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HomeFactsIs Coffee Good For Blood Pressure

Is Coffee Good For Blood Pressure

Should People With Hypertension Drink Coffee

Does Coffee Increase or Decrease Your Blood Pressure?

Drinking three cups on average per day would not cause any trouble, but if you are a coffee lover and if you are unable to stop yourself from three cups, then it might turn into a problem.

Coffee lovers who drink Coffee with more caffeine content can face a risk. People who are regularly intaking Coffee for years together may not be affected that much. Their blood pressure can see some changes, but it will get stabilized after three hours.

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What Can I Do If Im Concerned About Caffeine And High Blood Pressure

If you are at all concerned about how your caffeine habit may be affecting your heart, here are a few things you can do to help ease your mind:

To sum it up: In most cases, a cup or two of your favorite caffeinated beverage in the morning wont cause any harm. Unless your doctor told you to specifically avoid it, its not something you should lose sleep over. The high blood pressure that comes right after drinking caffeine is temporary and wont make you any more likely to develop hypertension later in life.

Now, if youll excuse me, I need to finish my large, iced, French vanilla coffee.

Coffee Doesn’t Cause High Blood Pressure

March 26, 2002 — Although drinking a cup of coffee a day may slightly raise your blood pressure, it won’t likely increase your risk of developing high blood pressure.

In a new study, researchers say a connection between high blood pressure and coffee drinking has been discussed for decades, but no studies have actually established this link. Previous research has shown that coffee temporarily increases blood pressure immediately after consumption, but the body quickly adapts to that effect. Other studies have hinted that there might be a more persistent relationship between coffee drinking and the risk of developing high blood pressure over time.

In this study, which appears in the March 25 Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers tracked the coffee intake and blood pressure of a group of male medical school graduates for 33 years. They found that drinking one cup of coffee a day led to small increases in blood pressure, but long-term coffee drinking did not significantly increase the risk of developing high blood pressure.

People who didn’t drink coffee were less likely than coffee drinkers to have high blood pressure, but there was no progressive increase in risk associated with higher levels of coffee intake, according to the researchers.

The authors note that studies have shown that stopping coffee drinking can lower blood pressure in people who already have high blood pressure, and the results of this study may not apply to that group of people.

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Observational Studies On Caffeine And Blood Pressure

Consistently high blood pressure is a huge risk factor for heart problems. Thats why were concerned about it in the first place.

Major dietary factors linked to high blood pressure and heart disease, such as excessive alcohol intake, typically contribute to stiffness of the blood vessels. This is the mechanism by which they raise the risk of heart disease.

Regular coffee consumption, however, was observed to have no such harmful influence on blood vessels .

This is thought to be because its pressor effects are too short-lived to do any lasting damage to the walls of our blood vessels.

The majority of large observational studies not only support this theory, but actually find coffee consumption linked to improved cardiovascular health.

In a review that included over 1.2 million subjects, 3 to 5 coffees per day was associated with significantly lower heart disease risk, while even heavier coffee consumption appeared to be neutral .

Other large reviews consistently find the same trend, suggesting coffee might be protective .

While these studies cannot prove cause and effect, if the blood pressure raising effect of coffee was harmful, we wouldnt expect to find coffee drinkers with better cardiovascular health than non-drinkers.

There is one huge caveat to this reasoning though

Direct Effect Of Caffeine On Blood Pressure

Does Coffee Cause High Blood Pressure?

Caffeine can raise blood pressure through causing blood vessels to contract. It may also block a hormone which keeps arteries dilated . And it may trigger the release of adrenaline which increases blood pressure.

Caffeine is also a diuretic, which means that it causes your body to eliminate more fluid than you actually drank. Since dehydration leads to higher blood pressure, caffeine also puts you at risk of higher blood pressure this way too.

You might think that this effect of a cup of coffee, or strong tea or another caffeinated drink, only lasts for an hour or two. However, caffeine can persist in the body for an entire day and keep affecting the body all this time. Caffeine consumed in the morning can affect you even when you go to bed.

And as well as raising blood pressure directly, caffeine can also increase your blood pressure through its other effects on your body too. Although one cup on its own is not a big risk, the effects are cumulative, so cup after cup, day after day, it adds up.

The converse of this is that any reduction you make in your caffeine intake also adds up even small changes can have big effects in the long-term. So its a good idea to cut down your daily intake of caffeine.

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Lower Your Blood Pressure Naturally In Other Ways Too

As weve seen, the effects of caffeine on blood pressure can be quite significant but so can the effects of many other foods and drinks. So one of the most direct ways you can lower your blood pressure is to make a few changes to other things you eat and drink.

Its not all about eating or drinking less of what you like, but a lot about adding good foods and drinks. There is actually a large choice of affordable natural ingredients that lower blood pressure. Many of these spices, herbs, berries, fruits, grains, vegetables, meats and drinks are available in local stores.

