Coffee is one of the most popular beverages worldwide. Millions of people around the world start their day with a cup of coffee. Coffee is known for its caffeine content, which is the main reason why people drink it.

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant that can improve cognitive function, alertness, and mood. However, recent research suggests that drinking coffee may slightly raise blood pressure over the short term.

What is Blood Pressure?

Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood from your heart to the rest of your body. Blood pressure can be high, low, or normal.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a condition in which the force of blood against the walls of your arteries is too high, which can cause health problems such as heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure.

What is Coffee?

Coffee is a brewed beverage made from roasted coffee beans, which are the seeds of the Coffea plant. Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world after oil. There are two main types of coffee beans: Arabica and Robusta.

Arabica beans are higher quality and have a sweeter, more delicate flavor, while Robusta beans are lower quality and have a bitter, stronger flavor. Coffee contains caffeine and other compounds that can affect your body in different ways.

Research on Coffee and Blood Pressure

Several studies have investigated the effects of coffee on blood pressure.

A recent meta-analysis published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition analyzed 13 randomized controlled trials with 1,073 participants and found that acute coffee consumption resulted in a small, but significant increase in blood pressure. The researchers concluded that the blood pressure-raising effect of coffee is caused by caffeine.

Another study published in the Journal of Human Hypertension investigated the effects of regular coffee consumption on blood pressure in 155 volunteers with untreated prehypertension or stage 1 hypertension.

The participants drank either three cups of coffee per day or a placebo beverage for eight weeks. The researchers found that coffee consumption increased systolic blood pressure by 8.1 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 5.7 mm Hg, compared to the placebo group.

The researchers concluded that regular coffee consumption may increase the risk of developing hypertension in susceptible individuals.

Caffeine and Blood Pressure

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant that can raise blood pressure by stimulating the release of adrenaline, the hormone that prepares your body for the “fight or flight” response.

Adrenaline increases your heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration rate, which can help you respond to a perceived threat. However, if the adrenaline release is prolonged or frequent, it can lead to chronic hypertension.

Caffeine can also block the hormone adenosine, which is responsible for relaxing blood vessels. When adenosine is blocked, the blood vessels can constrict and increase blood pressure.

However, this effect is usually transient and not significant in healthy individuals.

Does Decaf Coffee Raise Blood Pressure?

Decaf coffee is coffee that has had most of its caffeine removed. Decaf coffee usually contains 2-5 mg of caffeine per cup, compared to 70-140 mg for regular coffee.

Some studies have suggested that decaf coffee may also raise blood pressure, although the effect is much less pronounced than regular coffee. The reason for this is not clear, but it may be due to other compounds in decaf coffee that can affect blood pressure.

Limitations of the Research

The research on coffee and blood pressure has several limitations. First, most of the studies are observational, which means they can only show a correlation between coffee consumption and blood pressure, not a causal relationship.

Second, some studies have used large doses of caffeine that are not commonly consumed in daily life, which may overestimate the blood pressure-raising effect of coffee. Third, the effect of coffee on blood pressure may vary depending on individual factors such as age, gender, weight, and genetics. Therefore, more research is needed to clarify the relationship between coffee and blood pressure.

Conclusion

Drinking coffee may slightly raise blood pressure over the short term, especially in susceptible individuals and with regular consumption. Caffeine is the main culprit behind this effect, although other compounds in coffee may also play a role.

Therefore, people with high blood pressure or at risk of developing hypertension should limit their coffee intake, or switch to decaf coffee, and monitor their blood pressure regularly.