A few days ago, a new study was presented, which suggests that people who consume a lot of caffeine at least 5 days a week may have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, even if they are otherwise in good health.
Disrupts heart rhythm
This study involved 92 healthy people aged 18-45 years. All participants first had their blood pressure and pulse measured and then had to complete a three-minute step test. After 1 and 5 minutes, the participants’ blood pressure and pulse were measured again.
The researchers also collected information on how much caffeine the participants typically consumed per day.
“Regular caffeine consumption can disrupt the parasympathetic system, leading to increased blood pressure and heart rate,” said lead study author Nancy Kagathara, a researcher at Zydus Medical College and Hospital, India.
According to her, the aim was to determine the effect of chronic caffeine consumption on heart health, especially on the recovery of heart rate and blood pressure.
The researchers defined chronic caffeine use as the consumption of any caffeinated beverage—coffee, tea, soda, and energy drinks—5 days a week for more than one year.
The research team found that 19.6 percent participants consumed more than 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine per day, which is equivalent to about 4 cups of coffee, 2 energy drinks, or 10 cans of sweetened soda.
According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 400 mg of caffeine per day is not harmful if a person is healthy. However, the FDA cautions that everyone’s body reacts to caffeine differently, and some are more sensitive to it than others.
May increase the risk of hypertension
The study found that continuous consumption of 400 mg of caffeine per day has a strong effect on the nervous system, resulting in an increase in heart rate and blood pressure over time.
In participants who consistently consumed 600 mg of caffeine per day, the researchers observed a significant increase in heart rate and blood pressure 5 minutes after the step test. This suggests that sustained high levels of caffeine may interfere with heart rate and blood pressure recovery.
“Caffeine can increase the risk of hypertension and other cardiovascular disorders in healthy individuals,” said N. Kagathara.
It has previously been observed that higher doses of caffeine can contribute to anxiety disorders and insomnia.
Coffee and caffeine are synonyms, but cardiologist prof. Raimondas Kubilius has previously pointed out that 330 ml. a can of cola contains 45 mg of caffeine, a cup of coffee contains 80 mg, and a 500 ml energy drink contains 150 mg of caffeine.
How to reduce caffeine consumption?
According to experts, giving up coffee can be easier than it seems, and many coffee drinkers overestimate the fact that caffeine provides energy.
“Try drinking water instead of coffee and see what happens. “I wouldn’t be surprised if after a week or so, when the caffeine is out of your system, you’ll feel pretty much the same, and you really don’t need caffeine anymore,” said Yu-Ming Ni, MD, a cardiologist from California, USA.
“People think they need coffee to stay awake. In fact, the morning cup of coffee is more like a ritual. Often, when there is no caffeine left in the body at all, the realization comes that caffeine is not needed at all, so it’s worth experimenting,” advised the doctor.
To reduce caffeine consumption easily, it is advisable to:
– gradually reduce the daily intake and manage withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, irritability, lack of energy and “brain fog”;
– drink plenty of water;
– include more foods in your diet that are naturally rich in fluids (eg cucumbers, peppers, celery, tomatoes, watermelons, citrus fruits, grapes and melons);
– get a friend to give up caffeine with you – you can help each other.
Parengta pagal „Medical News Today“ inf.
2024-08-25 12:22:27