An increase in blood pressure with occasional coffee consumption is already known. But what about regular coffee drinkers?

How many cups of coffee per day are allowed?

Coffee is known to have many different effects on the body. Consuming coffee regularly in moderation can also have a positive impact on your health. But what about blood pressure? It is known that coffee can significantly increase blood pressure. However, this state of affairs does not last long. But if you regularly have a cup of coffee, you have to reckon with other consequences in terms of blood pressure.

Effects of coffee on blood pressure

If you drink a cup of coffee or black or green tea, you will get an increase in blood pressure for a short period of time – about 20 to 30 minutes. This high blood pressure is triggered by the caffeine or theobromine contained in the beverages in large quantities. The increased blood pressure caused by the consumption of caffeinated coffee increases individually, but on average it is around 10 to 20 mmHg. However, since the blood pressure drops back to its standard value quite quickly, this increase is not of concern. But those who consume coffee more than just occasionally have other effects on blood pressure. In a study, researchers from Switzerland found out that high coffee consumption permanently lowers blood pressure. Higher coffee consumption thus has the opposite effect on blood pressure than coffee consumption over longer periods of time. This effect can be compared to jogging. Because here, too, blood pressure rises sharply during running. With regular exercise, it has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system in the long term. Constant coffee consumption can also reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke. A team led by Murielle Bochud from the University Hospital in Lausanne wrote in a specialist journal that a cup of coffee a day can lower blood pressure by up to nine millimeters of mercury.
In the analysis, more than 16,000 people were compared with the amount of coffee consumed in terms of their blood pressure and genetic make-up. The researchers found that certain genes largely determine how much caffeinated beverages each individual consumes. These are variations of the gene CYP1A2. Because the gene is relevant for caffeine breakdown in the liver. Depending on how efficient the variation in the gene you’ve inherited is, you’ll consume more or less caffeine accordingly. At the same time, the person who consumes more coffee also tends to have lower blood pressure, on average. The limit is about four to five cups of coffee or tea a day. It is best to spread these out over two or three times. However, anyone who suffers from cardiac arrhythmias should observe whether the consumption of caffeinated beverages may intensify these disorders.

Permanently low blood pressure due to coffee consumption

Thus, in addition to its many other positive properties, coffee also has an effect on blood pressure in different areas of the body. For those who only drink coffee occasionally, coffee only increases blood pressure for a short time. But if you want to permanently achieve a positive change in blood pressure through coffee consumption, you should have a cup of coffee at least once a day. Heart patients should not only observe the connection between coffee and blood pressure, but also pay attention to cardiac arrhythmias.