2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
In this article you will find out everything you need to know about coffee and caffeine. Here are the benefits and harms to our health.
Every day, billions of people rely on coffee to wake up and start the day. In fact, this natural stimulant is one of the most commonly used ingredients in the world. You may also have heard that caffeine has a negative effect on our sleep and calm.
However, studies report that drinking coffee has various health benefits. Here we will look at the latest research on caffeine and your health.
What is caffeine?
Caffeine is a natural stimulant that is most often found in the plants from which we extract tea, coffee and cocoa.
It works by stimulating the brain and central nervous system, helping you to be alert and preventing fatigue. Historians trace the first brewed tea as early as 2737 BC. Historical records show that coffee was discovered many years later by an Ethiopian shepherd who noticed the extra energy the goats gave them by chewing the plant's fruit.
Caffeinated soft drinks were the first to hit the market, and energy drinks soon followed. Today, 80% of the world's population consumes caffeine every day, and this number reaches 90% for adults in North America.
How does caffeine work?
Once consumed, caffeine rapidly absorbed from the intestine into the blood. From there, it travels to the liver and is broken down into compounds that can affect the function of various organs. As the saying goes, the main effect of caffeine is on the brain. It works by blocking the effects of adenosine, which is a neurotransmitter that relaxes the brain and makes you feel tired. Adenosine levels usually build up during the day, which makes you more tired and makes you want to fall asleep. Caffeine helps you to stay awake by binding to adenosine receptors in the brain without activating them. This blocks the effects of adenosine, which reduces fatigue.
It can also increase adrenaline levels in the blood and increase the brain activity of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine. This combination further stimulates the brain and promotes a state of excitement, alertness and focus. Because it affects your brain, caffeine is often called a psychoactive drug. In addition, caffeine exerts its effects quickly.
For example, the amount found in a cup of coffee can take only 20 minutes to reach the bloodstream, and about an hour to achieve full effectiveness.
Which foods and beverages contain caffeine?
Caffeine is naturally found in the seeds, nuts or leaves of certain plants. These natural resources are then collected and processed to produce caffeinated foods and beverages.
Here are the amounts of caffeine in 240 ml of some popular drinks:
Espresso: 240–720 mg
Coffee: 102–200 mg
Green tea: 65-130 mg
Energy drinks: 50-160 mg
Boiled tea: 40–120 mg
Soft drinks: 20–40 mg
Decaffeinated coffee: 3–12 mg
Cocoa drink: 2-7 mg
Chocolate milk: 2-7 mg
And some foods contain caffeine. For example, 28 g of milk chocolate contains 1–15 mg, while the same amount of dark chocolate has 5–35 mg.
You can also find caffeine in some prescription or over-the-counter medications such as cold, allergy, and pain medications. It is also a common ingredient in fat loss supplements.
Caffeine can improve mood and brain function. It has the ability to block the brain signaling molecule adenosine. This causes an increase in other signaling molecules such as dopamine and norepinephrine. It is believed that this change in brain communication favors your mood and brain function. A study reported that after consuming 37.5-450 mg of caffeine, participants had improved alertness, short-term calling, and response time. In addition, a recent study linked drinking two to three cups of caffeinated coffee a day with a 45% lower risk of suicide. Another study reported a 13% lower risk of depression in caffeine users.
As for the mood, more caffeine is not necessarily the better choice. In fact, a study found that a second cup of coffee gives no more benefits unless consumed at least 8 hours after the first cup. Drinking between three and five cups of coffee a day can also reduce the risk of brain diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease by 28-60%.
Caffeine can boost metabolism and speed up weight loss. Due to its ability to stimulate the central nervous system, caffeine can increase metabolism by up to 11% and fat burning by up to 13%. Practically speaking, consuming 300 mg of caffeine a day can allow you to burn an extra 79 calories a day.
