Genes Play Role in Coffee, Heart Disease

About half of the North American population has a gene that can lead to heart disease from drinking coffee, a University of Toronto study says.

A study, released Wednesday, of 4,000 coffee drinkers found that two or more cups each day can increase the risk of heart disease in about 54 percent of the population.

That genetic mutation slows the breakdown of caffeine in the body, The Los Angeles Times reported.

People who metabolized caffeine slowly and drank two to three cups of coffee each day had a 32-percent higher risk of heart attack, the study said. Those consuming four cups or more had a 64-percent greater risk.

A single cup of coffee had no effect on heart attack risk, researchers said.

The gene, CY1A2, was identified in the 1990s. Everyone has two copies of the gene but people with a mutation in one or both copies will break down caffeine slowly.

However, the researchers said there is no commercial test available to determine if someone has the mutation.

The findings were published in Wednesday’s Journal of the American Medical Association.