High blood sugar and high levels of “bad” non-HDL cholesterol raise the risk of heart disease. To help manage cholesterol and blood sugar, try some of the same healthy habits that help lower blood pressure. Follow your healthcare professional’s advice on how to manage cholesterol and blood sugar. However, there were far fewer studies that focus on African Americans for the researchers to review, and more research may be needed. There is a very clear link between regularly drinking too much alcohol and having high blood pressure. Over time, high blood pressure (hypertension) puts strain on the heart muscle and can lead to cardiovascular disease (CVD), which increases your risk of heart attack and stroke.
Hypertension
- In general, experts suggest that people with high blood pressure shouldn’t exceed moderate alcohol consumption, which is one drink or less per day for women and two drinks or less per day for men.
- Having more than three drinks in one sitting raises blood pressure for a short time.
- Although red wine is often celebrated for its heart-protective properties, drinking alcohol isn’t risk-free.
- Alcohol can temporarily increase your heart rate, and it doesn’t take much for it to happen.
- We additionally assessed engagement in heavy episodic drinking (HED), as different patterns of drinking may differentially influence blood pressure.
It is also one of the leading causes of cardiovascular disease. Certain drinks may be harmful for a person who has hypertension. In a study from 2021, researchers gave 500 mL of orange juice, around 2 cups, daily to people with prehypertension or stage 1 hypertension. A research review from 2022 analyzed studies that gave participants with hypertension 70–250 milliliters (mL) of beetroot juice per day for 3–60 days. Home blood pressure monitors are available widely and without a prescription.
Other risks of alcohol use
Thus alcohol decreases blood pressure initially (up to 12 hours after ingestion) and increases blood pressure after that. Alcohol consistently increases heart rate at all times within 24 hours of consumption. For low doses of alcohol, we found that one glass of alcohol had little to no effect on blood pressure and increased heart rate within six hours of drinking. If a person thinks that they might be consuming alcohol at a rate that would classify as moderate drinking, heavy drinking, or binge drinking, they should consider cutting back to improve their overall health and well-being. If you have high blood pressure, do not drink alcohol or don’t drink much alcohol.
Raises blood pressure
Your doctor will often advise you when it’s safe to start drinking alcohol again, from a medical perspective. Psychologically, however, many people feel low in mood after they’re discharged home, especially following open heart surgery. It also discusses treatment and some frequently asked questions about alcohol and high blood pressure. There was a particular risk for bias in the studies that met the eligibility criteria, and there is still the potential risk for residual confounding. There are also a number of opportunities to expand on the research, including understanding more about how alcohol intake influences blood pressure among women. Keeping blood pressure within a healthy range can reduce the risk of adverse health outcomes.
Some examples of aerobic exercise that can help lower blood pressure include walking, jogging, cycling, swimming and dancing. Another helpful type of exercise is high-intensity interval training. This type of training involves mixing short bursts of intense activity with bouts of lighter activity. The systolic number (displayed on top) represents the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats. Meanwhile, the diastolic number (displayed on the bottom) measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart rests between beats. It’s the force exerted by circulating blood against the walls of your arteries.
Regular visits with a healthcare professional also are key to controlling blood pressure. If your blood pressure is well controlled, ask your healthcare professional how often you need to check it. The only way to detect and manage high blood pressure is to keep track of your blood pressure readings.
There is no singular recommended level of alcohol for people who have high blood pressure aside from reducing your intake as much as possible. In addition to alcohol use, many other factors can cause high blood pressure. However, other research also suggests that alcohol increases blood pressure. There’s a lot you can do to bring down your BP if you’re concerned about your numbers. If you drink, taking a look at your alcohol intake is a good place to start.
Researchers
For a lot of people on long-term medications, alcohol can make the drug less effective. High blood pressure due to alcohol use can be reversible by reducing your intake and following your treatment plan. However, long-term or severe hypertension can have other complications that may last for longer.
- According to a 2020 literature review, clinicians are not completely sure why alcohol raises blood pressure.
- To minimize the potential health risks of alcohol, the National Institutes of Health recommends either abstaining from alcohol entirely or drinking in moderation.
- Individuals who drink alcohol in excess can help improve their overall health by stopping drinking.
- When they become impaired by alcohol intake, the body might not respond as effectively to changes in blood pressure, leading to persistent high blood pressure.
Your age and other risk factors linked to heart and blood pressure health will ultimately aid your decision with your doctor about drinking. But don’t expect any “all clears” for anything beyond light-moderate drinking. But if you’re younger than 50, particularly if you’re a woman, it’s not so clear. Studies have shown a rise in breast cancer risk in women under 50 from drinking alcohol.
Is There a “Best” or “Worst” Alcohol To Drink if You Have High Blood Pressure?
Her work has appeared in EatingWell, Women’s Health, Weight Watchers, Men’s Health, Shape, Woman’s Day, Prevention, Fitbit and other publications and websites. Devineé Lingo is a registered dietitian nutritionist who is on a mission to cultivate health and wholeness alcohol lowers blood pressure in people seeking restoration and renewal. Her nutrition philosophy is to dig deeper and identify the root causes of people’s health concerns using a holistic, integrative and functional approach.
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