Caffeine, one of the most active components of coffee beans, has been named one of the most common drugs of abuse by university researchers in Melbourne. The statements of Australian researchers are by no means groundless, since excessive and long-term consumption of coffee can cause physical and mental dependence, and if the daily norm is exceeded, nausea and tinnitus.
Coffee addiction has become a real attribute of modern man. This statement is especially relevant in relation to residents of megalopolises and cities. For them, the 5-10 minutes they spend drinking their favorite drink becomes, in their opinion, a way to escape from the everyday hustle and bustle and another reason to enjoy the bitter-tart aroma and taste of coffee. Years of such habit lead to the fact that it is associated with relaxation, but this is far from the case. And in this article we will introduce you to the reasons that should prompt you to choose in favor of and abandon coffee and caffeine-containing drinks.
Why do people think that drinking coffee is good for health?
The advertisement paints an image of successful people who drink coffee.Caffeine is often called a soft drug, and it’s hard to disagree with this statement. We all know that a cup of strong aromatic coffee can evoke in us:
- a surge of strength and passion for physical activity;
- elimination or smoothing of pain;
- normalization of mood;
- sharpening of attention, intellectual abilities and memory.
This is why many people believe that coffee is a healthy and necessary product in their daily diet.
Advertising plays an important role in the popularization of this invigorating drink. Endless viewing of videos with images of beautiful and successful people with a cup of coffee in their hands, broadcast on television or on the Internet, numerous printed advertisements listing the beneficial properties of this drink - all this is deposited in people’s subconscious, and they begin to buy this product with pleasure. stores, without thinking about the fact that it is harmful to our health.
With prolonged drinking of coffee, we notice that this “ritual” becomes an integral part of our life, and without a morning dose of an invigorating drink, our mood worsens and everything falls out of hand. This dependence is not observed in those who strictly monitor the “daily intake” of the drink, and in such cases, drinking coffee does not harm health.
What dose of coffee is considered normal?
One liter of traditionally brewed coffee contains about 1500 mg of caffeine. A daily dose of this substance that stimulates the nervous system is considered harmless for the human body, which is no more than 1000 mg. When it is exceeded, depletion of nerve cells is observed and after some time the person develops dependence.
Most studies conducted to study the effects of coffee on the body show that the maximum permissible dose of caffeine per day is 500-600 mg (i.e., no more than 5-6 cups of coffee), and for children and adolescents it is even lower. When addiction or overdose of caffeine develops, a person experiences the following symptoms:
- headache;
- irritability;
- fatigue;
- drowsiness;
- muscle pain.
The appearance of these symptoms should always be a reason to refuse another cup of coffee and reconsider your attitude towards this invigorating drink!
Why is coffee bad for your health?
Harm to the nervous system and mental health
Excessive coffee consumption leads to exhaustion of the nervous system. Prolonged stimulation of the tissues of the nervous system leads to the fact that it is constantly in an excited state and experiences excessive stress. Such intense work causes depletion of nerve cells, and they cannot ensure the coordinated functioning of all systems and organs.
In addition to the negative impact on the physical functionality of the nervous system, coffee has a destructive effect on mental health and can cause insomnia. Constant overexcitation of the cerebral cortex can lead to the development of:
- unmotivated aggression;
- psychosis;
- paranoia;
- epilepsy.
Harm to the cardiovascular system
Overexcitation of the nervous system causes activation of the vasomotor center, and a person’s pulse and heart rate increase, as the heart begins to contract faster and the blood vessels narrow. Despite the short duration of this effect of caffeine, in coffee lovers who drink coffee frequently, constant hard work of the cardiovascular system leads to an increased risk of developing arterial hypertension and.
Drinking coffee is especially harmful for those people who suffer from various diseases or have a predisposition to them.
The greatest damage to blood vessels and the heart is caused by coffee prepared by brewing, rather than in a coffee maker.
Harm to metabolism
Coffee consumption leads to impaired absorption of the following microelements and vitamins:
- sodium;
- magnesium;
- vitamin B6 and B1;
- calcium.
As a result of a lack of microelements, a person’s teeth begin to deteriorate, developing, and frequent pain in the neck and back. A lack of magnesium and vitamins B6 and B1 causes disruption in the blood supply system, and a person may experience headaches, irritability and other symptoms of cerebrovascular accident.
