We all seem to have this pre-conceived notion that only coffee contains caffeine but that’s not the case at all. Drinks like soda and chocolate products contain even more caffeine than a cup of that Colombian dark roast you like so much. Sure, a hot cup of coffee with the morning sunshine sounds so tempting and revitalizing.
After all, it has the ability to keep you awake as well help burn that midnight oil when you need it most. In our society, coffee has become a matter for social gathering… kind of like a bar but you can visit during your lunch break without the threat of getting fired. But like Benjamin Franklin famously stated, “All things in moderation.”
Having coffee can help you stay alert but it is the aftermath you should be worried about. In too large of quantities, it can wreak havoc on your body. Studies have proven that caffeine is a stimulant which does wonders to your central nervous system by stressing the hormones in the blood stream and keeping you alert and awake whenever you have it.
This unnatural way of keeping your body alert takes it’s toll. The normal way of functioning gets disrupted due to the intake of coffee or any other product which contains a large amount of caffeine.
As caffeine enters the system it has the potential to make us addicted to that sudden jolt. If should happen to start taking larger than normal doses of caffeine and then you suddenly stop taking coffee, you will oftentimes face caffeine withdrawal symptoms which can be anything from a headache, irritability, fatigue, constipation, lack of appetite, lack of concentration to even forgetfulness.
The withdrawal symptoms can be very harmful… leading to stomach ulcers as the coffee is acidic. This excess acid gets into your blood streams causing loss of calcium in urine. Caffeine which has been freely used in most of the soft drinks has led kids get addicted to it to a degree. The high content of sugar makes it very popular among children which can also lead to another unhealthy result… obesity.
Large doses of caffeine can also cause abnormally fast, slow or irregular heartbeats. It is also been attributed to increased blood pressure which leads to constant stress and hypertension. In such cases, there are increasing chances of heart disease; pancreas and bladder cancer which is oftentimes fatal.
If you’ve found yourself enjoying that cup of Joe a little too often, consider cutting back slowly. The process should be slow and gradual to avoid potentially nasty withdrawal symptoms. Avoid other caffeinated products or substituting caffeine for another potentially harmful product (nicotine, sugar, etc) which would just make matters worse. If you happen to drink 6 cups coffee a day, consider cutting back slowly. Consider trying a couple of cups of green tea in place of that java fix or even better… drink plenty of water instead.
Comments on this entry are closed.