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Diet and lifestyle changes are some of the most effective ways to lower your blood pressure<\/a>. But with some foods and drinks, like coffee, it\u2019s not immediately clear whether you can enjoy it or you should avoid it to lower your risk of high blood pressure. That\u2019s why we asked cardiologists and dietitians: Can coffee raise your blood pressure? As it turns out, the answer is a bit complicated.<\/p>\n Meet the experts: Ragavendra Baliga, M.B.B.S.<\/a>, a cardiologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center; Cheng-Han Chen, M.D.<\/a>, an interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA; Jessica Cording, R.D.<\/a>, the author of The Little Book of Game-Changers.<\/p>\n If you have hypertension (a.k.a. high blood pressure) or are looking for ways to lower blood pressure naturally<\/a>, there is a chance coffee may raise your blood pressure, said Cheng-Han Chen, M.D.<\/a>, an interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA. However, coffee likely won\u2019t have a blood pressure-increasing effect in everyone. Read on to discover the link between coffee and blood pressure, plus the factors that impact the effects of coffee on blood pressure, and more you should know.<\/p>\n Does drinking coffee raise your blood pressure?<\/p>\n It might, mainly because of the caffeine. \u201cCaffeine blocks adenosine, a molecule that helps blood vessels relax,\u201d explained Ragavendra Baliga, M.B.B.S.<\/a>, a cardiologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. \u201cThis can cause a temporary rise in blood pressure, especially in those who aren\u2019t habitual coffee drinkers.\u201d<\/p>\n Coffee is also a known stimulant and may temporarily increase your heart rate along with your blood pressure, Dr. Chen said. \u201cBeyond that, it\u2019s ultimately not well understood why caffeine causes spikes in blood pressure,\u201d Dr. Chen said.<\/p>\n All that said, there\u2019s no guarantee that the caffeine in coffee will spike your blood pressure. \u201cEveryone responds differently to caffeine,\u201d pointed out Jessica Cording, R.D.<\/a>, the author of The Little Book of Game-Changers. Dr. Chen adds that you could technically see blood pressure spikes after having tea, eating chocolate, or having anything that contains caffeine.<\/p>\n Some research suggests that coffee may cause blood pressure spikes. One meta-analysis in the Journal of Functional Foods<\/a> found that there was a noticeable increase in blood pressure in adults who had caffeine, with a more significant jump in people who had caffeine for less than a week compared to those who had caffeine for more than a week. Another study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association<\/a> found that participants with very high blood pressure who had two or more cups of caffeinated coffee a day had up to double the risk of dying from a heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular disease. But that increased risk didn\u2019t apply to people with lower baseline blood pressure levels who drank two or more cups of coffee daily.<\/p>\n In fact, a daily coffee habit may lead to fewer spikes in your blood pressure over time, Dr. Baliga said. \u201cIn regular coffee drinkers, the body builds some tolerance,\u201d he said. \u201cWhile occasional spikes may occur, chronic consumption has a modest long-term effect on blood pressure for most individuals.\u201d So, if you have a daily coffee habit, you’re less likely to see those blood pressure spikes than if you grab a cup here and there.<\/p>\n Factors that impact coffee\u2019s effects on blood pressure<\/p>\n There are a lot of different elements that can influence how much coffee impacts your blood pressure, according to doctors. They include:<\/p>\n Your genes. CYP1A2 variants in particular impact how your body breaks down caffeine, Dr. Baliga said.Your age. Caffeine tends to have a bigger impact<\/a> on younger people, causing more significant changes in blood pressure than those who are older.Your sex. Men tend to metabolize caffeine faster than women.Whether you\u2019re a smoker. The nicotine in cigarettes and e-cigarettes can speed up your metabolism<\/a> and increase the impact of caffeine on your blood pressure.Your coffee brew and type. The amount of caffeine in coffee can vary by type and brew strength, Dr. Chen pointed out.How often you drink coffee. People tend to build up a tolerance to caffeine after about two weeks<\/a> of use. From there, Dr. Chen said the caffeine may have less of an impact on your blood pressure.Can you drink coffee if you have hypertension?<\/p>\n If you have hypertension, Dr. Chen did not recommend increasing your caffeine intake. \u201cIf you don\u2019t drink coffee regularly, you should keep in mind that any time you drink coffee or anything with caffeine, it could lead to a spike in blood pressure,\u201d he said. \u201cBut if you drink coffee pretty regularly, it\u2019s probably less of an issue.\u201d<\/p>\n Dr. Baliga also recommended monitoring how you feel after you drink coffee. If you find that you don\u2019t feel great afterward, he suggested scaling back. But in general, Dr. Baliga said he recommends that people try to stay under 400 to 450 milligrams a day of caffeine, or about three to four cups of brewed coffee. \u201cThis is typically safe for most adults, but those with hypertension or sensitivity may need less,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n If you have hypertension, your healthcare provider will usually recommend that you monitor yourself at home. To check your blood pressure at home, Dr. Baliga recommended investing in an automatic upper-arm blood pressure monitor. \u201cCheck it at the same time daily, preferably more than one hour after a meal, avoid caffeine and exercise 30 minutes prior, and share your readings with your doctor for guidance,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n