How does caffeine affect your body?
Most of us love a coffee or two, don’t we? Some will have a normal amount every now and then while others will ask for it.
Be a fan of freshly brewed coffee or someone who relies on energy drinks to get through the day, caffeine can get into our lives quickly!
While going out of the house without coffee is a completely insane idea for some, many of us get through the day relying on this stimulant.
Is caffeine something that, like other foods, we can enjoy in moderation? Or is caffeine more harmful than good for us?
Let’s take a closer look at how caffeine affects our bodies.
Facts about caffeine:
- Caffeine (both intended and not intended as a stimulant) is found in a number of foods, not just our favorite coffee
- The recommended daily caffeine intake is around 400 mg
- Research has reported a number of benefits from caffeine, including weight loss
- Consuming Too Much Caffeine Can Have Side Effects – While caffeine in general can cause some of us negative effects, including during pregnancy
- Caffeine powder should definitely be avoided
How do we usually use caffeine?
Caffeine is used for a number of reasons; in food, beverages, and even where it occurs naturally. While the FDA recommends no more than 400 mg of caffeine per day, many of us consume this in a number of ways. This can include certain pain relievers.
However, aside from the medications, caffeine is most commonly found in coffee, energy drinks, and sodas, with more than 90% of American adults consuming caffeine on a regular basis. Many of us probably don’t even know we are!
Where does caffeine come from?
Believe it or not, caffeine actually occurs naturally in over 60 types of plants. You can find it below (only a few here, of course!):
- Yerba mate leaf
- Tea leaves and buds
- Coffee beans
- Dola nuts
- Cocoa beans
- Guarana seeds
When found naturally in plants, it acts as a natural pesticide.
Caffeine and food
Generally, when we think of caffeine, we immediately think of coffee. However, caffeine is also found in many common foods. These include: tea, chocolate, some waffles, chewing gum, jelly beans, and even marshmallows.
Of course, it can be difficult to measure your caffeine intake when ingesting foods that contain caffeine – especially if you are also a big coffee drinker. While the recommended amount is around 400 mg (2 to 3 coffees), a little more doesn’t necessarily hurt.
However, if you keep going overboard with your caffeine, it can have some side effects! Especially if you have trouble falling asleep as caffeine is considered a stimulant.
Many of us don’t know how much caffeine is in popular drinks, for example:
- 95 to 200 mg in an 8-ounce cup of coffee
- 35 to 45 mg in a 12 ounce can of cola
- 70 to 150 mg in an 8-ounce energy drink
- 14 to 60 mg in an 8-ounce cup of tea
Choosing decaffeinated coffee can certainly save you a little caffeine, but that doesn’t mean it’s 100% decaf.
What are the benefits of caffeine?
Does Caffeine Deserve a Bad Rep? Definitely not, especially with the following potential benefits.
Increase Weight Loss
Caffeine has long been linked to weight loss because it has the power to stimulate thermogenesis and increase the body’s potential to produce more heat and energy from digesting food.
Read also: Why is breakfast the most important meal of the day?
Caffeine is also known to suppress your appetite. So instead of reaching for those pesky snacks throughout the day, coffee can curb your cravings and keep you feeling full between meals.
Many weight loss products advertise their “thermogenic” abilities because they contain caffeine, ephedrine, or ephedra.
Gain focus
If you ever woke up a little dazed, the first thing you probably did was drink some hot coffee to help wake you up! This is the most common use of caffeine as so many love our morning cup of coffee to get us going.
Research has shown that a 75-mg serving of caffeine has the potential to increase your alertness and alertness, with even higher doses improving mental alertness, memory, and even quick thinking.
While the first sense of focus and alertness can be a benefit of caffeine, we strongly advise against drinking caffeinated beverages before bed or when trying not to sleep!
Improve athletic performance
Caffeine can do more than just improve your ailing condition in the morning! Caffeine has also been shown to improve physical performance during endurance training, which is why many gyms have energy drinks and sports drinks in stock to give you that extra kick.
Health benefits of caffeine
Yes, caffeine could be good for your health! Here are some potential health benefits of caffeine.
