Coffee
is one of the most popular drinks in the world together with beer and
water. About 83 percent of the US population drinks coffee and the
number is steadily growing each year. Coffee is not anymore served in
black or with plain cream and sugar. Today, it comes in all sorts of
tastes and style – from brewed, frappuccino, and decaffeinated. Drinking
coffee is a customary act in all kinds of occasions and it is one of
the favorite past times of people around the world. It is present at
workplaces, homes, and even during vacation holidays. While many people
enjoy the coffee leisure, only a fraction is well knowledgeable about
the risks and dangers of taking too much caffeine. Remember, caffeine is
not deadly by nature but it can trigger risk factors causing serious
health conditions. Below are some of the negative effects that excessive
caffeine intake may bring.
10. Cardiovascular problems.
Caffeine
intake, regardless of the amount, increases heart rate and elevates
blood pressure level. In a worst-case scenario, it can trigger a heart
attack. Caffeine along does not cause hypertensive attacks but it can be
a factor affecting strokes and coronary vasospasms. People with a
family lineage of heart diseases should refrain from drinking coffee
especially when they reach 35 years of age.
9. Stress.
Surprisingly,
coffee does not help you deal with stress effectively. In fact,
caffeine intake increases the production of stress hormones called
Cortisol. When the body produces too much of these negative adrenal
hormones, it causes irritability, muscular fatigue, anxiety, insomnia,
and indigestion among many other things leading to sickness. People
normally drink coffee to keep the adrenaline at an optimum level and
help them stay awake. In reality, it only alters the body clock which is
detrimental to one’s health.
8. Emotional disturbances.
Contrary
to popular beliefs, coffee does not necessarily increase a person’s
energy level. Caffeine is a natural downer and though some people may
feel invigorated upon drinking coffee, the long-term effects are
disturbing. Depression occurs when the effect of caffeine wears out and
the body needs to have the next dose just to feel and function
“normally”. This is when the concept of coffee addiction comes in.
7. Blood sugar and insulin problems.
People
with diabetes and other insulin-related problems tend to say that
decaffeinated coffee should do the trick in order for them to keep a
balanced blood sugar level. This is an issue of mental conditioning
because in reality, caffeine intake causes the overproduction of insulin
in just a matter of few hours. People with weight problems should
refrain from drinking coffee because the body’s biological language
allows excess sugar to be stored as fat. It also makes you crave for
carbohydrate and glucose-rich food. This is the same case with sodas and
other beverages, so unless you will completely strain yourselves from
these temptations, you will still experience insulin challenges at one
point in your life.
6. Gastrointestinal problems.
Drinking
coffee with an empty stomach can really be hazardous to health, and
this is a scientific fact that is oftentimes ignored by many. Caffeine
intake, regardless of the amount per instance, increases the production
of hydrochloric acid (HCI). In normal body conditions, HCI is ideally
produced to facilitate digestion. When the body reaches its height of
HCI production, it will have difficulty producing enough amount to deal
with a larger meal. This causes indigestion, diverticulitis, and in
worse cases, colon cancer. This is the reason why people experience that
burning sensation after they drink coffee. Hyperacidity can also lead
to heartburn and gastro-esophageal reflux also known as “acid reflux”.
Ulcer is not caused by caffeine but rather caused by the Helicobacter
pylori bacteria, but increased intake of coffee can worsen the thinning
of the stomach. This is the same case with patients with spasms,
gastritis, and Crohn’s disease. People diagnosed with hyperacidity or
ulcers are advised to avoid caffeine intake regardless of the amount.
5. Nutritional deficiencies.
Caffeine
intake, not just coffee, causes serious nutritional deficiencies
leading to osteoporosis. Caffeine inhibits the absorption of important
nutrients in the body responsible for growth such as calcium, magnesium,
potassium, iron, and other minerals.
4. Male reproductive health problems.
Caffeine
is a natural diuretic substance and it causes the inflammation of the
prostate gland, which then lead to urinary problems. Reduce your
caffeine intake if you are experience sleeping troubles just because you
have to get up several times just to pee.
3. Female reproductive health problems.
Drinking
coffee has a profound effect for females, more than the normal
perception. Health conditions such as PMS, osteoporosis, miscarriage,
infertility problems, and fibrocystic breast problems are all
exacerbated by caffeine intake. The ultimate culprit is the massive loss
of magnesium and calcium that are important elements for lactating and
pregnant women.
2. Adrenal exhaustion.
People
tend to drink lots of coffee to keep them awake and accomplish more
tasks. Ironically, caffeine makes the body weaker and more vulnerable to
immune diseases. These include inflammation of the muscles,
autoimmunity where the antibodies are not functioning well against bad
bacteria, colds, flue, and over fatigue. During stressful and
physically-demanding activities, the body naturally excretes adrenaline
and other anti-aging hormones to cope up with the environmental
condition. But with coffee intake, caffeine automatically replaces these
good hormones which is similar to a car running on an empty gas tank.
As a result, you will most likely feel irritability, drowsiness, anger,
and additional pressure. It is just making everything worse contrary to
what you are expected to believe.
1. Accelerated aging.
Have
you ever wondered why some people look older than their actual age? If
you look closely to their diet plan, you should be able to notice a
common denominator – coffee or any other caffeine-related products.
Caffeine dehydrates the body. It takes out body water needed to
replenish skin and melatonin, which is responsible for giving you a
healthy glow. It drains cells particularly in the kidneys, giving you a
hard time flushing toxins out of the body.
