Does Coffee Raise Your Blood Pressure?
Coffee is one of the most beloved drinks in the world. Globally, 8.6 billion kilos of coffee are consumed annually. If you’re a coffee drinker, then you’ll probably feel well about the invigorating effect that coffee brings, which arrives soon after your first sips. Even the aroma of coffee alone can be invigorating.
However, there has been debate about whether regular coffee consumption is really good for health - especially in terms of high blood pressure and heart health. In this article, we’ll look at whether coffee has an effect on our blood pressure and whether you should also reduce your coffee consumption.
Coffee may temporarily raise your blood pressure
Studies show that the physiological effects of coffee can extend beyond a small sense of invigoration.
Namely, it has been found that drinking coffee can raise blood pressure for a short time immediately after ingestion.
A summary of 34 studies showed that 200-300 mg of caffeine from coffee - roughly the amount obtained from 1.5-2 cups - results in elevations of approximately 8 mmHg and 6 mmHg in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The effect on observation up to 3 hours after drinking coffee and the results were similar in people with normal blood pressure as well as in those who already had it elevated.
Interestingly, regular coffee drinking is not associated with the same effect on blood pressure. It may be due to the caffeine tolerance that develops when consumed frequently. So studies show that coffee may raise your blood pressure a little - especially if you drink it irregularly.
Potential long - term effects
Although coffee may temporarily raise your blood pressure as soon as you drink it, this effect does not seem to last long.
Recent studies show that daily coffee drinking is unlikely to significantly affect the values of people with high blood pressure or the overall risk of cardiovascular disease.
In fact, drinking coffee can even have some health benefits.
Studies show that in otherwise healthy people, drinking 3-5 cups daily is associated with a 15% lower risk of heart disease and a lower risk of dying prematurely.
Coffee contains many bioactive compounds that are known to have potent antioxidant effects. They may also reduce the oxidative stress on your body.
According to some researchers, the health effects of coffee may outweigh the potential negative effects that coffee can have on the bodies of regular drinkers.
However, more research is needed so that we can fully understand how coffee affects human health in the longer term. However, in light of current research, drinking coffee seems to be a completely safe and possibly even beneficial way.
Should I avoid drinking coffee if I have high blood pressure?
Moderate drinking of coffee is unlikely to have a significant effect on most people in terms of an increase in blood pressure or the risk of heart disease - not even if the person has previously been diagnosed with high blood pressure.
In fact, the opposite may be the case. Some of the bioactive compounds found in coffee may provide health benefits to the body, including reduced oxidative stress and inflammation.
However, we do not recommend excessive exposure to caffeine, especially if you already have high blood pressure. If you don’t drink coffee regularly, then it may be wise to wait until you’ve got your blood pressure under control before adding this drink to your diet, especially since studies have shown that it can raise your blood pressure in the short term.
Also keep in mind that excessive eating or drinking of any food or beverage can lead to negative health effects, and coffee is no exception to this rule. It is always important to maintain a balance in your lifestyle and eating habits.
Regular exercise combined with a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains is one of the best ways to maintain healthy blood pressure and heart health. Focusing on these healthy habits is a better way to use energy instead of using it to take care of your coffee drinking.
In Summary
Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world, but it has been blamed for causing high blood pressure. Studies show that drinking coffee can lead to short-term spikes in blood pressure.
However, long-term associations between high blood pressure, heart disease, and coffee have not been observed in people who drink it regularly. Coffee may actually promote heart health, thanks to its high antioxidant content.
While more research is needed, drinking coffee is reasonably very likely to be a safe way for most of us.
ORIGINALLY WRITTEN BY - FITNESS YODHA
