Khaberni - A recent medical study has warned that excessive consumption of instant coffee may be linked to an increased risk of developing age-related dry macular degeneration, one of the prominent diseases that affects the retina and leads to vision decline over time.
According to the British newspaper The Sun, the study involved more than half a million participants and was conducted by a team of researchers at Hubei Medical University in China, showing a possible genetic link between excessive consumption of instant coffee and the development of dry macular degeneration.
Scientists clarified that individuals with a genetic predisposition to the disease are more at risk if they consume high amounts of instant coffee, i.e., more than two cups daily.
Dr. Siwei Liu, from the Department of Ophthalmology at Xi'an Taihe Hospital affiliated with the university, noted that the study demonstrated a clear genetic link between the consumption of this type of coffee and an increased likelihood of developing dry macular degeneration, stressing that the results require further attention to the effects of this widely consumed beverage.
The results also showed that increasing consumption from two to four cups a day could raise the risk of developing the disease by about seven times compared to those who stick to moderate drinking levels.
At the conclusion of the study, the researchers emphasized the importance of educating individuals with known genetic factors about the need to reduce their consumption of instant coffee, pointing out that dry macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of incurable blindness worldwide, and called for moderation in the consumption of stimulants to preserve eye health.
