11. Doesn’t Cause Heart Disease and May Lower Stroke Risk
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It’s often claimed that caffeine can increase your blood pressure.
This is true, but with a rise of only 3–4 mm/Hg, the effect is small and usually dissipates if you drink coffee regularly (44, 45).
However, it may persist in some people, so keep that in mind if you have elevated blood pressure (46, 47).
That being said, studies don’t support the idea that coffee raises your risk of heart disease (48, 49).
On the contrary, there is some evidence that women who drink coffee have a reduced risk (50).
Some studies also show that coffee drinkers have a 20% lower risk of stroke (51, 52).
Summary
Coffee may cause mild increases in blood pressure, which usually diminish over time. Coffee drinkers do not have an increased risk of heart disease and have a slightly lower risk of stroke.