Of course there are other factors beyond diet that affects your blood pressure. So the best way to lower your blood pressure without drugs is to apply a broader approach covering all causes and cures with natural home-based remedies.

The guide contains simple and proven strategies for lowering your blood pressure and keeping it low through easy, effective and enjoyable changes in lifestyle.

These progressive steps are based on the principle that positive incremental change is always best in health matters.

Each chapter will take you further along the road of greater vigour and peace of mind .

P.S. This guide shows you how to lower your blood pressure permanently and naturally without side-effects or complications.

Follow each step to get your blood pressure back in balance.

Following this guide will reduce, and in time, eliminate your need for blood pressure lowering medications.

Can Decaf Coffee Cause High Blood Pressure

Most experts agree that caffeine of coffee can cause a temporary increase in blood pressure . Though the effect is temporary, but it may be dangerous for those with hypertension. How about with decaf coffee ? Does it also have the same effect?

In an effort to avoid and limit caffeine due to certain health conditions such as hypertension, heart arrhythmia , or if you are taking medicines that are advised to limit /avoid caffeine you may turn to decaf coffee. As the label decaf implies, it refers to decaffeinated which means the coffee has been processed to contain less caffeine.

The good news, the process to make decaffeinated coffee is now safe. Several years ago, some people doubted about the safety issue of making decaf coffee that might cause negative health impact! Today, a few different techniques in production are available.

In the past, the use of solvents was needed to make decaffeination. Nowadays, a new modified machine is designed to use carbon dioxide as a solvent for a direct decaffeination.

How much caffeine in a cup of coffee and a cup of decaf coffee?

A cup of coffee may contain about 95 mg of caffeine. How about with decaffeinated coffee?

How does caffeine affect both systolic and diastolic pressure?

While many studies have confirmed that caffeine can cause a temporary increase in both systolic and diastolic pressures, but there is still no a satisfied answer to explain this.

So, will decaf coffee cause high blood pressure?

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Benefits Of Quitting Caffeine

Popular worldwide, caffeinated beverages are generally accepted as safe in moderation. That said, there are some very real benefits associated with quitting. If youve become reliant on coffee or energy drinks to get through the day, learn why you should think about ditching your habit.The Bad Side of CaffeineWhile many people regard it as harmless, caffeine can take a toll on our bodies by forcing them to remain at heightened states for long periods of time. Ultimately, this can lead to exhaustion related to increased cortisol levels and sleep difficulties. By quitting or limiting your caffeine consumption you can enjoy improved quality of life related to:

Quit Caffeine the Right WayAlthough there are some big positives to quitting caffeine, the process can be unpleasant. When they try to quit cold turkey, many people experience a range of negative symptoms, including depression, insomnia, headaches and irritability. To minimize these symptoms, wean yourself off the substance by consuming less and less over time.

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Is Caffeine Bad If I Have Hypertension

Does Coffee Raise Blood Pressure? Should You Drink Coffee If You Have High BP

You may wonder if its safe to consume caffeine if your doctor has diagnosed you with hypertension. While you should ask you doctor just to be sure, having 1 to 2 cups of coffee or tea a day is usually considered safe.

If your doctor recommends that you regularly monitor your blood pressure at home, make sure to take any readings BEFORE you have your coffee or 6 hours after you finish drinking it, so you log your normal blood pressure and not your post-caffeine spike. Likewise, at each of your doctors appointments, you should let your doctor know when you last drank a caffeinated beverage .

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How Coffee Raises Blood Pressure In The Long

While drinking coffee may raise blood pressure right after drinking it, the long-term effects are good for blood pressure. Reports have shown, drinking coffee in moderation may be beneficial for it and cardiovascular disease.

The following studies discuss the longer-term effects of coffee drinking on BP and cardiovascular disease. So, grab a nice cup of your favorite blend and continue to read on.

How Much Does Caffeine Increase Blood Pressure

A normal blood pressure reading is considered to be less than 120 mm Hg systolic and less than 80 mm Hg diastolic. The results from one study suggest that around five cups per day of coffee caused a 1-2 mm Hg increase in blood pressure. Reviews have also reported changes of between 3-15 mm Hg systolic and 4-13 mm Hg diastolic after caffeine consumption.

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What Does Coffee Do To Blood Pressure In The Short Term

Caffeine, the main ingredient in coffee, constricts blood vessels, and raises blood pressure in the short term, according to Dr. George. Recent studies have shown that all types of coffee can increase blood pressure slightly, but remain in the healthy range and is temporary, she says. There are other ingredients in coffee called antioxidants that have a protective effect on blood vessels. In fact, a study published in the 2013 journal Antioxidants found that coffee has more antioxidants than wine and tea.