Harm to Fertility
Caffeine can stimulate the excessive secretion of adrenal hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. An increase in their level leads to hormonal imbalance, and women will experience a deficiency of such an important hormone for the onset and successful completion of pregnancy as progesterone.
That is why avoidance of caffeine-containing drinks is recommended for all women and pregnant women. It is especially harmful to drink this invigorating drink after the 20th week of pregnancy and in the last months of gestation. Research confirms that consuming even 4 cups of coffee a day increases the risk of premature miscarriage in 33% of women.
Harm to the fetus and unborn child
Pregnant women should avoid drinking coffee. Excessive consumption of coffee during pregnancy can cause the following disturbances in fetal development:
- risk of developing cardiovascular pathologies;
- delayed physical and mental development;
- the birth of a child with caffeine addiction;
- tooth growth at a later date.
Harmful to normal weight
Excessive coffee consumption leads to extra pounds. This conclusion was reached by many scientists who studied the effects of caffeine on the human body. The reason for the appearance of excess fat is a hormonal imbalance, provoked by excessive production of cortisol by the adrenal glands. Because of this, it begins to function incorrectly, and a person’s metabolic processes slow down, and more fat appears under the skin.
Harm to the immune system
Caffeine contributes to the insufficient production of thyroid hormones, and due to their deficiency, malfunctions in the functioning of our immunity appear. As a result, a person becomes more susceptible to the development of various infectious diseases, and it takes a longer time to recover.
Harm to skin and hair
An insufficient amount of thyroid hormones and disturbances in the absorption of microelements and vitamins lead to the following unpleasant symptoms for both women and men:
- dryness and flaking of the skin;
- roughening of the skin on the elbows and soles;
- brittleness and dullness of nails;
Harm to the liver
Some doctors have differing opinions about the harmful effects of coffee on the liver. Some hepatologist doctors recommend that patients with alcoholism or alcoholism develop a small amount of this drink with the addition of milk. In their opinion, coffee is necessary to slow down the development of scarring (fibrosis) in liver tissue. However, it should be noted that excessive consumption of this drink can harm this vital organ.
The liver is a real “laboratory” for decontamination and removal of toxic substances from the body. And when growing some varieties of coffee and producing drinks such as decaffeinated coffee, pesticides and other toxic substances are used - ethyl acetate and methylene chloride.
They have a toxic effect on the liver, and it spends a huge part of its resources on processing these poisons. In addition, the liver is involved in the production of enzymes necessary for the breakdown of substances contained in coffee and their metabolism. As a result, the liver of coffee drinkers experiences increasing stress, becomes depleted, and the person’s risk of developing hepatitis increases.
Harm to teeth
Coffee contains many substances that pigment teeth, which cause darkening of teeth and contribute to the appearance of tartar. Dental plaque accumulates a greater number of pathogenic microorganisms, which can cause the development of various inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity and tooth loss.
Harmful to the development of children and adolescents
In addition to all the health problems that are caused by caffeine overdose in adults, drinking coffee in children can cause problems in their development and health.
When you can’t resist your fifth mug of coffee, the question of the benefits involuntarily creeps into your head. The debate about the coffee drink does not subside - some believe that the large amounts of caffeine and theophylline contained in the beans cause significant damage to the body, while others think that the drink is absolutely harmless.
Peter I himself could not resist the magic of the aromatic grains - having fallen in love with the drink, the ruler forced his subjects to drink it daily.
Despite the huge number of coffee trees (about seventy species), the main ones are Arabica and Robusta - they supply humanity with a natural source of energy.
The surge of energy depends largely on the quality and proper roasting of coffee. Different heat treatment technologies make it possible to create the necessary strength and richness of taste. For Scandinavian coffee, the beans are only lightly roasted; for Viennese coffee, the beans are roasted until medium. The strongest degree of roasting is Italian.
Benefits and composition of coffee
The natural drink contains few carbohydrates, proteins and fats, but a sufficient amount of vitamins and microelements such as:
- Calcium;
- Potassium;
- Magnesium;
- Phosphorus;
- Iron;
- Sodium;
- Essential oils;
- Tannin;
- Kafeol;
- Vitamins of group B, PP.
Organic chlorogenic acid normalizes the functioning of the digestive tract, disinfects the oral cavity (prevention of caries), and restores intestinal microflora. The rich coffee aroma comes from the alkaloid trigoneline, which produces nicotinic acid when roasted. Polysaccharides affect brain function, and caffeine makes the heart beat faster, improves metabolic processes, reduces stress and gives the necessary boost of energy in the morning.
