Who can ever resist the sweet aroma of coffee? Who can refuse the delightful flavor of tea, cola and chocolates? Yet, do you know that you are technically taking a drug once you drink coffee, tea and cola as well as eat chocolates! Believe it or not, coffee, tea and cola contain a drug although they are categorized as beverages including chocolates.
Health experts declared that caffeine is a nervous-system stimulant, which is present in coffee, tea, and cola-type soft drinks as well as chocolate. They claimed that caffeine is classified as a drug for it affects the central nervous system, causing an increased heart rate and heightened alertness. Caffeine causes a temporary increase in energy and elevation in mood.
Several health experts believed that caffeine contains a hundreds of components such as Niacin or Nicotinic acid, Magnesium and Potassium.
Meanwhile, according to some biologists, Magnesium and Potassium are among the many metals found in the human body which play a vital role in the maintenance of life. Potassium (K) is essential for nerves to function while Magnesium (Mg) is important component of bones, teeth, and chlorophyll.
On the other hand, Niacin is one of the vitamin B complex which aids in the metabolism of sugar and is essential for the proper function of the intestines.
Many health experts claimed that caffeine contain health benefits such as preventing free radicals to avoid cancer, serves as an anti-oxidant to prevent bad cholesterol, improving the glucose metabolism for diabetic patients. However, several health experts revealed numerous harmful effects of caffeine in our body. According to them, the caffeine enters the bloodstream through the stomach and small intestine when you drink coffee or cola. The caffeine would take effect in about 15 minutes in most people. The effect of the caffeine can last for a few hours, once in the body. It can take about 6 hours for one-half of the caffeine to be removed, depending on the metabolism of the individual.
Like several drugs, caffeine can be addictive. If you are heavy coffee drinkers who don't take your common dose of caffeine, you may experience withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, fatigue and muscle pain. These symptoms are customarily felt about 24 hours after the last dose of caffeine. Caffeine can increase muscle tension and the level of your anxiety. It also creates problems in sleep cycle, which can cause headaches. It is also alarming that too much intake of caffeine is lethal.
The ill effects of Caffeine on health and measures to prevent them:
- Several people drink numerous cups of coffee a day during their work week but cut their consumption on weekends. This can result to weekend caffeine-withdrawal headaches. To avoid these symptoms, reduce your caffeine intake by one-half cup per week. If you are prone to headaches, cut down to the equivalent of one cup of caffeinated coffee. Health experts revealed that one five-ounce cup of drip coffee contains about 150 milligrams of caffeine. A five-ounce cup of tea brewed for three to five minutes may contain 20 to 50 milligrams of caffeine. Meanwhile, cola drinks contain about 35 to 45 milligrams of caffeine per 12-ounce serving.
- Coffee when drink in moderate amounts can cause anxiety, dizziness and jitters. Cut back on caffeine, a dietary stimulant, for it can cause anxiety even you do not have problems.
- A study conducted, by National Institutes of Health in Oregon, in more than 3,000 women, showed that some women have reported good results from cutting back or eliminating caffeinated coffees, teas and colas. Try lessening your intake of caffeine to determine if your breast discomfort decreases.
- Caffeine has diuretic effect which actually increases fluid loss. It is recommendable to drink plenty of decaffeinated liquid to keep you hydrated and will also keep any mucous secretions you have more liquid.
- As caffeine stimulates your nervous system, it jump-starts your intestines. So, it is advisable to cut out your caffeine.
- Avoid drinking a lot of coffee or other caffeinated drinks when you are suffering from constipation. Remember, caffeine serves as a diuretic, removing fluid from your body when you want to retain it. It is advisable to stick with water, seltzer, juice or milk instead.
- Be cautious of coffee. The caffeine, sometimes, may not be the problem. But, the oils contained in both regular and decaffeinated coffee may play a role in heartburn. So, try reducing your consumption of coffee to determine if your heartburn troubles drop.
- Caffeine may “rev” you up and even keep you from falling asleep at your desk even you have small amounts intake of it. However, caffeine may cause heart palpitations and other unpleasant side effects if in large doses and for sensitive individuals. Since caffeine is habit forming, it may be hard wean yourself away from various caffeine-containing products you use in the course of a day, but the positive result will be worth it.
- Too much coffee, tea or soda with caffeine can hinder your sleep cycle at night. It is recommendable not to drink more than two cups of coffee or other caffeine-containing beverage in the morning and none after noon.
- Caffeine can stimulate the intestines which cause abdominal cramping or irritable bowel syndrome
- Caffeine is a stimulant which speeds up the heart, making it behave as it would response to overheating. Thus, it is advisable, to lessen your caffeine intake-found in coffee, tea, cola drinks. To do this, will benefit your heart and give you peace of mind.
- Coffee may irritate your stomach or known as stomach upset because of caffeine. It is advisable to ease off on coffee.
- Too much caffeine intake may cause restless legs syndrome, according to some neurologists. They believed that coffee, tea, chocolates, sodas and even over-the-counter medications may contain caffeine. Try reducing your consumption of caffeine-containing foods and medications to determine if your condition improves.
- Caffeine stimulates the loss of Calcium through the urine. A study showed that drinking more than two cups of average brewed coffee or four cups of average brewed tea per day can increase Calcium loss which may lead to Osteoporosis. So, it is advisable to lessen the caffeine intake.
- The caffeine intake in coffee, tea, and colas does stimulate the kidneys to produce more urine and makes the bladder fill up faster during a time when urination is painful. If caffeine seems to make these symptoms worse, avoid it until the infection eliminates.
- Completely avoid caffeine if hot flashes seem to be triggered by it. Try substituting non-caffeinated teas or decaffeinated coffee for caffeinated beverages.
- Excess caffeine also causes the kidneys to excrete more Calcium, a factor in bone thinning in postmenopausal women
