Study: Even Decaf Coffee Drinkers Get Jolt
Caffeine Not Culprit Behind Blood Pressure
POSTED: 8:58 am CST November 19, 2002
People who enjoy the occasional decaffeinated latte may be getting more of a lift than they know, according to a new study.
Swiss scientists found that caffeine is not the culprit in coffee that raises blood pressure. Their findings are published in Monday's rapid access issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.They studied caffeine's effects on blood pressure in 15 people before and after volunteers sipped regular, decaf, or a placebo. They found drinking coffee increased blood pressure in occasional coffee drinkers, regardless of whether it contained caffeine while regular java junkies had no such effect.This is the first time such disparities in reactions to coffee have been reported, said lead researcher Dr. Roberto Corti, a cardiologist at University Hospital in Zurich.He said that their results suggest one of several hundred other unknown ingredients in coffee cause its stimulating cardiovascular effect.While people without a hereditary predisposition for high blood pressure are probably safe drinking coffee, Corti said it remains to be seen whether people with hypertension should be advised to avoid all coffee -- including decaf.The American Heart Association says studies on coffee's effect on blood pressure are controversial, but drinking one or two cups a day doesn't seem harmful.
Swiss scientists found that caffeine is not the culprit in coffee that raises blood pressure. Their findings are published in Monday's rapid access issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.They studied caffeine's effects on blood pressure in 15 people before and after volunteers sipped regular, decaf, or a placebo. They found drinking coffee increased blood pressure in occasional coffee drinkers, regardless of whether it contained caffeine while regular java junkies had no such effect.This is the first time such disparities in reactions to coffee have been reported, said lead researcher Dr. Roberto Corti, a cardiologist at University Hospital in Zurich.He said that their results suggest one of several hundred other unknown ingredients in coffee cause its stimulating cardiovascular effect.While people without a hereditary predisposition for high blood pressure are probably safe drinking coffee, Corti said it remains to be seen whether people with hypertension should be advised to avoid all coffee -- including decaf.The American Heart Association says studies on coffee's effect on blood pressure are controversial, but drinking one or two cups a day doesn't seem harmful.Distributed by Internet Broadcasting. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
