Dubbed the “silent killer,” there has been no medical condition that is invisible yet palpable as the hypertension when it comes to killing people prematurely.

While not necessarily lethal by itself, the high blood pressure’s complications involving major organs such as the heart, the brain, and the kidney make it a serious medical condition to have.

According to the World Health Organization, a little more than a billion people in the world suffer from hypertension, with a population from low- and middle-income nations comprising most of it.

In such countries where coffee makes a staple drink, it therefore raises the question, “Does drinking a cup of java has any way of influencing the occurrence of this phenomenon?”

Coffee and Blood Pressure Facts

We take a look at the evidences that show the correlation between the consumption of coffee and the body’s blood pressure.

1. Caffeine in coffee does raise blood pressure a little

A pilot study by Klag, M. et al (2002) which tries to examine the risk of people developing hypertension by drinking coffee found out that, while the caffeine in coffee does increase the body’s blood pressure, it does little in promoting the development of hypertension over time.

The result was extracted after over 33 years of follow-up involving participants of Caucasian descent and with a median age of 26.

However, with the subject being purely consistent of a single particular race, the study limits its probable applicability on people of varying races, in general. This especially concerns the established notion that African-descent individuals suffer from hypertension more than any other races.

2. Little risk for hypertension among women

There has been a relative interest towards the effect of excessive coffee drinking and the occurrence of high blood pressure among women. In a span of 10 years, a study by Willet, W. et al, (1996) found that females who drink more than 6 cups of coffee a day is only slightly at risk for having hypertension than those who do not drink coffee at all.

Based on the finding, it can be inferred that coffee drinking in general pose little threat in the formation of hypertension, particularly among females.

3. Coffee is actually okay for people with hypertension

The idea of the caffeine in coffee causing a rise in blood pressure had wrongly accused coffee of being detrimental to people who has hypertension much that it warranted many studies on the same topic.

A meta-analysis of those studies, which was covered in Chrysant, S. (2017)’s expert review journal, showed agreeing reports debunking the notion that coffee is hampering to the health of hypertensive individuals.

4. Diterpenes in coffee has negligible effect on bad cholesterol

Unfiltered coffee is said to contain diterpenes, cafestol and kahweol, that raises the body’s bad cholesterol. The issue boils down to the coffee preparation that is not preventative of the release of diterpenes in the drink. Which is much unlike filtered preparation that keeps a substantial amount of cafestol and kahweol on the filter paper.

However, despite concerns over the fact that certain coffees do come with diterpenes, the little serving of coffee renders its ability to affect the bad cholesterol transient and insignificant (Urgert R. & Katan M.B., 1996).

5. Coffee may aggravate sleep that subsequently affect blood pressure

People who lack sleep tend to suffer from an elevated blood pressure than people who are well-rested. While coffee may be deemed all right for consumption among hypertensive individuals, there is a proper time for its consumption.

Caffeine being a psychoactive stimulant, drinking coffee late in the day or at night may adversely affect a person’s sleep, leading to restlessness that coincides with hypertension (Palagini, L. et al, 2013).

6. Coffee drinking promotes good kidney health

Our kidneys play essential role in our blood pressure. For an organ so pivotal in keeping our blood pressure at normal ranges, we do ourselves great favor by taking of these pair of organs, such as by drinking a healthy dose of coffee.

According to a study by Jhee, J.H. et al, 2018, a daily consumption of coffee significantly lowers the risk of the body developing chronic kidney disease.

7. A healthy pair of kidneys help in the release of excess salt

Eating a diet that has too much salt is a disaster for hypertension. But while we may not always abide to a healthy consumption of salt, our kidneys play integral role in keeping the balance by helping the  body filter out excesses.

But for the kidneys to be able to do their job, these organs themselves must be at their good working state and is something that can be attained over time with a good consumption of coffee (Jhee, J.H. et al, 2018).

8. Weight affects blood pressure, but coffee aids in weight loss

There is a strong correlation between a person’s weight and blood pressure. As a rule of the thumb, heavy people—particularly, for their size—tend to suffer from an elevated blood pressure.

Luckily, people who consume coffee are capable of losing weight better than their counterparts who do not drink coffee at all. The process of how coffee aids in weight loss does not just happen based on a single method, but rather as a constellation of different methods.

A study by Kim, TW et al, 2010 found the benefit of losing weight with coffee to be at greater odds when paired with physical activity.

9. Coffee is a stimulant that promotes physical activity

You may be drinking coffee to get a sudden jolt of energy as well as burn more calories as you move—and thereby lose weight. But while you may not be intending to lose weight in the process, the idea that you are physically active helps in the battle against hypertension.

Because, unlike people who live sedentary lifestyles, active individuals are less likely to suffer from high blood pressure. This idea is derived from a research by Diaz, K. & Shimbo, D., (2014) which establishes a link between physical activity and the maintenance of good blood pressure.

10. Coffee makes for an easy option to setting conditions that lead to good blood pressure

When taken regularly and at a healthy dosage, coffee makes for a very viable solution to taking active effort in mitigating or controlling the problem posed by high blood pressure.