Effects of Caffeine on Healthy Adults’ Cardiovascular and Neurological Systems

Abstract

Caffeine is widely used by adults for its stimulating effects despite documented adverse health effects. The purpose of this systematic review was to highlight and document the cardiovascular and neurological effects of caffeine consumption in healthy and recreationally active adults. The most common adverse effects of caffeine on the cardiovascular system encountered during the search were elevated systolic blood pressure, followed by elevated diastolic blood pressure, and elevated heart rates. The most common adverse effect of caffeine on the neurological system encountered during the search was affected sleep patterns. Most of the significant findings (p≤0.05) of adverse effects resulted from synthetic sources of caffeine, such as in tablet, capsule, pre-workout supplement, or energy drink form.