Is caffeine a friend or foe?

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Caffeine jump-starts your day and puts a bounce in your step. It can help you focus, improve your mood and maybe even help you live longer.

But how much is too much?

Caffeine, a natural stimulant, can be found in a variety of foods, such as coffee beans, tea leaves, cacao beans, guarana berries and yerba maté leaves. It also can be synthetically created and added to beverages such as soda and energy drinks. Research shows that about 90% of U.S. adults consume some form of caffeine every day.

One of the most popular ways people consume it is through coffee. Because of that, most caffeine research centers around this drink, said Dr. Greg Marcus, associate chief of cardiology for research and a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.

“The literature on the whole shows that coffee consumption is generally not a detriment to health,” he said. “But I am very reluctant to recommend anyone begin drinking coffee if they aren’t otherwise doing so, or to increase consumption for any health benefit.”

Studies have found caffeine can do both good and harm. People who regularly drink coffee may be less likely to develop chronic illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease and some cancers. A few studies suggest they are less likely to die from heart disease and other illnesses.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, as much as 400 milligrams of caffeine a day – equal to four or five cups of coffee – is considered safe for healthy adults. An 8-ounce cup of green or black tea has 30-50 mg of caffeine. Energy drinks may contain 40-250 mg for every 8 ounces, and a 12-ounce can of caffeinated soda contains 30-40 mg.

In moderate doses – up to two 8-ounce cups of coffee – caffeine can make people less tired and more alert. Some studies suggest it can reduce appetite and lower the risk for depression. But high doses – 12 cups or more – can make people feel anxious, raise blood pressure and lead to heart palpitations and trouble sleeping. For people who consume caffeine regularly, stopping consumption abruptly can lead to symptoms of withdrawal, such as headaches, fatigue and depressed mood.

Determining how much is too much can be tough. A moderate amount of caffeine for one person may feel like a high dose for someone else. That’s because some people metabolize caffeine faster than others, Marcus said. Factors such as how much someone weighs and what medications they take also can play a role. The bottom line is, caffeine affects everyone differently.

“The compound is complex, and we need to recognize that not only might there be benefits and harms, but this may vary from one person to another,” Marcus said.

He and his colleagues recently completed one of the few randomized studies on caffeine consumption, which he presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions last year. The researchers asked participants to drink – or refrain from drinking – coffee for no more than two consecutive days each for two weeks.

The findings, which are considered preliminary until the full results are published in a peer-reviewed journal, showed that people were more physically active and slept less on days they drank coffee than on days they went without. They also had more irregular heartbeats from the lower chambers of the heart but fewer episodes of abnormally rapid heartbeats from the upper chambers.

Marcus said one limitation of the study was that people were starting and stopping caffeine consumption, which could be causing an exaggerated reaction in people who were used to drinking it every day. “The effects of caffeine are attenuated when you drink it regularly,” he said. “The body adapts to that caffeine level. And more regular consumption of caffeine can speed up the metabolism.”

People who metabolized caffeine faster had fewer problems sleeping than those whose bodies broke it down more slowly, he said.

In his cardiology practice, Marcus tells patients who are having trouble sleeping or experiencing abnormal heart rhythms to see what role caffeine might be playing. “I generally advise that it is reasonable for patients bothered by trouble sleeping or with palpitations to experiment with their caffeine consumption. Take some time off of caffeine to see if it makes a difference.” But he does not give a blanket recommendation to avoid caffeine.

Marcus doesn’t distinguish between the caffeine that people get from coffee versus hot or iced tea. “There may be health differences between the two, but they haven’t been studied yet,” he said.

He is less flexible about the consumption of energy drinks, which typically have a higher concentration of caffeine, as well as added sweeteners or carbohydrates and no evidence they provide any health benefits. Research has found energy drinks can cause abnormal electrical activity in the heart and higher blood pressure that persists for several hours.

“In general, I would caution against the use of energy drinks,” Marcus said.

There are other ways to stay alert.

