It accompanies your mornings, punctuates your days, and sometimes even your evenings. But is this little daily darkness an ally or an enemy for your blood pressure? According to Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency physician, coffee should not be demonized, but should be consumed with discernment. Because caffeine does indeed act on blood pressure, with different effects depending on your profile, your frequency of consumption and your state of cardiovascular health.
“Coffee increases blood pressure, but this effect is transient and depends mainly on habit. he specifies. Here’s what you need to know.
How does coffee actually act on tension?
Behind the “whiplash” effect felt after an espresso, a whole biological mechanism is activated. Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors, a molecule that normally relaxes blood vessels and stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, increasing heart rate and contractility of the heart.
Caffeine also stimulates the release of adrenaline and norepinephrine, hormones that raise blood pressure. In the kidneys, caffeine can temporarily reduce sodium excretion, contributing to fluid retention which increases blood volume.
Result: vasoconstriction and rise in blood pressure.
“It is an acute effect, which generally occurs between 30 minutes and 1 hour after taking it, with a rise in blood pressure which can last 2 to 4 hours.” explains Dr. Kierzek. In sensitive or unaccustomed people, this increase can reach up to 15 mmHg.
But for regular enthusiasts, the body learns to adapt. “After 3 to 5 days, the body develops a tolerance: tension rises less, if at all”
he explains. This is why studies show varying results depending on whether participants are habitual or occasional consumers.
Moderate consumption is not prohibited for hypertensives
Contrary to popular belief, coffee is not strictly contraindicated in cases of hypertension. Dr. Kierzek recommends adapting your consumption according to your medical profile. “Coffee isn’t all or nothing. It all depends on the level of tension control, treatment and individual sensitivity” he insists.
Current recommendations suggest limiting caffeine to 200-300 mg per day, or 2 to 3 cups of filter coffee. A few common sense rules can also avoid mistakes:
- Avoid drinking coffee just before taking your blood pressure, otherwise the result will be distorted;
- Do not combine coffee, stress and tobacco: the cocktail can suddenly increase tension;
- Avoid in the evening, as sleep disorders such as insomnia also increase the risk of nocturnal hypertension.
In certain cases, if you suffer for example from poorly controlled blood pressure, palpitations or blood pressure peaks, it is preferable to reduce or even temporarily suspend coffee, especially in very sensitive subjects. Decaffeinated coffee then remains a good alternative, retaining the beneficial antioxidants, without the exciting effect.
Dr Kierzek advocates for regular and responsible consumption
The key, according to Dr. Kierzek, is consistency. Erratic consumption prevents the body from getting used to it. “The worst thing is to drink 5 cups one day, then none the next day.” he believes.
Because beyond caffeine, it is also our overall lifestyle that influences tension: quality of sleep, chronic stress, diet, physical activity… In this fragile balance, coffee is just one element among others, to be consumed intelligently.
“The important thing is regularity: constant and moderate consumption is better than irregular consumption which prevents the body from adapting. concludes the doctor.