The Amazing Benefits of Two Cups of Coffee a Day... Reduces the Risk of Hypertension

Ewha Womans University Medical Research Team Analyzes 12,000 People
Hypertension Risk 16% Lower with Less Than 2 Drinks a Day

A study has found that people who consume more than two cups of coffee a day have a lower risk of hypertension compared to those who drink two cups or less.

On the 18th, a joint research team led by Professors Ha Eun-hee (Department of Environmental Medicine) and Pyeon Uk-beom (Department of Cardiology) at Ewha Womans University College of Medicine analyzed the relationship between daily coffee consumption and hypertension among 12,133 individuals aged 19 and older (5,303 men and 6,830 women) who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2012 to 2016, revealing these results.

A study found that people who consume more than two cups of coffee a day had a lower risk of hypertension compared to those who drank two cups or less.
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The research team divided the subjects into two groups based on daily coffee intake: those who drank two cups or less (9,260 people) and those who drank more than two cups (2,873 people), and examined the presence of hypertension. It was analyzed that 32% of men and 17% of women consumed more than two cups of coffee per day.

Hypertension was defined as having a systolic blood pressure of 140 mmHg or higher, a diastolic blood pressure of 90 mmHg or higher, or being under treatment with antihypertensive medication. At the time of analysis, 19.4% (2,359 people) of the total subjects were hypertensive.

The study results showed an inverse relationship between consuming more than two cups of coffee per day and hypertension.

When synthesizing these analysis results, the research team estimated that the risk of hypertension in people who consume more than two cups of coffee daily is 16% lower than in those who drink two cups or less. This association was particularly pronounced in older individuals, with hypertension risk observed to decrease by up to 24%.

Previous studies published in international academic journals on the relationship between coffee consumption and hypertension have produced somewhat conflicting results depending on the research model. However, recent analyses emphasize that the blood pressure increase caused by coffee consumption is a temporary phenomenon.

Research Team: "Caffeine in Coffee Has Long-Term Beneficial Effects"

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Caffeine, the main component of coffee, can cause a short-term increase in blood pressure due to side effects such as activation of the sympathetic nervous system and increased production of the stress hormone cortisol. However, in the long term, the abundant fiber and polyphenols in coffee offset these side effects through tolerance to the caffeine-induced pressor effect and anti-inflammatory actions, resulting in even more beneficial effects. It is also analyzed that our bodies easily adapt to the caffeine in coffee.

However, experts recommend limiting coffee consumption to three cups or less per day, as there is no research yet showing that coffee intake helps improve already existing hypertension, and there may be unknown side effects.

The research team stated, "Although this study has the limitation of not establishing a causal relationship between coffee and the occurrence of hypertension, it is meaningful as the first study to confirm an inverse association between consuming more than two cups of coffee daily and hypertension in Korean adults."

This research was published in the latest issue of the international academic journal Clinical Hypertension.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.