While it's delicious and offers many health benefits, coffee comes with a few caveats -- especially since it does raise your blood pressure. Fortunately, the good news is that this spike in blood pressure is usually not a long-term or dangerous issue. Here's everything you should know about how your cup of joe affects your BP readings, plus tips to block this unwanted side effect of coffee.
Does coffee raise blood pressure?
Coffee consumption can indeed raise your blood pressure, though some people are more sensitive to this effect than others, says Michelle Routhenstein, RD, CDN, Preventive Cardiology Dietitian at EntirelyNourished.com.
"Coffee can raise blood pressure because it interferes with adenosine, a neurotransmitter that helps blood vessels relax and widen," she explains. "When adenosine's action is not properly working, the result is that blood vessels may constrict, which can lead to an increase in blood pressure."
Even if you don't have high blood pressure, the caffeine content in your java (rather than coffee itself) can cause a temporary rise in blood pressure -- typically up to 15 mmHg, notes Yanting Wang, MD, FACC, Director, Women's Heart and Cardio-Obstetrics Center at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, an RWJBarnabas Health hospital.
"This short-term rise in blood pressure occurs most often in those who don't drink caffeine regularly and have not yet built up a tolerance," explains Dr. Wang. "Caffeine is a stimulant and enacts upon your body's fight or flight response, resulting in an increase in heart rate."
Should you be concerned about coffee raising your blood pressure?
For most people, an increase from consuming caffeine is mild and only lasts a few hours before blood pressure returns to normal, says Dr. Wang. While caffeine can increase blood pressure shortly after consumption, bioactive compounds and antioxidants in coffee can provide other beneficial effects to counterbalance the effects.
"For people who drink it regularly and develop a tolerance, coffee does not usually have any long-term effects on your blood pressure and is not associated with a higher risk of developing chronic high blood pressure (hypertension)," she adds.
On the other hand, caffeine from other sources like energy drinks or coffee drinks with high fat and artificial flavoring do not provide the same bioactive compounds and are often associated with high sugar content. This can have detrimental health effects, Dr. Wang notes.
Note: If you have unmanaged high blood pressure and are consuming excessive amounts of coffee, especially if you're sensitive to caffeine, this can make controlling blood pressure even more challenging, Routhenstein cautions.
When to talk to your doctor about blood pressure spikes
In most cases, your blood pressure will go back to normal once the caffeine wears off, offers Dr. Wang. But if you're noticing frequent or prolonged spikes, especially if you already have high blood pressure, it's a good idea to talk to your doctor.
"Hypertension can lead to strain on your heart and eventually the remodeling of your heart wall," she says. Over time, this can raise the risk of heart attack and stroke. "To see if caffeine might be raising your blood pressure, check your blood pressure before drinking caffeinated beverages and then repeat again in 30 minutes to 120 minutes afterward."
How to keep coffee from raising your blood pressure
If you're a habitual coffee drinker and you're concerned about the impact on your blood pressure, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of a spike. The first thing you'll want to do is avoid drinking coffee on an empty stomach, says Routhenstein. This can intensify the stimulating effects of caffeine, which can lead to a more noticeable rise in blood pressure.
"Pay attention to how much caffeine you're consuming each day and its effect on your blood pressure," she suggests. "The total amount of coffee you drink in one sitting, as well as throughout the day, can influence the extent of the rise in your blood pressure."
How much coffee can you safely drink?
In general, two cups of coffee or less is safe even for patients with heart disease, says Dr. Wang. If you're trying to cut back on the amount of caffeine you consume, she suggests doing so over several days to avoid caffeine withdrawal, rebound blood pressure spikes and headaches.
If you drink several cups of coffee per day, you might consider switching a few of those brews to decaf or green tea, she suggests. Staying hydrated can also help keep your blood pressure steadier.