Coffee and Blood Pressure: Why Its Effects Vary Between Individuals

Caffeine consumption can temporarily raise blood pressure, but its long-term impact depends on individual tolerance and other personal factors.

• Caffeine causes a temporary blood pressure increase lasting 1.5 to 9.5 hours after intake, with effects varying by frequency of consumption, baseline blood pressure, oral contraceptive use, smoking, and pregnancy.
• A study of 77 healthy adults found that espresso raised systolic blood pressure in non-regular coffee drinkers but showed no similar effect in habitual drinkers.
• Research tracking 18,609 people over 19 years found that those with stage 2 or 3 hypertension drinking two or more cups of coffee daily had more than double the risk of death from stroke, heart attack, or cardiovascular disease compared to those drinking one cup or less.