Caffeine

Caffeine can cause a short-term spike in blood pressure in people who don't use it all the time.

Caffeine helps keep blood vessels open, which improves blood flow. But this may make blood pressure go up for a short while. More research is needed to see if caffeine raises blood pressure for longer times.

Caffeine can be found in:

• Caffeine pills (Vivarin, NoDoz, others).
• Coffee.
• Soda, energy drinks and other beverages.

How much caffeine is in coffee varies widely. So it's hard to say how many cups of coffee you can drink a day.

You can see if caffeine raises your blood pressure. Check your blood pressure about 30 minutes after drinking a cup of coffee or another beverage that has caffeine. If your blood pressure goes up, you may be sensitive to caffeine.