The blood pressure response to caffeine differs from person to person. Some researchers believe that caffeine could block a hormone that helps keep your arteries widened. Others think that caffeine causes your adrenal glands to release more adrenaline, which causes your blood pressure to increase.
Researchers have linked the function of the lining of blood vessels -- also known as endothelial function -- to future heart attacks, heart disease and strokes. By opening blood vessels and reducing harmful inflammation, caffeine may create favorable conditions for good heart health, he said.
Researchers know that caffeine blocks adenosine receptors, thus reducing the ability of the coronary arteries to improve their flow commensurate with the increased myocardial demand of exercise. This could perhaps result in supply-demand ischemia.
Conducted by researchers from the University of São Paulo in Brazil, the study reveals that drinking at least three cups of coffee every day may lower the risk of clogged arteries, or atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a condition caused by an accumulation of plaque in the arteries.
Performing daily exercises like walking, gentle strength training, swimming, and yoga promotes healthy blood flow and strong veins. Cardiovascular exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your heart and other parts of the body.
The study, published Aug. 13 in Science, suggests that consuming food rich in saturated fat and choline - a nutrient found in red meat, eggs and dairy products - increases the number of metabolites that build plaques in the arteries.
Long-term overconsumption of caffeine can lead to high blood pressure, a form of heart disease that increases stroke and kidney failure risk. Approximately 1 in 25 children age 12-19 have high blood pressure and 1 in 10 have elevated blood pressure.
Heart health benefits
Coffee is full of health benefits. According to the American College of Cardiology, drinking two to three cups of coffee per day is associated with maintaining a healthy heart.
Caffeine can constrict blood vessels and elevate blood pressure. Prolonged, elevated blood pressure can place increased strain on your veins. In turn, this strain can cause damage to the vein valves in your lower extremities.
“For most people, moderate coffee consumption can be incorporated into a healthy diet.” Hu said that moderate coffee intake—about 2–5 cups a day—is linked to a lower likelihood of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, liver and endometrial cancers, Parkinson's disease, and depression.
While coffee does not contain cholesterol, it can affect cholesterol levels. The diterpenes in coffee suppress the body's production of substances involved in cholesterol breakdown, causing cholesterol to increase. Specifically, coffee diterpenes may cause an increase in total cholesterol and LDL levels.
The Bottom Line
According to this new study, drinking two to three daily cups of instant, ground or decaf coffee may lower risk for heart disease and death, while any type of caffeinated coffee could reduce the likelihood of experiencing an arrhythmia.
Tests for Clogged Arteries
An echocardiogram is an ultrasound of your heart that can help us to assess the risk of heart disease while a carotid Doppler ultrasound allows us to measure the flow of blood through the arteries that supply your brain. The carotid Doppler scan is used to evaluate the risk of a stroke.
Caffeine can cause heart palpitations in people with a sensitivity to caffeine and those with an underlying heart condition. If you're new to caffeine consumption or drink excess amounts, you're more likely to experience heart symptoms. The only way to know for sure is to visit a heart specialist for a checkup.
While there is often concern about the links between caffeine and heart health, a moderate amount of tea or coffee (four or five cups a day) should be fine for most people. Research shows that this level of caffeine intake shouldn't be detrimental to your heart health, affect your cholesterol levels or heart rhythm.
There are no quick fixes for melting away plaque, but people can make key lifestyle changes to stop more of it accumulating and to improve their heart health. In serious cases, medical procedures or surgery can help to remove blockages from within the arteries.
Although atherosclerosis is not “reversible” as such, there are a variety of treatments available to slow down the process and prevent it from worsening, up to and including surgery. Talk to your doctor about your best options.
Lower Blood Pressure: Quitting caffeine can lower your blood pressure and take pressure off of your heart. Improved Sleep: Because it has a relatively long half-life, caffeine can negatively impact sleep long after you've consumed it.
Is decaf coffee bad for you? Like all coffee, decaffeinated coffee is safe for consumption and can be part of a healthy diet. If you are wondering whether the decaffeination process itself is safe, the answer is yes.
Summary: Regular coffee provides many health benefits that do not apply to decaf. These include improved mental health, increased metabolic rate, enhanced athletic performance, and a lower risk of liver damage.