Coffee has a beneficial effect on blood vessels - doctors advise drinking the drink if you have heart failure.
In small doses, coffee can relieve headaches and produces the hormone of happiness (serotonin), which relieves depression. The drink dulls the feeling of hunger, removes toxins and waste from the body, which is very important for girls on a diet. According to scientists, coffee beans slow down the development of cancerous tumors, stimulate memory, reducing the amount of proteins in the brain in elderly people suffering from Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. Substances in coffee beans regulate the level of bile juice, reduce the formation of kidney stones, and reduce the occurrence of diabetes. In men, frequent consumption of coffee drink can affect libido and decrease sexual desire (the level of the female hormone estrogen increases). Scientists' opinions on this issue vary - professors from Brazil are confident that coffee, on the contrary, causes increased sexual desire, acting as a natural aphrodisiac. True, the drink is completely powerless if a man has impotence.
Harm and contraindications
In order not to cause harm to health, it is enough to control the consumption of the drink: the permissible amount of coffee per day is 3-4 mugs, 120 ml of water per glass. The number of grains depends on the concentration. Adding milk helps remove tannins, a characteristic bitter taste. Minus - gradually, caffeine becomes addictive, and a person begins to drink mug after mug, without even thinking about the possible consequences.
Pregnant women are advised to temporarily abstain from coffee - the drink tones not only the muscles, but also the uterus, which negatively affects the development of the fetus in the womb. If consumed excessively (5-6 cups at a time), a person may faint. Caffeine in high doses washes calcium from the body, can increase cholesterol in the blood and provoke atherosclerosis.
Excessive love for coffee leads to tachycardia, insomnia, stress, neuroses, poor absorption of vitamins, as well as gastritis if drunk on an empty stomach.
Dehydration of the body due to its diuretic effect leads to rapid aging of the skin. To restore your water balance, you need to drink twice as much water.
Coffee is contraindicated for people with diseases such as :
- Hypertension, hypertensive crisis;
- Heart disease (ischemia, arrhythmia);
- Gastritis, stomach ulcer, duodenal ulcer;
- Pancreatitis;
- Prostatitis;
- Inflammation of the thyroid gland;
- Anemia.
Instant coffee is an order of magnitude worse than natural beans. It’s not difficult to guess why - soluble granules are made from cheap robusta, recycled materials, coffee crumbs with added dyes, and the caffeine content in freeze-dried powders is much higher.
When preparing our daily cup of coffee, we don’t even think about how this drink affects our body. Well, besides the fact that it invigorates. But daily consumption one way or another has an effect on organ systems. But whether caffeine brings benefit or harm - we will talk about this in the article.
What's in a coffee bean?
Before we look at the effects of coffee on the human body, let's look at what a coffee bean is.
Coffee beans contain over 2000 different substances, including:
- iron;
- magnesium;
- pyridine;
- calcium;
- quinic acid;
- oxalic acid;
- vitamins of different groups;
- tannins;
- nitrogen;
- mineral salts, etc.
Leading this march is caffeine. This substance belongs to the alkaloids; depending on the dosage, caffeine can have both a tonic effect and depress the central nervous system.
Caffeine in medicine
Caffeine is used in medicine as a psychostimulant. It is indicated for diseases that are accompanied by depression of the functions of the cardiovascular system and central nervous system, for bedwetting, and to increase general tone.
Caffeine is available in tablets in dosages of 100 mg and 200 mg. One cup of coffee typically contains about the same amount of caffeine. Adult patients are prescribed two or three doses of 50 mg to 100 mg. It follows that the permissible dose of coffee consumption is up to 3 cups per day. We will talk further about the effect of coffee on the body for specific diseases.
How does coffee affect various human organ systems?
You may have noticed that along with your increased performance after your morning espresso, you experience heartburn and a frequent urge to urinate. Have you ever thought that this could be due to caffeine? Let's figure it out.
The effect of coffee on the heart and blood vessels
Under the influence of caffeine, the heart rate increases. For a young, healthy heart, as well as elastic blood vessels, this effect is positive in moderate doses. But for people who are at risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, rapid heartbeat can cause complications: lack of oxygen in the heart muscle, hypertensive crisis. And for people with coronary heart disease, high doses of caffeine can serve as a trigger for arrhythmia and even heart attack.
