Americans love their coffee, whether they brew it at home, sip it at the office, or treat themselves to gourmet concoctions at a high-end coffeehouse. The National Coffee Association found that in 2000, 54 percent of the adult population in the U.S. drank coffee daily. The average coffee drinker consumes 3.1 cups of coffee per day. Coffee has become a staple for many and a necessity for others to remain alert and productive.
Blood Pressure Control
The body exerts a complex and intricate control process over the regulation of blood pressure. Both high and low blood pressure have adverse consequences that can lead to long-term damage. According to Merck Manuals Online Medical Library, the body can change the amount of blood that is pumped by the heart, the diameter of the arteries and the amount of blood in the bloodstream. Each of these changes is controlled by different parts of the body, including the kidneys, autonomic nervous system and the adrenal glands. And each of these systems is affected by drugs, alcohol, medications and nutrition.
Coffee Ingredients
Coffee consists of many chemical compounds that are released during the roasting and brewing process, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Two of these chemicals produce some of the physical effects that you may associate with drinking coffee. Xanthine and caffeine both produce a stimulant effect on your body, which increases your mental alertness but may also result in nervousness, irritability, restlessness and nausea.
Effect of Coffee on Blood Pressure
The largest effect of coffee on your blood pressure is caused by caffeine. According to researcher Dr. Noha Farag of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, the exact role of caffeine in blood pressure is not clear. Her research team found that even people who were regular coffee drinkers experienced a spike in blood pressure when they received a large dose of caffeine. This study showed that even those who ingest caffeinated drinks do not develop a tolerance to the effects. Duke University researchers showed that caffeine ingested in the morning will have effects that continue through the day and will increase the physiological effect of stress on the body and magnify the perception of stress. Stress will also cause an increase in blood pressure.
Limitations
Some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others. If just a small amount, such as one cup of coffee, causes symptoms for you, you should consider giving up coffee, according to MayoClinic.com. Factors that may influence your blood pressure reactions include body mass, age, medication and other health conditions, such as anxiety disorder. Stopping can cause withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, fatigue and nervousness. Mayo Clinic physicians recommend that you cut back gradually, keep track of the amount of coffee you drink and switch to decaffeinated coffee, although you should be aware that decaf still contains a small amount of caffeine.
References
- CoffeeResearch.org: Coffee Consumption Statistics in the United States
- Merck Manuals Online Medical Library: High Blood Pressure
- US Department of Agriculture: Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases
- Medicine Online; "Caffeine's Blood Pressure Effect Persists in Some"; May 2005
- DukeHealth.org; "Caffeine's Effects are Long-Lasting and Compound Stress"; Duke Medicine News and Communications; July 2002
- MayoClinic.com: Caffeine: How Much is Too Much?