“The best strategies and overall most healthy strategies to boost alertness are long-term healthy habits,” such as getting a good night’s sleep and exercising regularly, Marcus said. He recommends people who have trouble staying awake consult a physician to see if they have sleep apnea or another sleep disorder.

If you have questions or comments about this American Heart Association News story, please email [email protected].

Caffeine Effect On Your Heart

Tea and coffee are amazingly beneficial beverages. The majority contain caffeine, a substance that can enhance your mood, metabolism, and mental and physical performance. Studies also show that it is safe for most people when consumed at low to moderate levels. Nevertheless, high intakes of caffeine can have uncomfortable and dangerous side effects.

In addition, several pieces of research show that genes significantly influence tolerance. As a result, some people can consume much more caffeine than others without experiencing adverse effects. In addition, people not used to caffeine may experience symptoms after consuming what is generally considered a moderate dose.

Some side effects of excessive caffeine intake can include anxiety, insomnia, digestive issues, muscle breakdown, addiction, high blood pressure, rapid heart rate, fatigue, frequent urination, and urgency. However, the bottom line is that light-to-moderate caffeine consumption appears to provide impressive health benefits to many people.

On the other hand, high dosages can cause side effects that interfere with daily life and even cause serious health problems. Even though reactions differ from one person to another, the results of high intake demonstrate that more is not necessarily better. So, you can get the benefits of caffeine without undesirable effects, make an accurate evaluation of your sleep, energy levels, and other factors influenced, and reduce your intake if necessary.

Rapid Heart Rate

The stimulant effects of high caffeine intake can make your heart beat faster. Unfortunately, it can also lead to an altered heart rhythm, called atrial fibrillation. This disorganized heart rhythm occurs in the upper chambers of the heart. It is the most common arrhythmia; it happens when many unstable electrical impulses fail and can cause the atria to quiver out of control. It causes the heart rate to increase and become erratic and can raise your heart rate much faster than average.

This situation shows when youths consume energy beverages containing extremely high doses of caffeine. In one case study, a woman taking a massive amount of caffeine powder and tablets in a suicide attempt developed a fast heart rate, kidney failure, and other serious health problems.

Nevertheless, this effect does not seem to occur in everyone; some individuals with cardiac issues may be able to tolerate enormous amounts of caffeine without any adverse effects. For example, in a controlled study, when fifty-one patients with heart failure consumed one hundred mg of caffeine every sixty minutes for five hours, their heart rates and rhythms remained normal. Regardless of the study’s mixed results, if you notice any change in your heart frequency or rhythm after drinking caffeinated drinks, consider reducing your consumption.

Caffeine Consumption

Caffeine is an incredibly popular stimulant. More than 85% of the US population consumes at least one caffeinated beverage daily, with 96% coming from coffee, tea, and soft drinks. If you enjoy caffeinated beverages but have noticed heart palpitations, you may wonder if your daily caffeinated beverage is guilty of causing the heart palpitations.

You should try to keep your heart as healthy as possible. Heart palpitations, although brief and short-lived, should not be ignored, as they may indicate an underlying problem with your heart. Visit your doctor if you suspect that lifestyle habits such as drinking caffeine are causing these heart symptoms. Your doctor should perform a comprehensive evaluation to check the health of your heart. We will discuss caffeine, how it can cause heart palpitations, and what you can do about it.

Heart Palpitations

Most of the time, you are probably unaware of your heartbeat or rhythm. An average resting heart rate is sixty to a hundred beats per minute, and the heart has a characteristic rhythm when it beats. Unless your heart beats fast or forcefully, you may not notice it beating. Heart palpitation is when sensing that your heart is beating irregularly. It may feel like banging, pulsing too quickly, or pounding. Typical reasons for heart palpitations include exercise, stress, and certain medications. Stimulants, including caffeine, affect heart rate, but just how does it affect the heart?

