SAN ANTONIO -- Finally, there’s a health study that doesn’t vilify coffee. The newest research shows drinking coffee does not increase the risk of high blood pressure.
You may not have to give up that cup of joe to keep your blood sugar in check. The newest research isn’t conclusive, but it shows downing lots of coffee doesn’t seem to increase your risk of hypertension.
A new report pooled data from six studies following more than 170,000 people. Some drank less than a cup per day; others more than five.
The results published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition were encouraging to people who drink lots of java.
“The people who drank very little coffee or the people who drank more than five cups of coffee a day had really no difference in their risk of developing high blood pressure,” explained Sue Cunningham, Ph.D., registered dietitian with the U.T. Health Science Center.
Just more than one in five of the participants in the study eventually developed high blood pressure.
“It is a message that we want to hear, those of us who like coffee,” Cunningham added.
Still, your genetic makeup may determine how your body reacts. Whether you chug coffee daily or sip it occasionally, your history and risk factors for hypertension may determine whether your habit is detrimental to you.
“And I think it says volumes for moderation, and for individual responsibility and to what affects you,” Cunningham said.
Of course, there are other health conditions a coffee addiction can lead to, everything from insomnia to heart arrhythmias. Blood pressure isn’t the only consideration.
