Coffee is one of life’s staples, especially in the mornings, but overdoing it can lead to health problems, especially for people who suffer from certain illnesses.
A study in the Journal of the American Heart Association found drinking two or more cups of coffee daily may double the risk of heart death in people with severe hypertension.
High blood pressure (also called hypertension) can lead to serious problems like heart attacks or strokes. However, lifestyle changes and blood pressure medicines can help you stay healthy.
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Research Highlights:
- Drinking two or more cups of coffee a day was associated with twice the risk of death from cardiovascular disease among people with severe hypertension compared to non-coffee drinkers, in a study of more than 18,600 men and women in Japan.
- Drinking only one cup of coffee a day was not associated with increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease at any blood pressure level.
- In contrast, drinking green tea was not associated with increased risk of death related to cardiovascular disease at any blood pressure level, although both coffee and tea contain caffeine.
Check if you’re at risk of high blood pressure
High blood pressure is very common, especially in older adults. There are usually no symptoms, so you may not realise you have it.
Things that increase your chances of having high blood pressure include:
- your age – you’re more likely to get high blood pressure as you get older
- having close relatives with high blood pressure
- your ethnicity – you’re at higher risk if you have a Black African, Black Caribbean or South Asian ethnic background
- having an unhealthy diet – especially a diet that’s high in salt
- being overweight
- smoking
- drinking too much alcohol
- feeling stressed over a long period
British Heart Foundation dietitian Victoria Taylor says: “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.
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“Research shows that this level of caffeine intake shouldn’t be detrimental to your heart health, affect your cholesterol levels or heart rhythm.
“Although drinking coffee has been shown to increase blood pressure, this effect is usually temporary and is minimised over time if you drink caffeinated drinks regularly. Some people are more sensitive to caffeine and can experience palpitations.
“If this is you, then it’s sensible to avoid caffeine. Remember that caffeine is found in quite a few sources including: tea, green tea, coffee, energy drinks, cola and chocolate.
