Caffeine and High Blood Pressure

Caffeine and high blood pressure have a relationship that some people ignore. The most popular stimulant in the world is the caffeine. It has a large impact on our overall health. People all around the world consume it in big amounts everyday and is part of our daily routine. 

A lot of research have been done on it, without many conclusions but is certain that affects greatly the human body. Another very important factor is how much caffeine you consume; certain drinks have a higher concentration than others.

Where Does Caffeine Come From?

Caffeine naturally comes from certain plants. In these days you can find caffeine in many popular products. Coffee, sodas, energy drinks and some medications are the main sources of caffeine today. Among those the coffee and the energy drinks are ones with the highest concentration. Generally it takes about 45 minutes for the caffeine to be absorbed in the human body. It can last around 3 hours for it to be eliminated. Fortunately this stimulant doesn’t accumulate in the human body. However it still can affect it in many ways.

Caffeine Risks

Caffeine and high blood pressure do not mix well.

1. The pressure in the blood becomes higher when the blood vessels are constricted. When that happens the heart becomes more strained as it has to pump harder to reach the areas where blood is needed. Like all stimulants caffeine will make the heart pump faster which in consequence will increase the blood pressure.

There is the chance that the body will tolerate the caffeine decreasing the effects over the blood pressure. Still a person with a hypertension diagnosis should be careful with the amount of caffeine consumed. Some tests show that blood pressure can increase by couple of points when caffeine is consumed especially for someone already suffering hypertension.

2. Other problems related to high caffeine consumption are ulcers and heartburn. Coffee can increase the acid production in the stomach.

3. Caffeine can also block the absorption of some nutrients into the blood stream contributing to malnutrition.

4. Diabetics should avoid consuming it too, as it might cause the body to produce too much insulin and that will make you gain weight as well.

Even when caffeine and high blood pressure do not go well together you can still consume small amounts of it as long you are not sensitive to its effects. One way to check how caffeine affects your blood pressure is to check it 45 minutes after drinking a cup of coffee; if your pressure is more than 5 points higher you must be careful with products that contain caffeine.