When should we start to worry
Source: Newsweek (adapted) Oct 17, 2005

I'm concerned about the long-term risks of drinking a lot of caffeine (two or more cups of coffee a day). I have no family history of heart disease and no history of heart trouble. Am I at risk?

Dr. Thomas H. Lee: I wouldn't worry about the caffeine in a few cups of coffee. Lots of caffeine can rev up your heart and make it beat faster, occasionally even launching into prolonged periods of a racing heart. You will almost surely feel palpitations if you get these abnormal heartbeats, and then you should heed your body's advice to cut back on the caffeine. Heavy coffee drinkers don't have a higher risk of cardiomyopathy (damaged heart muscle) or heart attacks. If you do decide to cut back on caffeine, you may experience headaches during the transition.

Until recently, vitamin E was touted as a good-heart supplement. Now several studies indicate that vitamin E supplements can increase the risk of heart disease or stroke. Does the medical community agree?

Dr. Thomas H. Lee: You have it right. In the 1990's, vitamin E was very promising - but controversial. Epidemiological studies showed that regular vitamin E users had 20 to 40 percent lower rates of heart disease than nonusers. Since then, larger experiments have not shown any benefit from taking vitamin E.

According to Dr. Lee, we should listen to our body's advice to "cut back on the caffeine". In other words, our body advises us