Alcohol consumption triggers the release of epinephrine (adrenaline) and other hormones that constrict your blood vessels or cause your kidneys to retain more sodium and water. This, in turn, raises your blood pressure.
Excessive drinking is also associated with poor nutrition, which can deplete your levels of calcium and magnesium. A lack of these minerals in your body is associated with higher blood pressure. Your genes may also play a role in how alcohol affects blood pressure.
It’s not only the amount of alcohol you consume but also when you consume alcohol that can affect your blood pressure. A recent study suggests that people who drink alcohol outside of meals will have a much higher risk of high blood pressure, no matter how much they drink.
By reducing or stopping alcohol consumption, you can reduce your blood pressure. Reducing or stopping drinking lowers systolic blood pressure by about 7 to 12 mm Hg and diastolic pressure about 3 mm Hg.
Combining a healthy diet with reduced alcohol intake can produce an even larger reduction — a drop of about 10 mm Hg in systolic pressure and 7 mm Hg in diastolic pressure. One reason for this effect is that people who consume too much alcohol generally don’t get adequate amounts of the minerals that help control blood pressure, such as potassium, calcium and magnesium.
NOTE:
If you drink too much alcohol and you want to cut back, it’s best to gradually reduce how much you drink over a period of one to two weeks.
People who drink heavily and suddenly stop consuming alcohol can develop severe high blood pressure that lasts for several days.
Explanation
When you suddenly remove alcohol from your bloodstream, your body releases abnormal amounts of the hormone epinephrine (adrenaline), which causes your blood pressure to rise sharply.
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