Any drink that contains caffeine can temporarily raise your blood pressure, especially if you’re sensitive to it or if you consume it in large amounts.

🔬 Effect: How Caffeine Impacts Blood Pressure

Caffeine is a natural stimulant found in coffee, tea, energy drinks, soda, and even some workout supplements. It works by stimulating your central nervous system — which can cause your heart to beat a little faster and your blood vessels to narrow. As a result, blood pressure can rise for a short period of time after you have caffeine, even if you normally have healthy readings.

If you already have high blood pressure (hypertension), this temporary rise can be more noticeable. That’s why health professionals recommend being mindful about caffeine intake and how your body responds to it.

⚠️ Who’s Most Sensitive

Everyone reacts differently to caffeine. Some people can drink a cup of coffee and feel just fine or even a little sleepy, while others notice their heart racing, sweating, or blood pressure climbing after just a few sips. You may be more sensitive if you:

• Don’t regularly drink caffeine
• Are prone to anxiety or palpitations
• Have uncontrolled high blood pressure
• Take medications that already raise heart rate or blood pressure

If you’re unsure how caffeine affects you, try checking your blood pressure before and 30–60 minutes after a caffeinated drink. If you notice a jump of 5–10 mmHg or more, it’s a sign to cut back.

📋 Guideline: How Much Is Too Much?

According to the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA), people with high blood pressure should limit caffeine intake to less than 300 mg per day. In total, that’s about 24–36 oz of coffee per day, depending on your body. Some sneaky drinks will get you to that 300mg caffeine daily limit with just one serving, and pack a huge caffeine punch without you realizing it. Here are some common and some sneaky ones:

• ☕ 2–3 standard cups (12 oz each) of brewed coffee, or
• 🫖 3–4 cups of black tea
• Bang Energy drink
• Celsius Heat energy drink
• G Fuel Energy (High intensity version in cans) energy drink
• Reign Energy drink
• Redline Energy drink
• C4 Ultimate Pre-Workout Supplement
• Mutant Madness Pre-Workout Supplement
• Ghost Energy Pre-Workout Supplement
• Raw Nutrition Essential Charged Pre-Workout Supplement

… and more!

Takeaways

Caffeine can cause a temporary rise in blood pressure and potentially anxiety symptoms, but the effect varies by person. Keep intake below 300 mg per day (around 2–3 cups of coffee) to keep in check of your health.

If you check your blood pressure, track how caffeine affects your readings — and talk with your dietitian about what amount is right for you.