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Effect of Caffeine on Blood Pressure

Caffeine is a white alkaloid, C8H10N402, extracted from tea or coffee. It is used in medicine and as a stimulant. Researchers are not certain whether it increases blood pressure. Blood pressure is when the blood pushes toward the arteries' walls as the heart pumps out blood. Increased, high blood pressure is called hypertension. Hypertension is called the silent killer because most people have it without realizing it.

  1. Contents of Caffeine in a Cup of Coffee or Tea

    • According to Kate Roach in a BBC article, a cup of coffee has 75 to 200 mg of caffeine, and a cup of tea has 50 mg of caffeine. On the other hand, a 360-ml bottle of cola has 30 to 50 mg of caffeine.

    Stimulant

    • Caffeine is a stimulant. Stimulants cause the increase of the function of the central nervous system. Although caffeine is a stimulant, it is a self--limiting stimulant, meaning that caffeine increases the rate of its own secretion by acting on the kidneys. However, caffeine does not stay in the body for a long time. Hence, caffeine is a stimulant, which means it may effect blood pressure.

    Reasons for Caffeine to Increase Blood Pressure

    • In an article, Dr. Sheldon G. Sheps says the exact reason of caffeine increasing blood pressure is uncertain. However, some researchers propose that adenosine, a hormone that widens the blood vessels, is being blocked by caffeine. For this reason, the blood pressure increases when the adenosine effect is blocked because the blood vessels are narrow. Another reason is that the blood pressure increases because caffeine activates the release of more cortisol and adrenaline. The adrenal gland releases the cortisol and adrenaline.

    Check the Effect of Blood Pressure to Caffeine

    • Dr. Sheldon G. Sheps says that if a person wants to know whether caffeine affects her blood pressure, she should take a reading 30 minutes after she drinks caffeine. If the blood pressure rises by 5 to 10 points, then the person is sensitive to caffeine and should not drink it as much.

    Controversy

    • According to a recent BBC study, if caffeine is consumed in high quantities, it effects high blood pressure. Another study done by the Blood Pressure Association states that caffeine is not as much of a threat to blood pressure as salt is.

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