According to the Global Market Information Database, Americans consumed 2.2 kg of coffee per person in 2002, on average. That is a substantial amount of caffeine to take in. If you're like most Americans, you grab your cup of coffee in the morning and go. What you might not be thinking about is what that daily caffeine intake is doing to your cardiovascular system. Your daily coffee might be increasing your blood pressure, so much so that it might be unsafe for some.
Acute Effects of Coffee
The caffeine inside of coffee causes an almost immediate rise in blood pressure, according to the "European Journal of Nutrition." This is safe for most people, but for someone diagnosed with hypertension, caffeine intake should be monitored. If you have uncontrolled high blood pressure, caffeine intake, even in the form of coffee, can be harmful to your heart and cause an undue spike in blood pressure. Other effects of coffee include increased heart rate and urine output. These factors also can cause blood pressure to rise.
Chronic Effects of Coffee
The acute effects of caffeine consumption might have a long-lasting effect. According to a meta-analysis published in the journal of the American Heart Association "Hypertension," the chronic effects of caffeine might be correlated with hypertension. The study describes a relationship, independent of age, between caffeine consumption over time and the development of high blood pressure.
Caffeine Tolerance
According to a study in the journal "Hypertension," the belief that you build a tolerance to caffeine in coffee is untrue. This study took 49 men and 48 women and analyzed the effects of a daily caffeine regimen. In each person taking caffeine, both systolic and diastolic blood pressures rose. Daily caffeine intake has the same effect on your blood pressure each day that you ingest it. There is nothing to suggest that a person can build a caffeine tolerance.
Considerations
The evidence is clear: The caffeine in coffee can both acutely and chronically raise blood pressure. If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, you are at risk. While blood pressure might rise only about 2 mmHg overall, this might be enough to cause chronic health issues. Uncontrolled or chronic high blood pressure can result in cardiovascular disease including atherosclerosis. If you are concerned, speak with your doctor, who can tell you how much caffeine is safe for you, if any.
Possible Benefits
While coffee might have negative implications for your cardiovascular system, there is evidence that it might be helpful for other functions of your body, including the central nervous system and brain functioning. According to a study published in the "Journal of Alzheimer's Disease" in 2009, moderate coffee consumption might be responsible for delaying or preventing dementia and Alzheimer's disease. This revelation could be potentially life-changing for those at risk for developing cognitive diseases.
References
- "Exercise Physiology"; George A. Brooks, Thomas D. Fahey, Kenneth M. Baldwin; 2005
- "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Coffee, Caffeine and Blood Pressure: A Critical Review; ML Nurminen, et al.; 1999
- "Hypertension"; Blood Pressure Response to Caffeine Shows Incomplete Tolerance After Short-Term Regular Consumption; William R. Lovallo, et al.; 2004
- "Hypertension"; The Effect of Chronic Coffee Drinking on Blood Pressure A Meta-Analysis of Controlled Clinical Trials; Sun Ha Jee, et al.; 1999
- Nation Master.com: Coffee Statistics
- "Journal of Alzheimer's Disease"; Midlife Coffee and Tea Drinking and the Risk of Late-Life Dementia: A Population-Based CAIDE Study; Marjo H. Eskelinen, et al.; 2009
