Drinking black coffee has long been associated with several health benefits, including heart, digestive, and brain health. But a new Australian study has linked excessive coffee consumption with an increased risk for dementia along with smaller brain volume.

Hope Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has a look at the results of this study and how much coffee you should avoid drinking.

6 Cups of Coffee Used in This Study

While the study didn’t say how much coffee is too much, those drinking at least six cups per day had a 53% increased risk of developing dementia and were also found to have a smaller brain volume.

Too much caffeine is also linked with restlessness, nervousness, a fast heartbeat, insomnia, and can even act as a migraine trigger.

How Much Is Too Much?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends getting no more than 400 milligrams of caffeine per day, which is about four 8-ounce cups of coffee, on average. Usually one or two cups of coffee per day is enough to reap the benefits of caffeine.

What Are the Benefits?

The best way to enjoy the benefits of a cup of coffee is to grind the beans yourself and be sure not to add any sugar or creamer.

Coffee is an antioxidant that can improve overall health and increase your life span. The beans have found to reduce the risk of liver disease in coffee-drinkers as well as make them less likely to die from heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancers.

On a final note, the study didn’t find that ingesting caffeine from tea had the same negative effects toward brain health as the excessive coffee drinking did.

To learn more about Hope Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://hope-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org.