Coffee naturally contains caffeine. Caffeine stimulates your nervous system and triggers temporary effects like energy and mental alertness. Some of caffeine's effects, like increased blood pressure, are not desirable, especially if you already suffer from hypertension. Decaf coffee does not cause the same effects because it contains negligible amounts of caffeine.
Effects
Studies show that people who drink decaf coffee have lower blood pressure than those who consume the caffeinated version of the beverage. For example, in 1989, researchers at from the department of medicine at the University of Nijmegen in the Netherlands studied 45 healthy adults who habitually drink regular coffee and found that their systolic and diastolic numbers both dropped after switching to decaf. A 2005 study by Dr H. Robert Superko of the Fuqua Heart Center in Atlanta, confirmed that decaf does not raise blood pressure.
Warning
Decaf coffee may have negative effects that offset its lack of effect on blood pressure. Dr, Superko found that decaf coffee increased levels of LDL, commonly called "bad cholesterol," in participants of his 2005 study. Although the exact reason for the elevated cholesterol levels was not clear, decaf coffee is made from a different type of bean than its caffeinated counterpart. Regular coffee comes from Arabica beans, while decaf is typically made from Robusta beans that are specially processed. Excess LDL cholesterol blocks your arteries, MedlinePlus warns, which can lead to a greater heart disease risk.
Considerations
Caffeine's effect on your blood pressure is usually temporary, and people who frequently drink large amounts of regular coffee often become immune to caffeine-related blood pressure fluctuations, Health Services at Columbia advises. The temporary blood pressure increase is most pronounced in people who already have hypertension and negligible in healthy individuals. You can drink regular coffee rather than decaf without worrying about your blood pressure if you are otherwise healthy and do not consume it in excess.
Other Sources
You may not help your blood pressure by switching to decaf coffee if you are getting caffeine from other sources. The chemical is found in cocoa beans, which means it is present in chocolate. Tea leaves also contain caffeine, which means you ingest it when you drink hot or iced tea. Cola-flavored soft drinks contain it naturally, and some soda makers enhance other flavors with caffeine. Drug manufacturers mix it into some over-the-counter pain relievers, and it is a main ingredient in many energy drinks and shots.
References
- American Heart Association; Effect of Decaffeinated Versus Regular Coffee on Blood Pressure. A 12- Week, Double-Blind Trial; 1989
- The Heart.org; Decaf Coffee Raises LDL Cholesterol; Shelley Wood; November 2005
- MedlinePlus; LDL Test; May 2010
- Healthy Canadians; Caffeinated Beverages & Energy Drinks; January 2011
- Go Ask Alice; Does Caffeine Raise Blood Pressure? July 2007
