WORLD JOURNAL OF ADVANCE
HEALTHCARE RESEARCH

Hafsa Najam, Ruqaiya Hasan*, Maira Hasan, Esha Naseem

ABSTRACT

Background: Caffeine is a widely consumed psychoactive substance commonly present in coffee and other beverages. Acute caffeine intake has been associated with variations in cardiovascular function and glucose metabolism; however, studies regarding its short-term physiological effects remain controversial, especially among South Asian populations. Objective: This research aimed to evaluate the acute effects of caffeinated coffee consumption on blood pressure, heart rate, and blood glucose levels in healthy young adult females. Methods: A cross-sectional experimental study was conducted, comprised of 32 healthy females aged 18–30 years, selected through convenience sampling. Baseline measurements of systolic and diastolic blood pressures as well as blood glucose levels were recorded after a resting period. Participants consumed a standardized milk coffee preparation containing approximately 35–50 mg caffeine. Measurements on blood pressure and heart rate were obtained at baseline and after 30, 45, and 60 minutes intervals, while blood glucose levels were taken at baseline, 30 minutes, and 60 minutes post- coffee consumption. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests, at p < 0.05 to be considered statistically significant. Results: Caffeinated coffee consumption produced statistically non- significant changes in systolic or diastolic blood pressures throughout the experimental duration (p > 0.05). Heart rate reduced significantly at 30 minutes post-consumption (p = 0.027), whereas, subsequent changes were non-significant. Mean blood glucose level increased significantly from 95.4 ± 9.9 mg/dL at baseline to 102.3 ± 12.0 mg/dL after 30 minutes (p = 0.004), followed by a non-significant reduction toward baseline values at 60 minutes (98.6 ± 12.3 mg/dL; p = 0.23). Mild self-reported symptoms, including restlessness, dizziness, and palpitations, were also experienced by the participants. Conclusion: Acute caffeinated coffee consumption produced temporary effects on cardiovascular and metabolic parameters in healthy young adult females. Blood pressure remained mostly unaltered, while a transient significant decline in the heart rate and a rise in blood glucose levels were observed after 30 minutes before returning toward baseline values within 60 minutes of post - coffee consumption. These findings suggested that caffeine may induce short-term physiological alterations without causing sustained disturbances in healthy individuals.

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