Caffeine And Your Heart

One of the most investigated dietary ingredients is caffeine, and we know a lot about how it impacts the body. But the research exploring caffeine’s link to heart palpitations has been inconsistent, with some studies reporting a connection and others not. This situation is because, in healthy people, caffeine does not appear to cause heart palpitations. Still, some individuals may be more susceptible to the effects of caffeine and may experience cardiac symptoms such as palpitations.

Caffeine affects the heart in multiple ways. For instance, it promotes the release of noradrenaline and norepinephrine. Noradrenaline is a chemical produced by some nerve cells and in the adrenal gland; norepinephrine is a vasoconstrictor used as a vasopressor. First, these hormones increase heart rate and blood pressure. In addition, caffeine can act on enzymes that stimulate heart contractions, causing the heart to contract more forcefully.

Are Palpitations Because Of Caffeine Consumption?

For many years, researchers believed that caffeine’s stimulant effects on the heart were responsible for heart palpitations. Recent investigation suggests that this is not necessarily the case. However, that doesn’t mean caffeine isn’t causing your heart symptoms and doesn’t vindicate caffeine entirely.

The body adjusts to the effects of caffeine. Therefore, it is unlikely that healthy people who regularly drink coffee will experience symptoms such as heart palpitations. However, caffeine can cause heart palpitations in people with caffeine sensitivity and those with an underlying heart condition.

If you are new to consuming caffeine or are used to drinking excessive amounts, you are more likely to experience cardiac symptoms. However, the only way to be sure is to visit a heart specialist for a checkup.

Caffeine Overdose Is Rare

Caffeine overdose is very rare. It generally implies high amounts of caffeine consumed in powder or tablet form, not drinks. The reason is simple; it is very complicated to get that much caffeine when drinking fluids because of the time it takes to consume them. The lethal dose of caffeine for most people is about ten grams, although this varies from person to person. A cup of coffee has approximately a hundred to two hundred milligrams of caffeine. An energy drink contains between fifty and three hundred mg of caffeine. A can of soda generally has less than seventy mg. Therefore, even with the most caffeinated energy drink, you would still have to drink about thirty of them in quick succession to reach the ten grams range.

If you tried to drink that many beverages with caffeine, chances are your body would halt you before reaching toxic levels. Most of the time, if individuals have severe signs of caffeine toxicity, it starts with nausea and vomiting. So that is somewhat protective because you get sick and throw up the caffeine before it gets too toxic. However, with caffeine powder or tablets, you may be ingesting a large amount simultaneously. One teaspoon of the powder has three thousand and two hundred mg of caffeine.

If you suspect a caffeine overdose, go to the emergency room, and report it to your doctor any caffeinated products you consumed before having symptoms. Your doctor may also monitor your breathing, heartbeat, and blood pressure. In addition, they may check your temperature and undergo a urine or blood test to identify medications in your system.

Usually, there are no long-term health problems after treating caffeine overdose, but this situation can be life-threatening, especially for younger patients, such as infants and young children. Caffeine overdoses can also worsen pre-existing health conditions, such as anxiety. When the administration of the treatment is too late, it can result in irreversible health problems and even death. At the very least, you should call the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) if you suspect a caffeine overdose.

Treatment In Case Of Caffeine Overdose

The treatment for a caffeine overdose should be getting it out of the body while controlling the symptoms. You may need to take activated charcoal, a common drug overdose remedy that often prevents caffeine from entering the gastrointestinal tract. If caffeine has already entered your gastrointestinal tract, you may have to use a laxative or gastric lavage. Gastric lavage involves utilizing a tube to pump and wash out the contents of your stomach.

Your physician will likely choose the procedure that works fastest to get the caffeine out of your body. During this time, the doctor will monitor your heart through an ECG (electrocardiogram). You may also receive respiratory support when necessary.

Home treatment may not always speed up your body’s metabolism to eliminate caffeine. If you are unsure whether you need treatment, call your doctor or the Poison Control Department and describe your symptoms. If they say your symptoms are severe, you may need immediate treatment at your local hospital.

