Coffee quickens your pulse because of the brew's caffeine. However, information from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's McKinley Health Center indicates that although coffee is a stimulant, its effects are generally mild. Moreover, many people who drink coffee become immune to caffeine's effects after drinking it regularly.
Caffeine in Action
Caffeine is a naturally occurring substance found in coffee, tea, kola nuts and cocoa beans. It can also be added to certain medications. Coffee's caffeine makes your heart beat faster and stronger, which in turn makes your pulse beat quicken and your blood pressure increase. Caffeine's effects can last from three to 12 hours.
Coffee and the Heart
If coffee makes your pulse speed up, you might assume that it can be harmful to your heart. However, the American Heart Association says no clear connection exists between coffee and heart disease. Moreover, avoiding coffee probably won't prevent atrial fibrillation, a type of arrhythmia. Cleveland Clinic doctor Bryan Baranowski, an electrophysiologist, states that atrial fibrillation is associated with other factors, such as certain illnesses, heart surgery and genetic predisposition, In some cases the trigger can be stress, exercise or use of stimulants, such as caffeine. Only rarely can patients link a specific trigger to atrial fibrillation, Baranowski says.
Other Side Effects
Coffee can make you feel more alert and focused. However, a rapid pulse isn't the only side effect of caffeine that you might not enjoy. Caffeine can cause sleeplessness, anxiety, irritability, tremors and stomach problems. If you're sensitive to caffeine, a single cup can be enough to make you feel restless and jittery. Mayo Clinic Dr. Sheldon G. Sheps, a hypertension specialist, advises you to curb the coffee if you have high blood pressure. Or, you can avoid caffeinated foods and beverages entirely.
Coffee in Moderation
If you're a healthy adult, drinking between two and four cups of coffee a day -- or between 200 and 300 mg of caffeine -- isn't likely to be harmful. People who aren't regular coffee drinkers are more likely to notice the unpleasant effects of caffeine compared to the veterans of java. Decaffeinated beverages taste the same as their caffeinated counterparts and are your safest bet, if you like drinking coffee for its rich flavor.
References
- Rice University: Caffeine and the Athlete
- McKinley Health Center: Caffeine
- Madsci.org: How and Why Does Caffine Effect the Pulse Rate of a Person?; February 2000
- National Institutes of Health: Caffeine
- American Heart Association: Caffeine
- MayoClinic.com; Caffeine -- How Does It Affect Blood Presure?; Sheldon G. Sheps; November 2009
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