This amount may seem small, but it is similar to the excess calories that are responsible for the average annual weight gain of 2.2 lbs (1kg) in Americans. However, a 12-year study on caffeine and weight gain noted that participants who drank the most coffee were, on average, only (0.4-0.5 kg) lighter at the end of the study period.
Caffeine can increase the effectiveness of exercise. When it comes to exercise, caffeine can increase the use of fat as fuel. This is beneficial because it can help the glucose stored in the muscles last longer, potentially slowing down the time it takes for your muscles to reach exhaustion. Caffeine can also improve muscle contractions and increase fatigue tolerance.
Researchers have noticed that doses of 5 mg / kg body weight improve endurance by up to 5% when consumed 1 hour before training.
Interestingly, recent studies have noted that doses of 1.4 mg / kg (3 mg / kg) of body weight may be sufficient to reap the benefits.
Moreover, studies report similar benefits in team sports, high-intensity training, and resistance exercise.
Finally, caffeine can reduce exercise effort by up to 5-6%, which can make training easier.
Despite what you may have heard, caffeine does not increase the risk of heart disease. In fact, recent data show a 16-18% lower risk of heart disease in men and women who drink between one and four cups of coffee each day.
Other studies show that drinking 2-4 cups of coffee or green tea a day is associated with a 14-20% lower risk of stroke. One thing to keep in mind is that caffeine can slightly raise blood pressure in some people. However, this effect is usually small (3-4 mmHg) and tends to fade for most individuals when they consume coffee regularly.
Caffeine can also protect against diabetes. A recent review noted that those who drank the most coffee had up to a 29% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Similarly, those who consumed the most caffeine had up to a 30% lower risk. The authors note that the risk decreases by 12-14% for each 200 mg of caffeine consumed. Interestingly, decaffeinated coffee consumption was also associated with a 21% lower risk of diabetes. This shows that others useful compounds in coffee can also prevent type 2 diabetes.
More benefits of caffeine consumption
Protects the liver
Coffee can reduce the risk of liver damage (cirrhosis) by as much as 84%. It can slow the progression of the disease, improve the response to treatment and reduce the risk of premature death.
Promotes longevity
Drinking coffee can reduce the risk of premature death by up to 30%, especially for women and diabetics. Reduces the risk of cancer: 2-4 cups of coffee a day can reduce the risk of liver cancer by up to 64% and the risk of colon cancer - up to 38%.
Protects the skin
Consuming 4 or more cups of caffeinated coffee a day can reduce the risk of skin cancer by 20%.
Reduces the risk of MS
Coffee drinkers may have up to a 30% lower risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS). However, not all studies agree.
Prevents gout
Regular drinking of four cups of coffee a day can reduce the risk of developing gout by 40% in men and 57% in women.
Supports intestinal health
Consuming 3 cups of coffee a day for less than 3 weeks can increase the amount and activity of beneficial intestinal bacteria. Keep in mind that coffee also contains other substances that improve health. Some of the listed benefits can be caused by substances other than caffeine.
Side effects of caffeine
Caffeine consumption is generally considered safe. However, it is good to keep in mind that caffeine is addictive and some people's genes make them more sensitive to it. Some side effects associated with excessive intake include anxiety, tremor, irregular heartbeat and sleep problems.
Too much caffeine can also cause headaches, migraines and high blood pressure in some individuals. In addition, caffeine can easily cross the placenta, which can increase the risk of miscarriage or low birth weight. Pregnant women should limit their intake.
Finally, it is worth noting that caffeine can interact with some drugs. People taking Zanaflex muscle relaxant or Luvox antidepressant should avoid caffeine because these drugs may increase its effects.
Recommended doses of caffeine
Both the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) consider daily intake of 400 mg of caffeine for safe. This is 2-4 cups of coffee a day. Given that, it is worth noting that fatal overdoses with single doses of caffeine of 500 mg have been reported. That is why it is recommended to limit the amount of caffeinewhich you consume at one time, up to 200 mg per dose.
Finally, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, pregnant women should limit their daily intake to 200 mg.
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