Effects of coffee on the stomach
The effect of coffee on the stomach and gastrointestinal tract is associated not so much with caffeine, but with the acids contained in the drink. Their action is to stimulate the work of gastric secretions, which entails accelerating the digestion of food and activating the production of gastric juice. If there are no gastrointestinal pathologies, and coffee is not consumed in excess of the norm, then the drink will help improve digestion and stool. But for people with gastritis or stomach ulcers, this can be harmful, so you should give it up and switch to herbal teas and cocoa.
Effects of coffee on the liver
There is ongoing debate about the effects of coffee on the liver. Some doctors say that the drink is healthy, others are inclined to believe that it is harmful. It is important to note that when drinking natural coffee, a person with a healthy liver will not be in any danger. But instant coffee is not recommended to anyone at all.
As for the benefits, we all know that the liver cleanses our body. And since caffeine promotes gastric secretion and improves metabolism, cleansing processes are accelerated. It should also be said that coffee beans contain components involved in lipid metabolism. This reduces the risk of fatty liver disease. The drink also helps prevent the formation of scar tissue, which promotes rapid organ regeneration.
It is better to consult your doctor about whether you should drink coffee if you have liver disease.
The effect of coffee on the brain and nervous system
Regular consumption of coffee improves cognitive abilities, reactions, logical thinking, reduces the effects of stress and the occurrence of depression. However, abuse and excess doses lead to depression, lethargy, and insomnia. Therefore, you can drink no more than 3 cups a day and no later than 14:00-15:00 hours.
Effect of coffee on kidneys
About 10% of caffeine is excreted unchanged from the body by the kidneys. With constant use, most people experience an increase in diuresis, which means that a person goes to the toilet more often. This entails increased fluid loss, disrupting the metabolic processes of electrolytes and minerals. At the same time, calcium and sodium are washed out of the body. Taken together, these processes can lead to the formation of kidney stones. Therefore, after each cup of coffee, it is recommended to drink a glass of clean water to replenish your water balance.
The effect of coffee on a woman’s body - can pregnant women drink the drink?
We hope that now you will take a more conscious approach to drinking coffee and listen to your body. And if you are looking for a coffee machine to drink a quality drink, we offer you a coffee machine rental on favorable terms. We work in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Novosibirsk.
Coffee is surrounded by many contradictions: some attribute extraordinary harm to it, while others insist on the benefits of this drink. There are more than enough coffee lovers in modern society. However, most likely, neither of them ever seriously thought about the effects of caffeine. What effect does coffee actually have on the human body, is it possible to drink it every day and are there indications for its use?
How does coffee work?
The effect of caffeine on the human body is primarily expressed in the stimulation of the nervous system. Caffeine stimulates brain activity. The vessels dilate, and blood begins to circulate through the central nervous system at a higher speed. For this reason, the processes that occur in the central nervous system begin to accelerate and vigor comes to the person. In addition, a cup of coffee can increase sensitivity by increasing nervous excitability.
This is why most people like to drink coffee in the morning, because after waking up, brain activity has not yet gained momentum and is at a low level. After sleep, the nervous system is at rest and needs either time to get used to being awake or a boost, which can be given by caffeine. However, this drink is not suitable for everyone and quite often it happens that a person feels bad after drinking coffee.
Drinking coffee is appropriate for those whose work requires special attentiveness and sobriety of mind, as it improves mental activity. Elderly people especially praise this drink, because it increases performance and gives strength.
How does coffee affect the human body?
- improves brain activity and increases performance;
- accelerates processes in the cerebral cortex and thereby has a stimulating effect on the human body;
- coffee speeds up digestion of food and increases appetite;
- increases blood pressure and heart rate;
- most importantly, it has an invigorating effect, removes fatigue and lethargy, increases alertness and activity.
Of course, natural coffee beans, which are brewed using technology and are not brought to a boil, have a more noticeable effect. The instant drink sold in supermarkets does not have such an invigorating effect and many can easily fall asleep after drinking a cup. But after drinking properly brewed natural coffee in the evening, you may not sleep a wink all night.
