If you have high blood pressure, your doctor may have advised you to abstain from drinking caffeinated coffee for fear of aggravating hypertension. However, drinking decaffeinated coffee may prove to be no better. While some experts contend that no link exists between the two, others argue that chemicals in coffee itself, not caffeine, may be responsible for blood pressure spikes. Regardless, most experts agree that decaffeinated drinks are safe for those with high blood pressure.
No Effect on Blood Pressure
The majority of literature demonstrates no correlation between decaf and blood pressure. According to researchers in a 2007 study published in "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," decaf coffee drinkers and non-coffee drinkers had a similar risk of developing high blood pressure after adjusting for variables. Interestingly, the study found that women who consumed more than six cups of regular coffee a day had a lower risk of high blood pressure than those who consumed zero to three cups.
Elevation of Blood Pressure
Decaf may lead to an increase in blood pressure in individuals who do not drink coffee regularly, according to researchers in a 2002 study published in "Circulation." The study found that decaffeinated coffee raised systolic blood pressure by 5.5 millimeters of mercury, mmHg, and 12 mmHg after 30 and 60 minutes of consumption respectively. Similar results were found in non-habitual coffee drinkers who consumed regular coffee. The researchers propose that a chemical in coffee, rather than caffeine, is responsible for elevation in blood pressure and that more research is needed to determine the exact mechanism for these findings. However, the study may be limited by the fact that the effects of decaf were not explored on habitual coffee drinkers.
Recommendation
Since literature on this subject is mixed, it is best to follow the current recommendations of the DASH diet. The DASH diet, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, is a dietary plan developed by the National Institute of Health to reduce blood pressure in those with hypertension or pre-hypertension. The DASH diet recommends limiting caffeinated drinks to two drinks a day and to drink decaffeinated drinks in place of caffeinated. If you're still concerned about your blood pressure, one way to determine if there is a correlation between your blood pressure and coffee intake is to measure your blood pressure 30 minutes after consuming your coffee. An elevation in blood pressure of five to 10 mmHg may indicate that your body is reacting to something in the coffee.
Considerations
The term "decaf" is somewhat misleading, as decaffeinated coffee actually contains a small amount of caffeine. According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, one 8-oz. cup of brewed decaf contains about 2 mg of caffeine. However, according to a 2006 report published in the "Journal of Analytical Toxicology," your favorite cup of decaf may have even more caffeine than you think. In an analysis of several coffee establishments, brewed decaf from a popular coffee chain was found to have 12 to 13.4 mg of caffeine per 16-oz. serving. To compare, two 12-oz. servings of regular coffee has about 200 mg of caffeine.
References
- Palo Alto Medical Foundation: Principles of the DASH Diet; June 2008
- "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Coffee Intake and Incidence of Hypertension; Cuno SPM Uiterwaal, et al.; 2007
- "Circulation"; Coffee Acutely Increases Blood Pressure Independently of Caffeine Content; Dr. Roberto Corti, et al.; December 2002
- MayoClinic.com: Caffeine: How Does it Affect Blood Pressure?; Dr. Sheldon G. Sheps; November 2009
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Coffee, Brewed from Grounds, Prepared with Tap Water, Decaffeinated; 2010
- "Journal of Analytical Toxicology"; Caffeine Content of Decaffeinated Coffee; Rachel R. McCusker, et al.; October 2006
