Results by the cup
The National Coffee Association’s Coffee Drinking Trends 2000 survey, the most recent statistics on coffee consumption in the United States, revealed that more than half of the adult population drank an average of 3.1 cups of coffee every day. And this was before gourmet coffee shops perked on virtually every corner. Coffee, according to Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, is the leading dietary source of caffeine among U.S. adults.
Granted, there are positive sides to the use of the drug (yes, caffeine is a drug). According to a study from Cardiff University, moderate amounts can increase alertness, reduce fatigue, and improve performance on simple tasks. However, as with other drugs, the more caffeine is used, the more it will require to produce the same results.
Caffeine is a drug. The more it’s used, the more it will require to produce the same results.
No beans about it
© Sam Diephuis/zefa/Corbis
If you don’t seem to be experiencing any of caffeine’s negative side effects, should you be concerned? Depends on whom you ask. Studies have connected the use of caffeine with increased blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as cardiovascular disease. It’s
High on Caffeine also been shown to compound stress.
Here’s what happens: Caffeine raises the levels of adrenaline
in the body, and even though that brings a temporary rush of
It’s difficult to deny this stimulant’s energy, it may drop you off sharply on the other side, leading to even more fatigue. Caffeine has also been shown to increase
addictive power. BY FIONA SOLTES those feel-good dopamine levels in the body, and those will
wear off, too, leaving your body naturally wanting more.
In general, health experts suggest limiting intake to moderate amounts, paying attention to side effects, and stopping use altogether after mid-afternoon, assuming you don’t work nights.
Wean yourself from the stimulant periodically to test for signs of addiction. Those can include withdrawal headaches, nausea, lethargy, depression, difficulty concentrating, flu-like symptoms, and the like. Many agree that a high intake of caffeine is about 500 mg per day, which is the same as a 16-ounce cup of coffee. Now that your eyes are wide open about caffeine, it may be a bit more difficult to deny its hold on you.
FeeLING A LIT TLe ANxIoUS? Not resting as well as
you’d like? A bit edgy? If you’re one who enjoys a
regular intake of coffee, tea, or soda, you may be
experiencing sensitivity to caffeine. In most cases, according
to the Mayo Clinic, a moderate intake — two or three small
cups of coffee a day — won’t cause harm. But that amount or
more might bring on side effects such as restlessness, anxiety,
irritability, muscle tremors, sleeplessness, headaches, nausea,
diarrhea, or other gastrointestinal problems. And the biggest
challenge is that the symptoms may cause you to feel worn out
— which may lead you to reach for another cup.
References:
Archives