Importance Of A Heart Health Check

It is vital to get a medical screening if you have heart symptoms. Several heart conditions can cause heart palpitations, which include atrial fibrillation, mitral valve prolapse, mitral valve prolapse, congenital heart disease, cardiomyopathy, and atrial flutter. Some of these conditions can be serious and may require treatment.

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How coffee affects the heart: the benefits and harms of caffeine – April 8, 2022

If you drink coffee, there is no reason to refuse it all mortal sins. Once thought to increase the risk of premature death and obesity, there has long been a legend that coffee causes infertility. And the main horror story was, of course, caffeine – drink, and the devil will bring you to the end. But, as it turned out, in addition to caffeine, coffee contains about two thousand more substances. Here you have antioxidants with polyphenols, and vitamins with natural oils. All this allows us to consider coffee not so harmful. Moreover, it can even prevent some diseases. Cardiologist Elena Grichuk told us about this and many other things in the “Interesting about food” section.

— According to studies, there is no link between coffee consumption and the long-term risk of developing heart disease, says Elena Grichuk. – In fact, moderate consumption (3-5 cups of coffee per day) reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Coffee protects against the development of cardiovascular disease, as long as consumption is not excessive.

Elena Grichuk — cardiologist, head of the cardiology department of the New Hospital, doctor of the highest qualification category, candidate of medical sciences. Professional competencies and specializations: ischemic heart disease, arterial hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, chronic heart failure.

“Coffee consumers are less likely to die from heart attacks, strokes and heart failure,” says Elena Grichuk. The study found that women who drank 2-3 cups of coffee per week had a 19% lower risk, and those who drank 4 cups or more per week had a 20% lower risk. Subsequently, similar data were obtained for the entire population as a whole, regardless of gender. The reduced risk can be explained by the fact that coffee improves endothelial function. When the endothelial cells lining the arteries are healthy, blood does not form blood clots, cholesterol plaques do not form, thereby reducing the progression of atherosclerosis and the risk of premature death from heart disease.

In addition, according to the cardiologist, coffee contains a unique component – chlorogenic acid. It is an antioxidant that helps keep heart muscle cells young and healthy.

Three cups of coffee a day will not lead to coronary catastrophes, but if you go too far with coffee and drink nine cups or more in a day, anything can happen, even sudden death from cardiac arrest.

— One or two cups of coffee a day do not provoke ventricular arrhythmia in heart patients or in patients with any type of arrhythmia, if these people are under the supervision of a doctor and take prescribed medications, Elena Grichuk sums up.

According to studies, caffeine does not cause arrhythmia. But at the same time, it can sometimes serve as a catalyst for the development of the disease, especially if there have already been heart attacks or diseases in the anamnesis. Two to three cups of coffee a day reduce the risk of hospitalization for arrhythmias by 7 to 10% compared to people who do not drink coffee at all. Recent studies have shown that caffeine inhibits the development of connective tissue in various organs, including the heart, which indirectly prevents arrhythmia.

“Coffee raises blood pressure, and that’s a fact,” says Elena Grichuk. – American scientists conducted an experiment and found that blood pressure was higher on the days when people drank coffee, by an average of 4 mm, and the level of stress hormone also increased by an average of 32%. But this did not affect the general well-being of healthy people.

Italian scientists have found that drinking 4 or more cups a day of hypertensive patients four times the risk of a heart event, and moderate coffee consumption (1-3 cups) three times the risk of a cardiovascular event. Thus, coffee can be harmful if you already have high blood pressure.

— Yes, coffee contains cafestol, which stimulates the production of cholesterol and in large quantities can cause its deposition on the walls of blood vessels. But the problem is easily solved if you drink filtered coffee. A simple paper filter retains cafestol in a quality manner, so that it does not harm your heart and blood vessels, says the cardiologist.

