Will quitting cold brew coffee decrease my blood pressure?

Will Quitting Cold Brew Coffee Decrease Your Blood Pressure?

Quitting cold brew coffee is unlikely to significantly decrease your blood pressure if you are a habitual coffee drinker, as the most recent and highest-quality evidence shows that regular coffee consumption is not associated with increased blood pressure or hypertension risk in the general population. 1

The Evidence on Coffee and Blood Pressure

Habitual Coffee Consumption Does Not Raise Blood Pressure

The 2024 ESC Guidelines for the Management of Elevated Blood Pressure and Hypertension—the most authoritative and recent guideline on this topic—clearly states that coffee intake is not associated with a higher risk of hypertension in the general population; in fact, higher coffee consumption may be associated with a lower risk for incident hypertension. 1

This represents a significant shift from older concerns about caffeine and blood pressure, and is based on extensive epidemiological evidence showing neutral or even protective effects of habitual coffee consumption. 2

Why Quitting Won't Help (If You're Already a Regular Drinker)

The key distinction is between acute caffeine exposure in non-habitual users versus chronic consumption in regular coffee drinkers:

• Acute effects in non-users: Individuals who do not regularly consume caffeine may experience a slight, temporary increase in blood pressure when exposed to caffeine, but tolerance develops rapidly and blood pressure returns to baseline. 3

• Chronic effects in habitual users: Research specifically examining cessation of caffeinated coffee in habitual consumers found that total elimination of filtered coffee has no substantial long-term effect on blood pressure. 4 A randomized trial in 150 middle-aged men who were habitual coffee drinkers showed that switching to decaffeinated coffee produced only modest reductions in ambulatory systolic blood pressure (3-5 mmHg during different times of day), with minimal effects on diastolic pressure. 5

• Recent evidence confirms: A 2022 study found no significant differences in blood pressure or heart rate between caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee consumption in healthy individuals. 6

The Brewing Method Matters More Than Caffeine Content

If you're concerned about blood pressure, the brewing method is more important than whether you consume coffee at all:

• Unfiltered/boiled coffee (like Scandinavian-style boiled coffee, French press, or Turkish coffee) may cause a slight but significant rise in systolic blood pressure (approximately 3-4 mmHg), particularly in women. 4

• Filtered coffee (including most cold brew that is filtered) does not produce this effect. 4

• Cold brew coffee is typically filtered and would therefore not be expected to raise blood pressure based on this mechanism. 4

Important Caveats and Exceptions

When You SHOULD Avoid or Limit Coffee

Patients with uncontrolled hypertension should avoid caffeine, as acute increases in blood pressure can occur even in habitual users with poorly controlled hypertension. 7, 8, 9

If you have cardiovascular concerns or are taking certain medications, limit caffeine intake to <300 mg/day (approximately 2-3 cups of coffee). 7, 8

Safe Caffeine Limits

• Healthy adults: ≤400 mg/day is considered safe 1, 7
• Adults with cardiovascular concerns: <300 mg/day 7, 8
• Pregnant women: ≤200 mg/day 1, 7

Clinical Algorithm for Decision-Making

Follow this approach to determine if you should quit coffee for blood pressure concerns:

1. Is your blood pressure well-controlled?

   • If YES → Continue coffee consumption; no benefit from quitting 1
   • If NO (uncontrolled hypertension) → Avoid caffeine entirely 7

2. Are you a habitual coffee drinker (daily consumption)?

   • If YES → Quitting will have minimal to no effect on blood pressure 4, 5, 3
   • If NO (occasional user) → Caffeine may cause temporary BP spikes; consider limiting 3

3. What type of coffee do you drink?

   • Filtered coffee (including most cold brew) → No significant BP effect 4
   • Unfiltered coffee (French press, Turkish, espresso) → Consider switching to filtered 4

4. How much caffeine do you consume daily?

   • <300-400 mg/day → Safe for most people 7, 8

   • 400 mg/day → Consider reducing regardless of BP status 1

Bottom Line

For habitual coffee drinkers with normal or well-controlled blood pressure, quitting cold brew coffee will not meaningfully decrease blood pressure. 1 The protective antioxidant components of coffee may actually counteract any minor effects of caffeine on blood pressure. 2 Focus instead on proven blood pressure-lowering interventions such as weight reduction (4.4/3.6 mmHg reduction per 5 kg lost), aerobic exercise (7-8/4-5 mmHg reduction), and dietary modifications like the DASH diet. 1