Your morning cup of joe may help perk up your blood vessels

Nov. 20 (UPI) -- A cup of caffeinated coffee can help increase your blood pressure and improve the functioning of your small blood vessels, according to research presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2013.

The research, conducted on 27 healthy adults, showed that participants who drank caffeinated coffee had a 30 percent increase in blood flow over a 75-minute period compared to those who drank decaffeinated coffee.

“If we know how the positive effects of coffee work, it could lead to a new treatment strategy for cardiovascular disease in the future,” said Masato Tsutsui, lead researcher and a cardiologist at the University of the Ryukyus in Okinawa, Japan.

Participants included people who did not drink coffee regularly. They were asked to drink either caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee, neither researchers nor participants knew which they were drinking.

Researchers measured finger blood flow with laser Doppler flowmetry, a non-invasive technique for gauging blood circulation on a microscopic level. Two days later the experiment was repeated with the other type of coffee.

Compared to decaf, caffeinated coffee slightly raised participants’ blood pressure and improved vessel inner lining function. Heart rate levels were the same between the two groups.

While it is still unclear how caffeine affects blood vessels, the researchers will continue to study the effects of one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, which has been previously linked to lower risks of heart disease and stroke.