Caffeine and High Blood Pressure
Caffeine is something that most of us have on a daily
basis. We have it in tea or coffee that we drink every morning and we also
have it in such things as chocolate. Too much caffeine can cause some adverse
side effects that range from nervousness to jumpiness. Another problem is that
it may also increase our blood pressure. It is estimated that the amount of
caffeine in 3 cups of coffee can make our systolic blood pressure vary up to 14
mm of mercury. With such a large variation possible from a small amount of
coffee, is caffeine and high blood pressure a good mixture?
One of the biggest problems is, if you do not have
caffeine on a regular basis your high blood pressure may rise sharply as a
result of ingesting caffeine. It seems that some people may have a tolerance
to a certain extent for the caffeine that they drink on a regular basis,
however. For that reason, it tends to affect people who are not regular
caffeine drinkers to more of an extent than those that are. It is also thought
that it may affect the adrenal gland which will cause certain hormones to be
released into your system that may also affect blood pressure.
The research that has been done on caffeine and high
blood pressure is really rather confusing. While some studies show that there
is a direct relation between caffeine and high blood pressure, other studies
show that those that drink caffeine on a regular basis are not affected at all
as far as their high blood pressure is concerned. As recent as 2007, there has
been conflicting evidence that blood pressure may be affected in women who
drink 6 cups or more of coffee every day.
More than likely, they key to caffeine and high blood
pressure is moderation. Just as you would not sit down and drink an entire
bottle of wine, you should not overindulging caffeine on regular basis. If
you're a moderate in your caffeine use, you should be fine. If you have any
doubts, speak with your physician about the various possibilities.
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