High blood pressure and coffee: Balancing health risks

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A new study has emerged, suggesting that if you love coffee but also have severe high blood pressure, it might be time to rethink your daily caffeine intake.

Surprisingly, the same doesn’t apply to green tea. So, what’s going on?

What Did the Researchers Find?

The study found that drinking two or more cups of coffee daily might double the risk of dying from heart disease for people with severe high blood pressure – specifically, those with a blood pressure reading of 160/100 mm Hg or above.

In contrast, one cup of coffee a day or daily green tea consumption didn’t seem to increase the risk, despite both drinks containing caffeine.

Wait, But Isn’t Coffee Good for the Heart?

This finding might seem confusing because previous research has suggested that drinking a cup of coffee a day might benefit heart attack survivors by reducing their risk of death.

It might even prevent heart attacks or strokes in healthy individuals.

Coffee may also offer other health benefits, like controlling appetite, boosting alertness, lowering the risk of developing certain chronic illnesses, and reducing the risk of depression.

But, like most things, too much of it can be harmful. Drinking a lot of coffee can lead to an increase in blood pressure, anxiety, heart palpitations, and difficulty sleeping.

So, Who Took Part in This Study?

The study involved over 6,570 men and more than 12,000 women, all between the ages of 40 and 79.

The researchers found that those with severe high blood pressure who drank two or more cups of coffee a day had twice the risk of dying from heart disease compared to those who didn’t drink coffee at all.

For these individuals, it seems that the potential harm of caffeine outweighs its protective effects. But what about green tea?

The benefits associated with green tea might be due to polyphenols, micronutrients found in plants that have healthy antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

How Can We Protect Heart Health If We Have High Blood Pressure?

If you have high blood pressure, protecting your heart health should be a priority. Here are a few suggestions:

Monitor Your Blood Pressure: Keep an eye on your blood pressure, checking it at least once a year, or more if your doctor recommends it.

Stick to Your Medication Plan: If you’ve been prescribed medication for your blood pressure, it’s important to take it as directed. Suddenly stopping or missing doses can lead to a blood pressure spike.

Eat a Healthy Diet: Eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains can help control high blood pressure. Try to limit sodium, sugar, and unhealthy fats.

Stay Active: Regular exercise can help lower blood pressure. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.

Manage Stress: Chronic stress can contribute to high blood pressure. Try relaxation techniques like deep breathing or yoga to manage stress levels.

Quit Smoking: Smoking can raise your blood pressure. Quitting can help protect your heart.

Limit Alcohol: Drinking too much alcohol can increase blood pressure. If you do drink, try to stick to no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.

Remember, everyone’s health needs are different. Working with your doctor to develop a personalized plan is the best way to manage high blood pressure and protect your heart health.

So, before you reach for that second cup of coffee, consider if it’s the best choice for your heart.

If you care about blood pressure, please read studies about cannabis linked to 3-times higher death risk in high blood pressure, and beetroot juice could help lower high blood pressure,

For more information about health, please see recent studies about plant nutrients that could help reduce high blood pressure, and these antioxidants could help reduce dementia risk.

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