrhythmia or high blood pressure,” she told TODAY anchors Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie Friday. “It’s a decent drug. It makes you alert.”
In fact, caffeine can boost mental focus and athletic performance, studies show. Other research indicates coffee may help reduce risk of type 2 diabetes in women. And a 2011 study from Harvard School of Public Health found that men who drink coffee may have a lower risk of a lethal form of prostate cancer.
An estimated 64 percent of Americans drink coffee every day, according to the latest National Coffee Drinking Study from the National Coffee Association. The average consumption is 3.1 cups per day.