Millions of people consume coffee on a daily basis. That rich, smooth taste and the pick-me-up feeling you get from drinking coffee can't be beat. But what is the caffeine in every cup doing to our bodies? Here are the most common side effects of caffeine.
Caffeine is a stimulant by the way it's strong effect on the central nervous system. Those effects begin as quickly as 15 minutes after drinking for up to six hours later. Caffeine can increase blood pressure, your body temperature, heart rate, blood flow to the skin & extremities, blood sugar levels, stomach acid secretion and act as a diuretic.
Side Effects of Caffeine.
Moderate doses of about two 6-ounce cups of coffee will create very few or no negative side effects. Moderate consumption of caffeine hasn't been found to increase the risk for irregular heartbeats, heart disease, high cholesterol levels, cancer, fibrocystic breast disease or infertility.
* It increases wakefulness and motor activity.
* Drinking coffee, contrary to popular belief, won't help you become sober if you're intoxicated.
* Sensitivity to caffeine can vary by individual. Some can drink several cups of coffee with hardly any side effects. Others are so sensitive to caffeine that even small dose makes them uncomfortable.
* Sensitive drinkers who consume more that 2 size-ounce cups of coffer at a time, might experience insomnia, irritability, hand tremors, restlessness, nervousness, headaches, extra heartbeats and have a difficult time concentrating.
* Other side effects that might be temporary felt include a rise in blood pressure, breathing rate and your metabolism. PMS symptoms may become more noticeable with caffeine.
* Some of the more serious long term side effects of drinking over ten cups of coffee a day might include increased heartburn problems, conception problems, and changes in bowel habits.
* Caffeine can increase your alertness, especially in tired individuals. Caffeinated beverages may help you stay alert at work or while studying.
* Research by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has found there aren't any differences in how children and adults handle caffeine. This means the long held belief that caffeine causes hyperactivity or short attention spans in children probably isn't the cause. Just use common sense when allowing your kids to consume high caffeine foods, as with any foods.
* Caffeine doesn't affect reproduction in humans, although pregnant women need to consume caffeine products in small doses.
* Consuming too much caffeine can lead to sleep deprivation since you might have a tendency to disregard your body's tiredness signals.
* Too much caffeine can lead to anxiety-related feelings like sweating, excessive nervousness, and tremors.
Caffeine comes from the German word kaffee and the French word cafe. They both mean coffee. Caffeine is completely absorbed in the body within 30 to 45 minutes and the effects normally lessen in three hours. Caffeine affects the mood, stamina, the gastric and colon activity and the cerebral vascular system of the body.
Is it addictive?
That depends on whom you ask. Some researchers found that the effects of caffeine withdrawal included a wide range of symptoms including headaches, tiredness, depressed mood, difficulty concentrating, drowsiness or sleepiness, irritability and other similar symptoms. The symptoms began within 12 to 24 hours after abstaining from caffeine products and lasted any where from 2 to 9 days. This amount of time shows evidence that some may be addicted to caffeine.
Other research, however, has found that caffeine is not addictive. The research shows that we have a desire to repeatedly consume caffeine merely for pleasurable reasons such as the aroma, taste and social aspects of consuming caffeine. They believe caffeine product consumption is simply a habit and not a need.
So whether you drink caffeinated beverages in moderation to boost your alertness or consume only a small amount for the taste, you should know the effects it may have on your body.
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