Drinking three to five cups of coffee a day reduces the risk of clogged arteries that can lead to heart attacks, a Korean study suggests.

Kangbuk Samsung Hospital in Seoul led the study of 25,138 South Korean men and women.

The participants, who were 41 years old on average and free of heart disease, were categorized based on how much coffee they drank and underwent a health screening. The results were compared to non-coffee drinkers.

The study found participants who drank between three and five cups of java a day had the lowest levels of calcium buildup in their coronary arteries.

"Our study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that coffee consumption might be inversely associated with CVD (cardiovascular disease) risk," the researchers wrote.

Other studies have linked drinking coffee to lowering the risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

The findings were published online Monday in the BMJ journal Heart.