Coffee is known to provide various health benefits, but for those with high blood pressure, it may do more harm than good. A recent study discovered that drinking two or more cups of coffee per day can significantly increase the risk of death for individuals with high blood pressure.
The study was conducted in Japan and included more than 18,500 participants, both men and women aged between 40 and 79 years old. After 19 years of follow-up, 842 participants died due to cardiovascular-related causes. The study found that drinking one cup of coffee per day did not increase the risk of cardiovascular-related death for participants with high blood pressure. However, consuming two or more cups of coffee each day doubled the risk of cardiovascular-related death compared to those who did not drink coffee.
According to Hiroyasu Iso, the senior author of the study and director of the Institute for Global Health Policy Research, Bureau of International Health Cooperation, National Center for Global Health and Medicine in Tokyo, people with severe hypertension should avoid excessive coffee consumption. As those with severe hypertension are more susceptible to the effects of caffeine, the harmful effects of caffeine may outweigh its protective effects and increase the risk of death.
Michelle Routhenstein, a heart health dietitian at EntirelyNourished.com, emphasizes the need to assess all beverages and foods when managing blood pressure levels. According to a recent study, drinking two or more cups of coffee per day doubles the risk of cardiovascular-related death for those with high blood pressure. Although one cup of coffee per day did not have the same results, excessive coffee consumption is still not recommended for those with uncontrolled hypertension.
"Coffee can increase blood pressure up to three hours post-consumption in certain individuals," Routhenstein explains. When blood pressure rises in individuals with severe hypertension, it can lead to more life-threatening events such as stroke, heart attack, or an aortic aneurysm.
Routhenstein suggests monitoring blood pressure in response to coffee consumption and decreasing the dose or choosing more optimal beverages for blood vessel health. If blood pressure increases after consuming one cup of coffee, it may be best advised to avoid it completely.