Coffee is the most popular drink in the world and many people don’t get enough of one cup of it and drink several times a day.
Scientists from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have discovered that drinking two cups of coffee a day may increase the risk of chronic kidney disease, according to the Walla website.
The new study, published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, examined 372 metabolites in the blood of 3,811 different people.
Metabolites are small molecules that are produced or used when the body breaks down food, drugs, or chemicals.
The results showed that 56 percent of the people surveyed drank coffee daily, and 32 percent drank more than two cups a day.
During their tests, researchers discovered one metabolite related to coffee that could help the kidneys become healthier. However, worryingly, they also found two other metabolites associated with chronic kidney disease.
Chronic kidney failure involves the gradual loss of kidney function. Damaged kidneys build up toxic waste products that can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. In addition, dialysis or a kidney transplant may be required.
The new findings “surprised” the Johns Hopkins researchers, given that a report published just six months ago concluded that there was a “beneficial effect of coffee on kidney function”.
Dr Casey Ribholtz, one of the authors of the new study, told The Independent that one of the metabolites associated with coffee, which has also been linked to kidney disease, also contains compounds linked to cigarette smoking.
She explained that more research is needed so that coffee lovers do not panic.
A large number of other studies have proven that coffee can be beneficial to an individual’s overall health.
In June, findings published in the medical journal BMC Public Health found that drinking three to four cups of coffee per day may reduce the risk of liver cancer and other alcohol-related liver diseases.
A study published last September found that drinking up to three cups of coffee a day can protect the heart.
The study found that among people without a diagnosis of heart disease, drinking half to 3 cups of coffee a day was associated with a lower risk of death from heart disease, stroke and premature death from any cause compared to drinking other beverages.