Mercy Cardiologist Dr. Peter Reyes Discusses The Impact of Caffeine on Heart Health

Debra Utterbaugh used to drink multiple cups of coffee every day.

"I was a six- to eight-cup coffee drinker a day, just because I love the taste of it," she said.

But Utterbaugh has a serious heart condition and has had two heart attacks. Her cardiologist, Dr. Peter Reyes of The Heart Center at Mercy, limits her to one cup a day because caffeine in high doses can cause the heart to beat improperly.

"For most people, one to two cups of coffee is probably good for you. But for certain people with certain illnesses, it can be damaging," Dr. Reyes said.

Sometimes even someone with a healthy heart, such as athletes looking to increase their performance and students looking to stay awake, can overdo it.

"Today's world doesn't help that with these high energy drinks and caffeinated beverages. We see in our office, people can lead themselves into arrhythmias. I've seen atrial fibrillation due to high caffeine content beverages. I've seen that multiple times, and just by stopping caffeine these pathologies disappear," Dr. Reyes said.

Signs that you're consuming too much caffeine include feeling anxious and jittery, having heart palpitations and insomnia.
Utterbaugh admits she misses her multiple cups of coffee and certainly savors the one she's allowed to have.

"No one can bother me when I have my cup of coffee in the morning. I sometimes even wait for my kids to go off to school before I have my first cup. I just sit there and enjoy it," she said.

To view Mercy cardiologist Dr. Peter Reyes’ interview regarding caffeine and its impact on your heart health, click here.