For most of us, one cup a day is fine, says Marc Siegel, M.D., professor of medicine at New York University. But some folks will get perks-or risk- from thier daily habit. Here, a brief primer:
Drink If - You have a famly history of ovarian cancer
Woman who had three cups of coffee daily reduced thier risk of the disease by 20 percent, say Harvard researchers. Caffine may regulate the hormone spikes that trigger malignant cell growth.
Skip If - You're pregnant
In a study from Kaiser Permanente, a US health care organization, moms-to-be who drank two cups of coffee daily were more likely to experience miscarriages. Expers speculate the stimulant decrease blood flow to the fetus.
Drink If - You're prone to post-workout pain
Drinking the equivalent of two cups of coffee before exersise can cut aches in half. Caffine blocks the body's pain receptors, which reduces discomfort, says Patrick O'Connor, Ph.D., professor of exersise science at the University of Georgia.
Skip If - You have diabetes
Diabetic who consumed the equivalent of four cups of java a day had higher blood sugar, increasing thier risk of compications. Caffine prompts the release of adrenaline-a notes study author James Lane, Ph.D., of Duke University.