Drinking coffee without moderation is quite dangerous, because it is fraught with various unwanted reactions. It is especially risky to drink a natural drink, since it contains a large amount of caffeine. An overdose of coffee can cause the following symptoms:
- panic attacks, depression, irritability, unreasonable fear, dizziness and headaches;
- rapid heartbeat, arrhythmia, increased blood pressure;
- after coffee, shaking, disorientation, severe overexcitation, exhaustion appear;
- discomfort in the stomach from the constant secretion of gastric juice;
- inability to relax and fall asleep, and if a person falls asleep, then he is half asleep. Delirium appears, which constantly interrupts sleep and abruptly brings you out of it.
One or another of the above reactions is often observed in coffee lovers who are accustomed to drinking one cup of natural coffee after another. In acute caffeine poisoning, its effect on the body is manifested in the following symptoms:
- nausea and vomiting;
- frequent intermittent breathing;
- delirium and convulsions;
- tachycardia and arrhythmia;
- redness of the skin.
Obviously, death from a coffee overdose is a rare occurrence, because in order to get a lethal dose of caffeine, you need to drink a hundred cups, and this is unrealistic. However, if you do not take action and continue to take this drink in the presence of the above symptoms, then they may be followed by coma, collapse and even death.
Coffee contains many organic acids, namely: citric, acetic, malic and oxalic. Due to their influence, an increased secretion of digestive juice occurs in the stomach and the person feels hungry. Roughly speaking, this drink speeds up the process of digesting food and if you drink it with a hearty breakfast, it will be absorbed by the body much faster. And this is certainly a positive property, provided that the person does not have any serious diseases or pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.
A pleasant fact is that scientists have recently determined that coffee is beneficial for the liver. It is believed that the coffee drink restores the liver at the cellular level and this is not surprising, because medicine has proven that bitterness is good for the liver. How it affects this organ is not known for certain, but according to statistics, people who drink about three cups of natural coffee a day are not at risk of diseases such as cirrhosis, fatty hepatosis and even liver cancer.
Unfortunately, nothing good can be said about the instant version, except that it still gives some vigor. Its action is inversely proportional to the action of the natural one. Regular use of this surrogate can result in an exacerbation of chronic diseases, and it has a destructive effect on the liver, so the question of whether instant coffee is harmful can be answered in the affirmative. Replacing natural coffee with this drink is like eating soup with a bouillon cube: the taste is similar to real chicken broth, but there is no benefit.
With increased acidity, coffee can have a negative effect and aggravate the problem due to the presence of organic acids in its composition. Therefore, before drinking this drink with such a disease, you should definitely consult a specialist. In addition, if coffee makes you feel bad, only a competent gastroenterologist can tell you what to do and whether you can drink it.
How coffee participates in metabolic processes
Caffeine speeds up many processes in the body, including metabolic ones, so coffee is recommended for people who want to lose weight. Despite the fact that the coffee drink increases appetite, coffee is not prohibited by nutritionists, but, on the contrary, is included in the diet menu, as it promotes the breakdown of fat reserves.
Oddly enough, this drink is also useful for diabetes, and all because its effect is aimed at accelerating the absorption of glucose. Therefore, people suffering from this serious disease can easily afford to drink a cup in order to cheer up, without worrying about the consequences.
Contraindications for use
Taking into account how strongly coffee affects the human body, it becomes clear that for some this invigorating and stimulating drink is contraindicated, as it can cause harm. Here are diseases for which coffee consumption should be minimized or completely eliminated from your diet:
- instability of the nervous system, neuroses;
- serious mental illness;
- hypertension and coronary heart disease, arrhythmia;
- erosions and ulcers of the duodenum or stomach, gastritis, increased acidity.
As for cardiovascular diseases, in almost all cases the coffee drink is prohibited, since in the presence of a serious diagnosis, caffeine is unsafe for the heart and blood vessels. Only a specialist can determine whether it is possible to sometimes drink coffee with such ailments and whether its effect in one case or another will not be detrimental to the body.
There are many opinions on whether coffee is ok during pregnancy. Since coffee excites the nervous system and acts as a diuretic, the expectant mother should not rely on it. It is better to stop using it altogether, because it can also affect the fetus, and nervous excitement in the womb can result in various consequences.
Considering that coffee invigorates, we can summarize that it is an indispensable drink for a person who leads an active lifestyle. We all have moments when we urgently need to get ready, but fatigue overcomes us. If you drink coffee once or twice a day and do not become addicted, then it will only have a positive effect on the body, but it is better to avoid the instant drink altogether.
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