Caffeine can cause a brief but dramatic rise in blood pressure, even if you don't have high blood pressure. It is not clear what causes this spike in blood pressure. The blood pressure response to caffeine varies from person to person. Some researchers believe that caffeine may block a hormone that helps keep arteries dilated. Others believe that caffeine causes the adrenal glands to release more adrenaline, which increases blood pressure. Some people who regularly drink caffeinated beverages have higher average blood pressure than those who do not drink any beverages. Other people who regularly drink caffeinated beverages develop a tolerance to caffeine. As a result, caffeine has no long-term effect on their blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, avoid caffeine just before activities that naturally raise blood pressure, such as exercising, lifting weights or hard physical work. To see if caffeine can raise blood pressure, check your blood pressure before drinking a cup of coffee or other caffeinated beverage and again after 30-120 minutes. If your blood pressure rises by about 5 to 10 points, you may be sensitive to the blood pressure-raising effects of caffeine. If you plan to cut back on caffeine, do so gradually over several days to a week to avoid caffeine withdrawal headaches. Potential long-term effects Although coffee can temporarily raise blood pressure immediately after drinking it, this effect does not seem to extend far beyond a short period of time. For people with high blood pressure, current research suggests that daily coffee consumption is unlikely to have a significant effect on blood pressure or overall heart disease risk. In fact, coffee can provide some health benefits. W Coffee contains many bioactive compounds known to have powerful antioxidant effects and can reduce oxidative stress in your body. Some researchers say the health benefits of coffee may outweigh any potential negative effects caffeine may have on those who drink it regularly. However, more research is still needed to better understand how coffee affects human health in the long term. For now, it seems to be perfectly safe and may even be a useful habit. Bottom line Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world, but has been blamed for causing high blood pressure. Studies indicate that coffee can lead to a short-term increase in blood pressure. However, no long-term association with increased blood pressure or risk of heart disease has been found in people who drink it regularly. Rather, coffee may promote heart health due to its high antioxidant content. Although more research is needed, drinking coffee in moderation is probably a safe habit for most people.