You wake up and brew yourself a pot of coffee. As you sit and take in the morning news, you start sipping, getting ready to start the day. Later in the afternoon, you feel the post-lunch slump, so you drive to the nearest coffee shop for a pick-me-up espresso or latte. But have you ever wondered how the caffeine in your coffee affects your body — more specifically, your heart? Let’s break it down.
Caffeine and Heart Rate: What Happens to the Heart When You Consume Caffeine?
Once you take your first sip of coffee, the caffeine enters your blood from the stomach and small intestine and begins to stimulate your central nervous system. The caffeine stimulates the receptors in the cells within your heart, increasing your heart rate.
As your heart beats faster — accelerating by about three beats per minute — your blood flow speeds up, too. The increase in your heart rate from caffeine can take effect as soon as 15 minutes and take approximately six hours to wear off.
Is Coffee Good or Bad for Your Heart?
Many people ask the question, “Is coffee heart-healthy?” According to a study performed by the National Library of Medicine, regular, moderate coffee consumption is associated with a decreased risk of developing heart failure, hypertension and atrial fibrillation. But heavy coffee consumption was associated with increased risk of coronary artery disease. So, when it comes to coffee, moderation is key. For most healthy adults, you don’t have to worry about caffeine causing heart attacks.
But it’s important to know that some individuals are more sensitive to caffeine. For them, drinking coffee may temporarily raise their blood pressure and might trigger heart palpitations. If you consistently experience these symptoms when consuming caffeine, talk to your primary care provider to ensure caffeine is safe for you. Those who drink black coffee or add moderate amounts of cream and sugar likely won’t need to worry about caffeine’s effect on their heart unless they’re experiencing symptoms. But if you go to your local coffee shop and order a coffee with a lot of milk or cream and added sugars from different syrups, over time, this can potentially cause weight gain and negatively affect your heart health. It’s important to be aware of the amount of sugar and saturated fats you consume each day. For most healthy adults, we recommend around 50 grams of sugar daily.
Does Caffeine Raise Blood Pressure?
For most individuals, moderate caffeine consumption is safe for the heart. But for others, heavy or even moderate consumption can exacerbate preexisting heart conditions like hypertension. Be sure to talk with your doctor about the safety of caffeine consumption in your diet.
How Much Is Too Much Caffeine?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says 400 milligrams of caffeine a day is generally safe for most people. That’s about the amount of caffeine in four cups of brewed coffee, 10 cans of soda or two energy shot drinks.
Doses of 500 milligrams or more can cause caffeine intoxication. Symptoms of caffeine intoxication can include:
- Anxiety
- Bowel irritability
- Elevated blood pressure
- Increased gastric acid
- Insomnia
- Panic attacks
Fortunately, caffeine toxicity has no long-lasting consequences, as the symptoms wear off as soon as the caffeine leaves your system. However, feeling bad from anxiety, losing sleep and stomach issues cause discomfort and could lead to more long-term issues.
That said, if you’re concerned about your blood pressure or mental health, try limiting your caffeine intake to 200 milligrams a day (or two cups of brewed coffee).
Tips for Lowering Your Caffeine Intake
Whether you’ve tried reducing your coffee intake and still feel heart palpitations when you have your morning cup of coffee or feel overwhelmed and jittery after that post-lunch shot of espresso, here are a few ways you can swap your favorite caffeinated drink for something caffeine-free:
- Swap the soft drink or energy drink for sparkling water
- Switch one cup a day to decaf coffee
- Try caffeine-free herbal teas
If you plan on lowering the amount of caffeine you consume, make sure to do so gradually over several days to a week to avoid withdrawal symptoms like headaches or brain fog.
Here to Keep Your Heart Healthy
Our compassionate cardiologists want to keep your heart beating strong. Visit us here to learn more about our cardiology care or to find a cardiologist in your community who can help you feel whole in body, mind and spirit.
