Caffeine is considered to be the most frequently taken drug in the world. Yes! It is a pharmacologically active substance termed as a “drug”. It is found in common beverages, in products containing chocolate or cocoa, and in medications. The coffee, tea, and soft drinks which are an obvious part of your meal contain its considerable amount. Being a part of our daily diet, it increases our interest to know more about caffeine. Do you take coffee? How many cups a day?
Experts at Socialtomatoes.com will put light on a complete guide for your caffeine consumption. Therefore, by the end of this blog, you will be able to decide that either you should discontinue, limit or should keep on taking it in your diet.
Good Caffeine side effects:
Caffeine actually changes the way our brain and bodyworks. Literature suggests that human behavior may get effected when individuals consume “moderate” amount of this substance, which is 300mg per day. For better understanding, we may say that one tablespoon can have 150 grams of coffee which contains 150-180 mg of caffeine. Hence, 2 tablespoons a day can meet your daily demand for coffee and this quantity is of prime importance.
- Increases alertness and reduces fatigue.
- It improves performance on vigilance
- It reduces your Weight
- A 75-mg serving is enough to increase attention and alertness.
- Can improve physical performance during endurance exercise.
- It reduces headache by narrowing the blood vessels and reducing blood flow in the brain and is used in pain relief medicines.
- Research from Johns Hopkins University suggests that a dose of caffeine after a learning session may help boost long-term memory.
- Researchers have found that lifelong consumption in a moderate manner may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease
Bad Caffeine side effects:
In contrast to the good effects, withdrawal or overdose of it can have few bad effects on performance as well. Hence, there can often be an increase in negative mood following the withdrawal of caffeine. Thus, as excess of everything is bad, hence, acutely administered caffeine may modestly increase following vitals in human body.
- Blood pressure
- Plasma catecholamine levels
- Plasma renin activity
- Serum-free fatty acid levels
- Urine production
- Gastric acid secretion.
- It alters the mood, and sleep patterns of normal volunteers.
On the whole, we can say that excess use of caffeine reverses all its beneficial effect.
How much Caffeine is good?
It has been estimated that in a typical year Americans consume nearly 1 billion kg of coffee. And in children, soft drinks represent 55% of the total intake, chocolate foods, and beverages represent 35-40%, and tea represents 6-10 %. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends a maximum intake of 400 mg a day, or two to three cups of coffee. But it’s preferred to not exceed 2 cups a day.
What happens with excess intake?
Caffeine may harm the pregnancy, fertility, glucose control, and other aspects of health. Moreover, energy drinks can contain high levels of it; but are unlikely to be hazardous unless consumed with alcohol. Some studies highlight the potentially harmful effects of caffeine some of them are as under.
Depression:
A high caffeine intake may worsen symptoms of anxiety causing depression.
Effects on Pregnancy:
Studies have suggested that, for pregnant women, more than 300 mg a day, or the amount equal to or around three cups of coffee, could lead to:
- Loss of pregnancy
- Delayed fetal growth
- Abnormal fetal heart rhythm
Therefore, women should limit their caffeine intake to 200 mg or less during pregnancy.
Reduced Fertility:
For fertility, caffeine reduces a woman’s chances of becoming pregnant by about 27 percent.
Gout Attack:
An additional intake of caffeine may trigger a gout attack in people
Insomnia:
Consuming caffeine 3 or even 6 hours before bedtime can significantly disrupt sleep. So, never go near coffee if you intend to sleep well.
Other effects:
Caffeine’s main effect on the body is an increased and temporary sense of wakefulness & alertness; but, it can also cause uncomfortable symptoms. Consuming over 400 mg of caffeine a day can lead to several adverse effect as given below.
- Disrupted sleep
- Fast or uneven heartbeat
- High blood pressure
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Dependency
- Dehydration
- Heartburn
- Stomach upset
- Sweating
- Cardiac arrest , and this list never seems to end.
This shows that only a slight increase in the daily requirement can worsen the impacts. Following the death of two young men from an overdose of pure caffeine sold over the internet, the FDA urges “to avoid pure, powdered caffeine” intake.
Caffeine Myths:
Let’s have a look at some of myths about this substance that we hear everyday.
Is it addictive?
Scientist’s answer to it is that caffeine is not an addictive substance.
Can it weaken your bones?
Caffeine may affect the way our body absorbs calcium; but, it does not cause osteoporosis (weakening of your bone). Hence, a good calcium diet is recommended if you take coffee. Therefore, women with a good intake of calcium through their diet are unlikely to be at risk of osteoporosis as a result of drinking coffee.
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