- Brain Function – Some research has shown that caffeine can improve thinking skills and slow the effects of mental decline as you age
- Memory, including a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s – Studies have shown that higher levels of coffee consumption and lifelong caffeine consumption can help with these types of diseases
- Reduced Skin Cancer Risk – Applying caffeine directly to your skin (in mice) has been shown to contribute to UV light causing cancer
- Reduced risk of type 2 diabetes – Although the percentage is pretty small (at 1%!), One study showed that drinking more caffeine can lower your risk of type 2 diabetes
But are there any other potential health benefits of caffeine? Yes there is more!
- Lower risk of stroke
- Reduced risk of dying from oral cancer
- Potential to protect against cataracts
- Reduced risk of developing kidney stones
Does caffeine have any risks?
Also Read: What To Eat Before Exercising
While there are many potential health benefits, does caffeine have any risks?
Anxiety and depression
If you are struggling with anxiety or depression, high caffeine levels can make these symptoms worse. In addition, high caffeine intake has been associated with high weight, lower study success, and an increased risk of depression.
Blood sugar level
People with type 2 diabetes report increases in blood sugar levels after consuming caffeine. In addition, there is some evidence that caffeine can interfere with the action of insulin.
Pregnancy and fertility
It is recommended that women avoid caffeine while pregnant, and for good reason. Studies have shown the effects caffeine can have during pregnancy:
- Delayed fetal growth
- Pregnancy loss
- Abnormal fetal heart rhythm
Other possible side effects are:
- Incontinence – As a study shows, women taking 329 mg daily were 70% more likely to have bladder problems
- a headache
- According to studies, menopausal women who consumed caffeine were at higher risk for hot flashes
- insomnia
- Feeling dizzy
- Nausea
- heartburn
- nervousness
- jitters
- stomach pain
- Fast or irregular heartbeat
Medication and caffeine
As we mentioned earlier, some over-the-counter medications can contain a small amount of caffeine. However, some drugs can interact with caffeine, including:
- Antibiotics
- Antipsychotics
- Some antidepressants
- Bronchodilators
- Carbamazepine
As well as some herbs and supplements:
- calcium
- Echinacea
- Melatonin
- magnesium
- Red clover
- Ephedra
- Kudzu
Caffeine Myths Debunked
Is caffeine addicting?
While caffeine is not necessarily addictive in the sense of illegal drugs, it is possible to experience withdrawal symptoms if you stop using caffeine.
Is Caffeine a Diuretic?
Many coffee drinkers claim that caffeine has the potential to increase urine volume and frequency. As a result, the body loses water and electrolytes such as sodium and potassium.
Also read: How to get a peach-colored bottom and tone your glutes
But I wouldn’t worry too much as the liquid in your coffee makes up for any loss.
Can Coffee Help Sober Up?
After drinking or during a hangover, caffeine can make you feel more awake, but it won’t sober you enough to drive, for example.
Consumption of caffeinated energy drinks with alcohol
There isn’t a single amount of caffeine that we can confirm for all energy drinks as they vary widely based on brand and type. However, many of us like to enjoy alcohol mixed with an energy drink of our choice.
When mixing an alcoholic drink with an energy drink, caffeine can somewhat mask the depressant effects of alcohol. Also, a 16-ounce americano coffee contains an average of 225 mg of caffeine. In an energy drink of the same size, it can range from 160 mg to 357 mg.
So if you drink a lot and consume energy drinks, you can suffer from nervousness, headaches and, most definitely, difficulty falling asleep!
Can you overdose on caffeine?
It’s pretty unlikely that you will die from having too much caffeine in your diet. It has been estimated that the average adult male would kill 149+ cans of caffeinated energy drink.
Still, caffeine in its pure form can be a powerful stimulant. A single teaspoon of pure caffeine is roughly equivalent to 28 cups of coffee. This can be incredibly unsafe and is best avoided at all costs.
Conclusion
And that’s it! Your body can certainly benefit from the effects of caffeine in moderation.
However, do not overdo it or you may feel nervous, have difficulty falling asleep and this could worsen your anxious feelings.
If you’re looking to kickstart your weight loss and boost your metabolism, it’s no surprise that caffeine can benefit you! This is why we use caffeine in Zortrim. This powerful ingredient will increase your alertness and focus so that you can achieve these goals, ladies!