Key TakeawaysMultiple studies have found that moderate and excessive alcohol consumption can increase one’s risk of high blood pressure.Experts say individuals who have high blood pressure should either decrease their alcohol consumption or drink in moderation.All types of alcohol can affect blood pressure levels. What matters isn’t the specific type of alcohol you pick but rather how much you drink and how frequently.

Key Takeaways

Multiple studies have found that moderate and excessive alcohol consumption can increase one’s risk of high blood pressure.Experts say individuals who have high blood pressure should either decrease their alcohol consumption or drink in moderation.All types of alcohol can affect blood pressure levels. What matters isn’t the specific type of alcohol you pick but rather how much you drink and how frequently.

Sometimes, it’s hard to avoid alcoholic beverages at social events, but excessive alcohol consumption may increase your risk of high blood pressure.

If you already have high blood pressure, your doctor may have advised you to drink alcohol in moderation and cut back on your overall alcohol intake.

The AHA states even people who drink one alcoholic beverage per day showed a link to higher blood pressure compared to non-drinkers.

Alcohol consumption is categorized into different levels based on the amount consumed. Here is how drinking levels are defined according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

How to Lower Your Systolic Blood Pressure

How Does Alcohol Affect Blood Pressure?

When you drink alcohol, it can lead to an increase in sympathetic nervous system (SNS) excitability.When the SNS is stimulated or “activated” due to stress or alcohol intake, it works harder than usual.

Alcohol also stimulates the release of adrenaline and puts the body in a fight-or-flight mode, leading to elevated blood pressure.

“This complex interplay leads to elevated blood pressure and subsequent hypertension,” Ramnauth said. However, “since everyone has different physiology, many people may react to the same amount of alcohol in diverse ways,” he added.

The Impact of Alcohol on Your Body

How Much Alcohol Can You Safely Consume If You Have High Blood Pressure?

The same amount of alcohol for someone with high blood pressure varies based on factors like individual health status, age, weight, fitness level, and more, according to Louis Morledge, MD, a board-certified internist at Northwell Health.

“If you have high blood pressure, it’s probably in your best interest to drink minimally,” Morledge said.

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.

The type of alcohol doesn’t matter, but rather the frequency of your consumption, according toSameer Amin, MD, a cardiologist and chief medical officer at L.A. Care Health Plan.

“There is no significant data to support one alcoholic beverage over another,” Amin told Verywell in an email. “It is generally understood that effect on one’s health is more dependent on the amount of alcohol consumed, as opposed to the type of alcohol.”

In addition to cutting back on alcohol, you can incorporate other lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise and stress management, to help lower your blood pressure.

Most People Have No Idea What Their Blood Pressure or Cholesterol Levels Are, Survey Finds

What This Means For YouStudies have shown that excessive alcohol consumption can worsen blood pressure levels. If you have high blood pressure, it’s best to reduce your alcohol intake.

What This Means For You

Studies have shown that excessive alcohol consumption can worsen blood pressure levels. If you have high blood pressure, it’s best to reduce your alcohol intake.

7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Vacca A, Bulfone L, Cicco S, et al.Alcohol intake and arterial hypertension: retelling of a multifaceted story.Nutrients. 2023;15(4):958. doi:10.3390/nu15040958Di Federico S, Filippini T, Whelton PK, et al.Alcohol intake and blood pressure levels: a dose-response meta-analysis of nonexperimental cohort studies.Hypertension. 2023;80(10):1961-1969. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.123.21224American Heart Association.Routinely drinking alcohol may raise blood pressure even in adults without hypertension.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.The basics: defining how much alcohol is too much.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Drinking levels defined.Husain K, Ansari RA, Ferder L.Alcohol-induced hypertension: mechanism and prevention.World J Cardiol. 2014;6(5):245-252. doi:10.4330/wjc.v6.i5.245Tasnim S, Tang C, Musini VM, Wright JM.Effect of alcohol on blood pressure.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;7(7):CD012787. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012787.pub2

7 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Vacca A, Bulfone L, Cicco S, et al.Alcohol intake and arterial hypertension: retelling of a multifaceted story.Nutrients. 2023;15(4):958. doi:10.3390/nu15040958Di Federico S, Filippini T, Whelton PK, et al.Alcohol intake and blood pressure levels: a dose-response meta-analysis of nonexperimental cohort studies.Hypertension. 2023;80(10):1961-1969. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.123.21224American Heart Association.Routinely drinking alcohol may raise blood pressure even in adults without hypertension.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.The basics: defining how much alcohol is too much.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Drinking levels defined.Husain K, Ansari RA, Ferder L.Alcohol-induced hypertension: mechanism and prevention.World J Cardiol. 2014;6(5):245-252. doi:10.4330/wjc.v6.i5.245Tasnim S, Tang C, Musini VM, Wright JM.Effect of alcohol on blood pressure.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;7(7):CD012787. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012787.pub2

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Vacca A, Bulfone L, Cicco S, et al.Alcohol intake and arterial hypertension: retelling of a multifaceted story.Nutrients. 2023;15(4):958. doi:10.3390/nu15040958Di Federico S, Filippini T, Whelton PK, et al.Alcohol intake and blood pressure levels: a dose-response meta-analysis of nonexperimental cohort studies.Hypertension. 2023;80(10):1961-1969. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.123.21224American Heart Association.Routinely drinking alcohol may raise blood pressure even in adults without hypertension.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.The basics: defining how much alcohol is too much.National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Drinking levels defined.Husain K, Ansari RA, Ferder L.Alcohol-induced hypertension: mechanism and prevention.World J Cardiol. 2014;6(5):245-252. doi:10.4330/wjc.v6.i5.245Tasnim S, Tang C, Musini VM, Wright JM.Effect of alcohol on blood pressure.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;7(7):CD012787. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012787.pub2

Vacca A, Bulfone L, Cicco S, et al.Alcohol intake and arterial hypertension: retelling of a multifaceted story.Nutrients. 2023;15(4):958. doi:10.3390/nu15040958

Di Federico S, Filippini T, Whelton PK, et al.Alcohol intake and blood pressure levels: a dose-response meta-analysis of nonexperimental cohort studies.Hypertension. 2023;80(10):1961-1969. doi:10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.123.21224

American Heart Association.Routinely drinking alcohol may raise blood pressure even in adults without hypertension.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.The basics: defining how much alcohol is too much.

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.Drinking levels defined.

Husain K, Ansari RA, Ferder L.Alcohol-induced hypertension: mechanism and prevention.World J Cardiol. 2014;6(5):245-252. doi:10.4330/wjc.v6.i5.245

Tasnim S, Tang C, Musini VM, Wright JM.Effect of alcohol on blood pressure.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;7(7):CD012787. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012787.pub2

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