Intake of coffee and blood pressure: A Mendelian randomized study

Epidemiological studies suggest that frequent coffee consumption is associated with reduced blood pressure (BP). However, the causal nature of this relationship remains unclear. This study uses Mendelian randomization (MR) to explore the potential causal link between BP and coffee consumption.

We conducted an analysis using a MR study design with two independent samples. Genetic variants associated with coffee consumption were identified through a meta-analysis of GWAS data from 428,860 individuals in the UK Biobank (UKB). Blood pressure data were derived from the International Consortium for Blood Pressure Research (ICBP) and the United Kingdom Blood Pressure Study. The primary analytical method was the IVW approach with random effects, supplemented by sensitivity analyses using MR-PRESSO, WM, and MR-Egger methods. Our MR analysis revealed that coffee consumption significantly lowered SBP (95 % CI = -3.64 to -0.20; β = -1.92; p = 0.028) and DBP (95 % CI = -2.26 to -0.42; β = -1.34; p = 0.004). These results were consistent in sensitivity analyses using the MR-PRESSO outlier test and the WM approach. The multivariable MR analysis indicated similar causal effects of coffee consumption on both SBP and DBP.

Our findings add to the growing body of evidence that regular coffee consumption is associated with a reduction in BP. Habitual coffee drinkers may benefit from a protective effect on BP, indicating that coffee intake could serve as a beneficial lifestyle choice.