So Is Good Coffee Good For You

Coffee can reduce risk of diabetes and high blood pressure, study says ...

Going by what weve covered so far, you might have guessed that its hard to assess the effects of coffee on health in part because theres so much variability in the contents of different types of coffee. Deciphering coffeeâs effects is further confounded by how differently individuals respond to coffee. This variation depends on factors such as a persons genetics, health, and whether he or she habitually consumes coffee. Caveats aside, lets look at some of the relevant research.

One way of assessing the potential effects of coffee intake on health is to ask people how much coffee they usually drink or have them track their diets for several days and then monitor their health over several years. While this type of study design has many limitations â not the least of which is how accurately people report their diets â it can help identify potential diet-disease relationships. And where this type of research has unveiled possible associations between coffee consumption and health, well briefly consider mechanisms that might underlie these effects.

Foods that are highest in polyphenols include:

  • spices: cloves, peppermint, star anise, oregano, sage, ginger
  • cocoa powder and dark chocolate
  • black, green, yellow, white, oolong tea
  • berries: elderberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, cranberries
  • red wine
  • nuts
  • olive oil

Eating more polyphenol-rich foods is linked with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack, stroke, and high blood pressure.

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How To Reduce The Effects Of Caffeine On Blood Pressure Without Drinking Less Coffee

If you drink a lot of coffee and have high blood pressure then its likely youre going to need to drink less coffee. But there are other things you can do to try to reduce the effect of caffeine in blood pressure.

This is because the effect of caffeine intake may be exacerbated by other substances or activities which also increase your blood pressure. So:

Avoid caffeine before doing exercise or any highly energetic activity hard labour, workouts, runs, brisk walks. These already raise your blood pressure, and the extra effect of caffeine can mean your heart has to work too hard. Stay away from caffeine for at least an hour before getting into it drink water instead.

Dont smoke and drink coffee tobacco also raises blood pressure by constricting your blood vessels, so coffee and a cigarette arent such a perfect combination for your blood pressure!

Does Dehydration Cause High Blood Pressure

Dehydration causes the blood to become thicker or viscous due to the reduced water content in the blood. Dehydration causes the kidney to release renin. This results in sodium and water retention in the body to correct the low fluid volume. This response, if constant, can cause blood pressure to be high.

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How Much Caffeine Should I Have

Many sources recommend limiting your caffeine intake to 200mg caffeine per day. This is roughly the equivalent of two 12 ounce cups of brewed coffee per day.

However, there are other factors to consider when figuring out what amount will suit you:

Personal Physiology

In general, the smaller and lighter you are, the more caffeine is likely to affect you. So you youll probably need to stick to a lower daily caffeine limit than 200mg.

At the other end of the scale, if you are overweight, caffeine is likely to have a greater effect on your blood pressure. So you will also need to keep to a lower daily caffeine intake.

Age

Also, the older you get the more your blood pressure is likely to react to caffeine. This is especially the case once youre over 70 or so.

Find out for yourself how caffeine affects your blood pressure

To get a rough idea how much caffeine may affect your blood pressure, check your blood pressure.

Do a blood pressure reading before drinking caffeine, then 30-60 minutes after drinking caffeine. If its 5-10 points higher, then you are likely to be sensitive to it.

If you dont yet have a blood pressure monitor of your own then its a good idea to get one. Read more about that in our article here: do I need a blood pressure monitor?

But what if I have a good tolerance for caffeine?

So, however little you feel it affects you, better to be safe than sorry and cut down the caffeine.

Is Coffee Bad When You Have High Blood Pressure

Does Coffee Raise Blood Pressure? Time To Clarify The Confusion

Caffeine can trigger a short but dramatic increase in blood pressure, even for people who have normal blood pressure. Caffeine stimulates the release of calcium from the lining of the stomach which causes blood vessels to contract, increasing blood pressure. Because the effect is temporary, it may not necessarily be harmful, but it certainly doesn’t help if your blood pressure is out of control.

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Apple Cider Vinegar Drink

You may also want to try consuming a drink with apple cider vinegar to lower blood pressure.

A study published in the Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry in 2001 found that the acetic acid from apple cider vinegar would significantly lower renin activity and blood pressure, compared to controls not given acetic acid or vinegar.

The enzyme renin is known to increase blood pressure from stretching receptors in the vascular walls.

Another study from 2006 showed that the acetic acid from apple cider vinegar would regulate high blood pressure by reducing high cholesterola common risk factor in hypertension.

You can take up to three tablespoons twice daily of apple cider vinegar in a glass of filtered water for blood pressure reduction. The key with apple cider vinegar is to start with a low dose and work your way up.

That being said, I recommend two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a drink, along with 12 ounces of warm water, two tablespoons of lemon juice, a teaspoon of honey, and a quarter-teaspoon of cinnamon.

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