– It directly depends on how much coffee you drink per day, whether you have diseases of the cardiovascular system, how caffeine is metabolized in the body (this is determined by genes), – says Elena Grichuk. – Moderate consumption of a fragrant drink does not pose a threat to humans. However, if a person has already encountered heart problems, then they can become more active with renewed vigor. This happens due to the special effect of caffeine on the human body. Vessels located in the brain area begin to narrow. The blood supplying oxygen to the cells is supplied in a smaller volume. As a result, the brain senses this lack of oxygen, which causes the heart to beat at an accelerated pace. It works harder and with more pressure.

Caffeine also affects the work of the adrenal glands, which are responsible for the production of such a hormone as adrenaline. It begins to be produced in large quantities, and this leads to a rapid heartbeat, a person feels tingling in the region of the heart. In this case, it can be argued that coffee has a bad effect on the heart.

“In essence, the question of coffee’s effect on the heart comes down to weighing the negative effects of caffeine against the protective antioxidant benefits of polyphenols,” says the cardiologist. There’s nothing wrong with one or two cups of coffee a day, just don’t go overboard with sugar or sweeteners that can offset the coffee’s benefits.

If you drink coffee, there is no reason to give it up completely because of the effects of caffeine on the heart.

But if you have already experienced heart problems with caffeinated drinks, you should be more careful. The cardiologist also recommends giving up coffee in the following situations:

• if you are under severe stress;
• severe nervous tension;
• after a sleepless night;
• after and before exercise.

And don’t drink coffee mug after mug. Not even strong. Better read how doctors debunked popular myths about coffee, and see if coffee helps to cheer up and whether it can be drunk to insomnia.

Can too much caffeine increase the risk of a heart attack?

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Publication date
01/10/2023

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Coffee lovers, rejoice! There are several studies that show that the risk of developing coronary heart disease and heart attack in caffeinated coffee drinkers is very small. What’s more, it has been found that the more coffee people drink, the lower their risk of developing heart failure. While these results help dispel the belief that coffee is bad for health, there is still much to be learned about the link between coffee and heart health. If you’ve been wondering, “Can coffee increase your heart rate?” or “Is there a link between coffee and blood pressure?”, PCMC cardiologists are ready to answer these and other questions.

Can coffee increase heart rate?

After the first sip of coffee, caffeine enters the blood from the stomach and small intestine, stimulating the central nervous system. The receptors on your cells in the heart speed up, causing a slight increase in heart rate (about three beats per minute). In different people, the heart rate increases in different ways. The amount of increase depends on several factors, including:

• amount of caffeine consumed
• frequency of use
• person’s height and weight
• physiology

After consuming caffeine, its effects can appear as early as fifteen minutes and last for several hours. If you do not experience symptoms such as dizziness, a temporary increase in heart rate should not have a lasting or noticeable effect on the body.

Coffee and blood pressure

Two other important studies of note are the Framingham Heart Study and a 2014 review in Circulation. The Framingham Heart Study found that adults who drank any amount of caffeinated coffee had a 43% reduction in cardiovascular death compared to those who did not drink coffee. The Circulation study found that adults who drink three to five cups of caffeinated coffee a day have a lower risk of heart disease compared to those who drink none or more than six or more cups a day. While there is growing evidence that coffee is good for you in moderation, there are several variables that need to be taken into account to make a definitive conclusion about the health benefits of coffee. While coffee and caffeine are often considered “bad” for the heart due to associations such as heart palpitations, high blood pressure, etc. , the link between increased coffee consumption and reduced heart disease outweighs these negative connotations.

How to keep your heart healthy

There are many other ways to reduce your risk of coronary heart disease, including:

• Moderate exercise every day
• Stress management
• Cholesterol lowering
• Smoking avoidance
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Balanced nutrition
• Restriction of sugary and processed foods

Why choose PCMC for all your heart health needs?

If you’ve been looking for the best cardiologists in your area, stop looking and contact PCMC today! We are the leading cardiology center in the Vladimir region. We deal with the prevention and treatment of all aspects of cardiovascular diseases and offer our patients the most modern methods of cardiovascular disease treatment. Contact us today by phone or leave a request on the site to make an appointment.