Caffiene and high blood pressure - High & Low Blood Pressure Message Board

jeffrieshbp · 07-04-2008, 09:15 AM

BP is controlled well now approx. (100/68). I've been using decaf for a year now and want to go back to regular coffee 2 cups in a.m. only. How will that affect BP? If so, how much? Thanks.

aether4 · 07-04-2008, 12:32 PM

There's no way of knowing unless you try it and monitor your blood pressure. Everyone responds differently.

My guess is it would cause a slight rise for a few hours then taper off, if you're not too sensitive.

flowergirl2day · 07-04-2008, 10:35 PM

Right on!

Quote:

My guess is it would cause a slight rise for a few hours then taper off, if you're not too sensitive

I asked my specialist the same question while still in the hospital. For some reason, I'd believed NO caffeine at all would be allowed.
Imagine my surprise (shock) on learning I could continue drinking coffee within reason (several cups a day). This came from a doctor who had worked very hard to get my out-of-control blood pressure down to acceptable and consistent levels.

My impression is -as aether pointed out - that coffee is not necessarily a bad drink. Sure it will raise your blood pressure somewhat. So will having a beer and pretzels.

flowergirl

donsabi · 07-06-2008, 08:51 PM

I like a good cup of coffee too so I did some experimenting with various caffeinated drinks. I found that if I drank a cup, 8 oz, of regular coffee my BP would rise about 20 points for about an hour. What I found most interesting was that when I drank a 16 oz regular Coke my BP went up 20-30 points and stayed there for about four hours.
I ended up finding a great decaf coffee which I enjoy everyday. However, I buy the beans green and roast them myself and then grind them as needed. When a friend samples this decaf they are surprised how good it is. They are shocked when I tell them it is decaf. If you really enjoy coffee this is the way to go. There is no effect on my BP with this decaf.
Before I got into roasting I would get my coffee half decaf and half regular.
Don

flowergirl2day · 07-06-2008, 10:45 PM

How interesting! I like your little experiment. Thanks for sharing the results!

I am not at all surprised that carbonated drinks have a greater and longer lasting effect on our blood pressure than coffee. Have you ever had to clean up a spilled pop drink that's several hours old? What a sticky mess! It is hard to believe that this is what we consume when we drink the pop.

I'll stick with my coffee. What I sometimes do is use 1/2 coffee and 1/2 hot water. It tastes OK and still gives me a quick caffeine fix. Of course, nothing packs a bigger punch than the real thing. I'll bet your decaf coffee tastes delicious. I know one can buy green coffee beans. Why do I think that roasting them is an art? Is any special equipment needed?

flowergirl