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Still debating: Is caffeine good or bad for your heart?

There's an ongoing debate about whether caffeine is good for your heart.

There’s an ongoing debate about whether caffeine is good for your heart.

Drinking three to five cups of coffee daily is linked to a lower risk of heart failure, but too much can cause a short-term spike blood pressure -- or even death.

So where do you draw the line?

For the answer, we checked with Dr. Colin Kane, director of pediatric cardiology outreach at Children's Health, the FDA and the Mayo Clinic. He said drinking anywhere between 300 and 750 milligrams of caffeine is considered too much for an adult.

According to the Mayo Clinic, it should never be attempted by a teenager, "In moderation, caffeine is not harmful, but if you take an excessive amount, and if you are prone to arrhythmias or abnormal heartbeats, caffeine can be dangerous."

The FDA says 600 milligrams of caffeine or more is about seven cups of coffee.

So yes, caffeine can be good for you in moderation -- but if you drink too much, it could lead to death.

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