The consumption of caffeinated drinks stimulates the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The heart rate (HR), blood pressure, or likewise parameters of the cardiovascular activity have been extensively investigated. However, studies on the influence of caffeine on heart rate variability (HRV) are rare. This systematic review summarizes current findings on the influence of caffeine on time- and frequency-domain measures of HRV.
Methods:
A systematic search of electronic databases (PubMed, PsycInfo, and EMBASE) according to the PRISMA statement was employed.
Results:
The search revealed a total of 68 articles after removing duplicates. Thirteen studies fitting the inclusion criteria were included in the systematic review.
Conclusions:
Best evidence in this qualitative synthesis is given for an increase in vagally mediated HRV (as indexed by high-frequency components) caused by caffeine ingestion. However, due to large variations in the study designs, participants, methods of measurement, and measures recorded within the included studies, evidence on the impact of caffeine on HRV is not exactly clear. Existing studies are well designed and controlled, but address such specific questions that the results can hardly be integrated within a systematic review. Further studies that extensively control for the influence of experimental conditions, participants caffeine consumption, health status, and baseline ANS activity seem to be necessary. Furthermore, long-term studies on the impact of habitual caffeine consumption and caffeine withdrawal in habitual users on HRV should be investigated.
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