If you are like many adults, coffee is part of your daily routine. According to the American Heart Association, the daily average consumption of coffee is 2 to 4 cups. Numerous studies have been done on the effects that coffee has on blood pressure. Depending on the amount of coffee you are consuming on a daily basis, you may want to cut back for the benefit of your health.
Caffeine
Caffeine is a natural component of coffee. It is medically known as trimethylxanthine. According to Discovery Health, caffeine is the most popular drug in America, being consumed by 90 percent of Americans every day in one form or another. The increased consumption of coffee can be attributed to the boom in coffee shops over the last decade. Caffeine is a drug that is addictive. Caffeine may be used medically as a mild diuretic and as a cardiac stimulator.
Hypertension
Knowing your blood pressure reading is extremely important. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 32 percent of adults have hypertension. Also known as high blood pressure, hypertension is a serious condition. It may lead to health problems such as stroke, heart disease or kidney failure. Blood pressure is defined as the force of blood that pushes against the arteries as blood is being pumped from the heart. Normal blood pressure is considered to be 120/80 mm Hg, while hypertension is considered to be anything greater than 140/90.
Effects
Coffee has been shown to increase the level of your blood pressure. According to MayoClinic.com, a mere 2 to 3 cups of coffee can raise your systolic blood pressure (the top number of your blood pressure score) by 3 to 14 mm Hg and raise your diastolic pressure (the bottom number of your score) by 4 to 13 mm Hg. The effects of caffeine on blood pressure may be short but dramatic.
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