heart & blood vessels

CYP1A2

Genetic Link Between Caffeine and Blood Pressure (CYP1A2)

Written by Aleksa Ristic, MS (Pharmacy) on January 21st, 2021

Depending on the CYP1A2 enzyme, caffeine may or may not increase your blood pressure. Read this post to learn how genes impact your CYP1A2 activity and what you can do about it!

Summary

The CYP1A2 enzyme breaks down caffeine and influences the link between caffeine and blood pressure.

People with a specific gene variant have a less active CYP1A2 enzyme; they may be more prone to caffeine’s blood-pressure-increasing effects.

Read this post to learn how to potentially cancel out the impact of your genes on blood pressure.

CYP1A2, Caffeine & Blood Pressure

CYP1A2 is a crucial detox enzyme that breaks down toxic chemicals, drugs, hormones, and other metabolic products. It’s the primary enzyme responsible for breaking down caffeine [R, R].

Caffeine generally increases blood pressure, but the link is not straightforward and seems to depend on CYP1A2. Coffee consumption may increase blood pressure in people with a less active CYP1A2 version, while it may have the opposite effects in those with a more active version [R, R, R].

Genetic variants may determine up to 75% of CYP1A2 enzyme activity. Hence, knowing your genes will help you estimate the impact of caffeine on your blood pressure [R, R].

The CYP1A2 enzyme breaks down caffeine and influences the link between caffeine and blood pressure. Genetic variants may determine up to 75% of this enzyme’s activity.

Your CYP1A2 Results for Blood Pressure

SNP Table

variant	genotype	frequency	risk allele
rs2472299

Primary SNP:

rs2472299 [R]:

‘A’ – associated with relatively higher blood pressure
‘G’ – associated with relatively lower blood pressure
The ‘A’ allele likely reduces the ability of CYP1A2 to break down caffeine.

Recommendations

Limit Caffeine Intake

In one study, people with genetically ‘slower’ CYP1A2 who drank 2-3 cups of coffee daily had a 72% higher risk of high blood pressure than those who didn’t drink coffee. Heavy drinkers (>3 cups/day) were three times more likely to develop high blood pressure [R].

A meta-analysis showed that 410 mg/day of caffeine increased systolic (by 2.04 mmHg) and diastolic (by 0.73 mmHg) blood pressure. However, the ingestion of caffeine through coffee had a minor effect on blood pressure [R].

Another meta-analysis confirmed that caffeine ingestion might increase blood pressure in the short run, while the effect of long-term coffee consumption wasn’t significant [R].

Consuming caffeinated energy drinks (especially those supplying over 200 mg caffeine) may raise systolic blood pressure by 4.44 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 2.73 mmHg during the following hours [R].

Higher caffeine intake may increase blood pressure, especially in people with the less active CYP1A2 version.

Exercise

In one trial, regular exercise canceled out the caffeine’s blood-pressure-increasing effects in people with the ‘slower’ CYP1A2 version. Intense exercise may also directly increase CYP1A2 activity [R, R].

Multiple studies show that exercise training may lower blood pressure, both in the first few hours after exercise and in the long term. Guidelines usually recommend aerobic exercise (at least 150 min/week of moderate activity or 75 min/week of vigorous activity) supplemented with resistance training twice weekly [R].

Meta-analyses estimated blood pressure reductions of 12.26 mmHg (systolic/top number) and 6.12 mmHg (diastolic/bottom number) from aerobic exercise. The combination of moderate with high-intensity aerobic exercise (interval training) further enhanced the blood-pressure-lowering effects [R, R, R].

As for resistance training, a single bout may lower blood pressure by up to 8.2 mmHg (systolic) and 4.1 mmHg (diastolic) within the first hours after exercise, while continuous resistance training may lower it by 4-5 mmHg (systolic) and 1.7-5 (diastolic). However, resistance training should be used with caution because it increases blood pressure during exercise [R, R, R, R].

Exercise may cancel out the blood pressure-increasing effects of caffeine in people with the less active CYP1A2 version. Try to mix aerobic and resistance training for optimal results.

Aleksa Ristic

MS (Pharmacy)

Aleksa received his MS in Pharmacy from the University of Belgrade, his master thesis focusing on protein sources in plant-based diets.

Aleksa is passionate about herbal pharmacy, nutrition, and functional medicine. He found a way to merge his two biggest passions—writing and health—and use them for noble purposes. His mission is to bridge the gap between science and everyday life, helping readers improve their health and feel better.

Disclaimer

The information on this website has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration or any other official medical body. This information is presented for educational purposes only, and may not be used to diagnose or treat any illness or disease.

Also keep in mind that the “Risk Score” presented in this post is based only on a select number of SNPs, and therefore only represents a small portion of your total risk as an individual. Furthermore, these analyses are based primarily on associational studies, which do not necessarily imply causation. Finally, many other (non-genetic) factors can also play a significant role in the development of a disease or health condition — therefore, carrying any of the risk-associated genotypes discussed in this post does not necessarily mean you are at increased risk of developing a major health condition.

Always consult your doctor before acting on any information or recommendations discussed in this post — especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have been officially diagnosed with a medical condition.

More heart & blood vessels blogs

The Gene That Protects Your Heart (PON1) The Link Between Methylation, Cholesterol, and Heart Disease (PEMT) Are You Genetically Vulnerable to Heart Disease (NOS3)? Caffeine: Your Friend or Foe? (CYP1A2) Is This Cholesterol Gene Linked To Lifespan? (CETP) Does This Cholesterol-Related Gene Affect Lifespan? (APOC1) The Complex Relationship Between CRP and Longevity Does This Gene Affect Salt Sensitivity and Blood Pressure? (SLC4A5) How Does This Fat Transport Gene Affect Metabolic & Cardiovascular Disease? (APOA5) Can This Gene Influence Your Risk of Heart Disease (COMT)?

Content

Summary CYP1A2, Caffeine & Blood Pressure Your CYP1A2 Results for Blood Pressure

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