It accompanies your mornings, punctuates your days, and sometimes even your evenings. But is this daily black daily an ally or an enemy for your blood pressure? According to Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency doctor, coffee is not to be demonized, but to consume with discernment. Because caffeine acts indeed on blood pressure, with different effects according to your profile, your frequency of consumption and your state of cardiovascular health.
“”Coffee increases tension, but this effect is transient and depends above all on the habit “ he said. Here’s what you need to know.
How does coffee act concretely on tension?
Behind the “whip” 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 heart contractility.
Caffeine also stimulates the release of adrenaline and noradrenaline, hormones that raise blood pressure. At the renal level, caffeine can temporarily reduce sodium excretion, contributing to water retention that increases blood volume.
Result: vasoconstriction and rise of blood pressure.
“”It is an acute effect, which generally occurs between 30 minutes and 1 hour after taking, with a tensioning elevation which can last 2 to 4 hours“Explains Dr. Kierzek. In sensitive or non -accustomed people, this increase can reach up to 15 mmHg.
But for regular amateurs, the body learns to adapt. “After 3 to 5 days, the body is developing tolerance: tension rises less, if not at all” he details. This is why studies show variable results depending on whether participants are usual or occasional consumers.
Moderate consumption is not prohibited for hypertensive
Contrary to popular belief, coffee is not formally contraindicated in the event of hypertension. Dr. Kierzek recommends adapting his consumption according to his medical profile. “”Coffee is not 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. Some common sense rules can also avoid mistakes:
- Avoid drinking coffee just before tensioning, under penalty of distorting the result;
- Do not associate coffee, stress and tobacco: the cocktail can brutally increase tension;
- Avoid in the evening, because sleep disorders such as insomnia also increase the risk of night hypertension.
In some cases, if you suffer from a poorly controlled tension, palpitations or tension peaks, it is preferable to reduce or even temporarily suspend coffee, especially in very sensitive subjects. The decaffeinated coffee remains a good alternative, retaining beneficial antioxidants, without the exciting effect.
Dr. Kierzek pleads for regular and responsible consumption
The challenge, according to Dr. Kierzek, lies in regularity. Erratic consumption prevents the body from getting used to. “”The worst part is drinking 5 cups one day, then none the next day “ he believes.
Because beyond caffeine, it is also our global lifestyle that influences tension: sleep quality, chronic stress, food, physical activity … In this fragile balance, coffee is only one element among others, to consume with intelligence.
“”The important thing is regularity: it is better to consume constant and moderate consumption than irregular consumption which prevents the adaptation of the body “ concludes the doctor.