Caffeine affects the heart in multiple ways. Firstly, it promotes the release of noradrenaline and norepinephrine. Among other things, these hormones increase heart rate and blood pressure. Additionally, caffeine can act on enzymes that stimulate heart contractions, causing the heart to contract with more force.
Caffeine is an incredibly popular stimulant. More than 85% of the United States population consumes at least one caffeinated beverage each day, and 96% of that consumption comes from coffee, tea, and soft drinks.
If you enjoy caffeinated beverages but have noticed heart palpitations, you may wonder whether your daily cup of joe is to blame.
Rely on board-certified cardiovascular physician Ayim Djamson, MD, and his team at Metropolitan Cardiovascular Consultants to help you keep your heart as healthy and as strong as possible. Heart palpitations, though brief and short-lived, shouldn’t be ignored, as they could signal an underlying issue with your heart.
Visit us if you suspect that lifestyle habits such as drinking caffeine are causing your heart symptoms. Dr. Djamson performs a comprehensive evaluation to check your heart health. Here we discuss caffeine, how it can lead to heart palpitations, and what you can do about it.
What are heart palpitations?
Most of the time, you’re likely unaware of the beating or rhythm of your heart. A normal resting heart rate is 60 to 100 beats-per-minute, and the heart has a characteristic rhythm when it beats. Unless your heart is beating fast or hard, you likely won’t notice it beating.
Heart palpitations are the feeling that your heart is beating irregularly. It may feel like it’s pounding, beating too fast, or fluttering. Common causes of heart palpitations include:
Stress
Exercise
Certain medications
Stimulants, including caffeine, are known to affect heart rate, but just how does caffeine affect the heart?
Caffeine and your heart
Caffeine is one of the most researched dietary components, and we know a lot about how it affects the body. However, research examining caffeine’s link to heart palpitations has been conflicting, with some studies showing a connection and others not.
This is because in healthy people, caffeine does not appear to cause heart palpitations. However, some people may be more sensitive to the effects of caffeine and may experience heart symptoms such as palpitations.
Caffeine affects the heart in multiple ways. Firstly, it promotes the release of noradrenaline and norepinephrine. Among other things, these hormones increase heart rate and blood pressure. Additionally, caffeine can act on enzymes that stimulate heart contractions, causing the heart to contract with more force.
Is caffeine causing my heart palpitations?
For years researchers believed caffeine’s stimulant effects on the heart were responsible for heart palpitations. Recent research suggests this isn’t necessarily the case. That doesn’t mean caffeine isn’t causing your heart symptoms, and it doesn’t vindicate caffeine completely.
The body adapts to the effects of caffeine. Therefore, healthy people who regularly drink coffee are unlikely to experience symptoms such as heart palpitations. Caffeine can cause heart palpitations in people with a sensitivity to caffeine and those with an underlying heart condition.
If you’re new to caffeine consumption or drink excess amounts, you’re more likely to experience heart symptoms. The only way to know for sure is to visit a heart specialist for a checkup.
Importance of a heart health check
If you’re having heart symptoms, it’s crucial to get a medical evaluation. Various heart conditions can cause heart palpitations, including:
Atrial fibrillation
Mitral valve prolapse
Heart failure
Congenital heart disease
Cardiomyopathy
Atrial flutter
Some of these conditions can be serious and require treatment.
Make heart health your top priority. To get started, contact us to schedule a visit with Dr. Djamson. We have three offices in Beltsville, Bowie, and Columbia, Maryland. You can also send a message to Dr. Djamson and his team via our website.
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Water is the best choice for quenching your thirst. Coffee and tea, without added sweeteners, are healthy choices, too. Some beverages should be limited or consumed in moderation, including fruit juice, milk, and those made with low-calorie sweeteners, like diet drinks.
In the beginning, there was water—abundant, refreshing, providing everything the body needs to replenish the fluids it loses. Humans relied on it as the only beverage for millions of years. Milk was introduced with the advent of agriculture and the domestication of animals. Then came beer and wine and coffee and tea, all consumed for taste and pleasure as much as for the fluids they provide. The newcomers—sugary beverages including soda, sports drinks, and energy drinks—offer hydration but with a hefty dose of unnecessary calories that the body may have a hard time regulating. Alternatively, “diet” drinks offer sweetness without the calories, but does that make them a healthy choice?
With so many options, it’s easy to be confused about which beverages are best for our health. Follow the links below for an in-depth look at each, but if you’re short on time, here’s the takeaway:
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