Caffeine And Hypertension – New Data Says Coffee Could Help

You may be surprised to find out that the link between caffeine and hypertension is not as bad as what was once believed.

This is good news to the majority of the population that drinks coffee as their favorite morning beverage and those who love the caffeine high they get from it all day long.

In a recent review article written by doctors at the Mid America Heart Institute at St. Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City, the word reported is that drinking coffee may definitely be linked to reduced risk for Type 2 Diabetes and high blood pressure. It may also help decrease the risk of obesity and depression.

When researchers of very large epidemiological studies examined the data about caffeine and hypertension, they found that drinking coffee regularly seems to protect coffee drinkers from dying from heart attacks, strokes and all other causes. Coffee seemed to improve asthmatics’ control of the disease. The beneficial dose of coffee was up to 3 cups a day.

Not All is Good About the Connection Between Caffeine and Hypertension

However, the data was looked at carefully and there are other things to consider. Drinking coffee may affect your blood cholesterol or triglycerides, depending on how you drink your coffee. And if you drink way too much – some people drink 6 or more cups a day – then you’re prone to develop insomnia, heart palpitations and anxiety. Moreover, you may be increasing your risk of developing osteoporosis.

Athletes and Caffeine and Hypertension

The connection between caffeine and hypertension may also be beneficial for athletes. At the California State University in San Marcos, researchers found that a dosage of 6 mg caffeine per kilogram body weight (equivalent to about 436 mg per 160 pound man) given to men with and without hypertension before they lifted weights resulted in an increase of blood pressure significantly more than in men without high blood pressure.

The type of exercises performed included four full sets of leg presses, lat pull-downs, bench presses, and shoulder presses. These weren’t easy exercises for them to do because they were at an intensity level of 70 to 80%.

Pages: 1 2