Can You Drink Coffee When You Have Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM)?
Cardiovascular DiseasesHeart Disease

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), Coffee, and Caffeine: How Much Is Too Much?

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), Coffee, and Caffeine: How Much Is Too Much?
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Published on January 20, 2026
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Coffee can be an effective jump start to your day, but if you have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), you may want to weigh its pros and cons before you commit to making this stimulant a regular habit. HCM, a genetic disease, causes the heart to grow thicker and stiffer, which makes it harder for it to fill with blood and relax.

“This means a slower heart rate is optimal to allow more time for filling in between heart beats,” says Mark Peterman, MD, an interventional cardiologist at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano in Plano.

A jolt of caffeine, however, is practically guaranteed to make your heart beat faster. While many people with HCM enjoy coffee and caffeine in moderation, it’s best to speak first to your cardiologist to know how much you can safely handle.

Caffeine and Heart Health

Caffeine’s impact on heart health is nuanced, and it hits people differently. It’s a potent stimulant, which is why you get a boost when you have a cup of coffee, soda, or an energy drink. Ingesting it temporarily blocks your adenosine receptors, which are located throughout the body and help regulate the release of chemicals that make your body wind down. At the same time, it also signals the production of stimulating neurotransmitters and hormones, like norepinephrine, adrenaline, and cortisol.

This chemical cascade can make you feel more alert, but it also temporarily raises your blood pressure and heart rate. Some people, including those without underlying heart conditions like HCM, may even notice heart palpitations, especially if they ingest a lot of caffeine at once.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that coffee is always bad for your heart. The research on how caffeine might impact heart health over the long-term is mixed. One major study of nearly 450,000 people found that drinking 2 to 5 cups of coffee per day was tied to a lower risk for heart disease, arrhythmias, and death.

 Other preliminary research suggests that higher intake of caffeine from all sources was tied to faster heart rates and elevated blood pressure.

Since there isn’t a clear scientific consensus on the relationship between caffeine and heart health, it’s important to consider how it might impact you individually. This is especially true if you have a heart condition, says Kevin Shah, MD, a board certified cardiologist and Program Director of Heart Failure Outreach at MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Long Beach Medical Center in California. “Most healthy people tolerate moderate caffeine well, but the cardiovascular system clearly responds to it,” he says.

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The Potential Risks of Caffeine for HCM

Moderate caffeine typically gets the green light for people without heart conditions, but it’s not as clear-cut if you have HCM.

“Caffeine in small quantities is often safe, but use should be made in consultation with a cardiologist,” says Dr. Peterman.

Large studies looking at caffeine’s effects on HCM are limited. That said, it’s known that hearts that are impacted by HCM become strained when they’re forced to beat faster.

“In HCM, the heart muscle is already prone to excessive contraction and abnormal relaxation,” Dr. Shah says. “Overstimulation, whether from caffeine, stress, or illness, can amplify those abnormalities.” Stimulants like caffeine can also increase the risk for arrhythmias, which is something people with HCM are already at risk for.

There might be additional concerns depending on the type of HCM you have. Peterman says coffee consumption is higher risk in those with obstructive HCM than in those who have nonobstructive HCM, and not necessarily because of the caffeine.

“Some HCM patients have obstruction to the outflow of the heart from overly thick heart muscle and higher heart rates; and high blood pressure as well as dehydration [from caffeine, particularly if you’re not a regular coffee drinker] can worsen this effect,” says Peterman.

Coffee and Caffeine: How Much Is Too Much?

Many people with HCM experience few or no symptoms and are not even aware that they have the condition.

 Many of these people likely enjoy drinking coffee without any apparent heart health effects.
Nevertheless, it’s still best to check with your cardiologist. Some people with HCM are allowed to have small or moderate amounts of caffeine, but there’s no one-size-fits-all recommendation for how much or often to fill your coffee mug. Because caffeine affects different people in different ways, you’ll need to work with your doctor to find the right approach for you.

 Depending on your individual risk factors, an 8 ounce cup of coffee per day — which contains around 95 mg of caffeine — may be okay, Peterman says.
“Beverages with lower amounts of caffeine, like soda or tea, may also be acceptable, he says. You’ll get around 50 mg caffeine from a cup of black tea, 30 mg from a cup of green tea, and around 35 mg from caffeinated sodas.

 You’ll likely be able to tell whether the amount you’re having is too much or just right.

The key is listening to your body and monitoring your HCM symptoms, Shah says. “People who experience palpitations, lightheadedness, or chest discomfort after caffeine should reduce or eliminate it, regardless of which type of HCM you have.”

As for heavily caffeinated beverages like energy drinks or shots? It’s best to steer clear, warns Karishma Patwa, MD, of Manhattan Cardiology in New York City. They often contain megadoses of caffeine (as much as 242 mg per serving) along with other stimulants, and they may or may not be properly labeled.

 That can put intense stress on your heart and may increase the risk for sudden cardiac arrest.

When to Call a Doctor

Whether you’ve recently consumed caffeine or not, Shah says there are certain symptoms people with HCM should never ignore.

  • Fainting or near-fainting
  • Chest pain
  • Sustained heart palpitations
  • Shortness of breath when you’re at rest
  • New neurologic symptoms, like memory impairment

The Takeaway

  • Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a genetic disease in which the heart functions best at slower heart rates, and caffeine can temporarily rev it up by raising heart rate and blood pressure.
  • Research on caffeine and heart health is mixed, and while moderate intake appears safe for many healthy people, caffeine may overstimulate an already vulnerable HCM heart, potentially increasing the risk of palpitations or arrhythmias.
  • Caffeine tolerance varies widely among people with HCM, so it’s best to seek your cardiologist's guidance on whether coffee should be on your daily menu.
  • If you experience symptoms like palpitations or dizziness, you should consider cutting back or avoiding caffeine, and high-dose sources like energy drinks should be avoided altogether.

Resources We Trust

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
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  4. New Study Finds Chronic High Caffeine Consumption May Heighten Risk for Cardiovascular Disease. American College of Cardiology. August 15, 2024.
  5. Lifestyle Steps When Managing Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Mayo Clinic. April 7, 2025.
  6. Hamad AK. Caffeine and Arrhythmias: A Critical Analysis of Cardiovascular Responses and Arrhythmia Susceptibility. Journal of the Saudi Heart Association. November 16, 2024.
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  11. Martinez K et al. Sudden Cardiac Arrest Occurring in Temporal Proximity to Consumption of Energy Drinks. Heart Rhythm. July 2024.
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Chung Yoon, MD

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Chung Yoon, MD, is a noninvasive cardiologist with a passion for diagnosis, prevention, intervention, and treatment of a wide range of heart and cardiovascular disorders. He enjoys clinical decision-making and providing patient care in both hospital and outpatient settings. He excels at analytical and decision-making skills and building connection and trust with patients and their families.
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