Caffeine Pros and Cons
When is your daily cup of coffee helping you, and when isn't it? And what about energy drinks?
I am on a long-awaited beach vacation, a welcome reprieve from endless chores and the cacophony of screeching fire engines that invade our bedroom at all hours of the day and night.
It is hot and humid and delightful, especially compared to the weather we've been getting at home. As we approach the lounge chairs waiting for us, I turn to my husband and say, "I'll be right back. I'm going to get coffee."
"Honey," he says, "It's almost ninety degrees already. You really want coffee?"
He knows I won't get a cold beverage, unlike most "normal" people who think beach days go best with a frosty piña colada or perhaps an iced latte. No, whatever the temperature might be, I am a "give me a cup of hot coffee, with a little milk and no sugar, please" kind of gal.
If we could choose our middle names, I think mine would be "caffeine."
What Is Caffeine?
Caffeine is a flavorless substance found naturally in the leaves, seeds and fruits of more than sixty plants, including tea leaves, kola nuts, coffee beans, cacao beans, guarana berries and yerba mate leaves. It is also found in many processed foods like chocolate, colas, candies and gum, and is often added to over-the-counter medications such as pain relievers and cold medicines.
Caffeine is a central nervous stimulant often used to promote wakefulness or to enhance cognitive performance.
Caffeine is a central nervous stimulant often used to promote wakefulness or to enhance cognitive performance. Along with caffeine, coffee contains polyphenols, which are chemicals with both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Caffeine is also a diuretic which helps to rid your body of fluids. It's rapidly absorbed, with its effects generally felt within 45 or 50 minutes and peaking at about two hours.
In a January 2024 American Medical Association podcast, "What doctors wish patients knew about the impact of caffeine," Shannon Kilgore, MD, a neurologist at the Veterans Affairs Health Care System in Palo Alto, California and Stanford University School of Medicine, explains that "the half-life of the drug can range from as quickly as an hour and a half to as long as nine hours, depending on an individual's genetic factors, to coadministration with other medications, such as oral contraceptives, and to smoking status."
The type of CYP1A2 gene that you possess (fast or slow version) affects whether you're a fast or slow metabolizer. Fast caffeine metabolizers, who clear caffeine from their system about four times more quickly than those who metabolize it more slowly, can have a cup of strong coffee at bedtime and still be snoring within minutes.
The Many Benefits of Caffeine
According to the Food and Drug Administration, a healthy intake of caffeine can be up to 400 mg. per day, with an average 8-ounce cup of coffee containing 80-100 mg. Anyone who is pregnant, has underlying heart disease or hypertension, digestive issues such as GERD (gastric reflux) or other medical conditions should consult their health care provider for recommendations.
Caffeine stimulates the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure, motivation and learning, as well as norepinephrine, which increases alertness, arousal and attention. It increases the circulation of chemicals such as cortisol and adrenaline in the body and promotes wakefulness by blocking adenosine receptors in the brain.
Caffeine intake is also linked with a decreased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes because of its effect on regulating glucose and insulin levels.
Adenosine, a sleep-inducing substance, normally accumulates during the day, with your afternoon yawns signifying the need for a cup of java to counteract its effects.
For many years, there have been heated discussions as to whether caffeine is good for you, and if so, in what amount. While there are still some mixed results concerning certain findings, the latest results may send you running to your kitchen cabinet to joyfully retrieve your extra-large coffee mug.
A longitudinal study, reported in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association that followed 12,585 coffee drinkers over 20 years as they went from a median age of 53 years to 73, found that those who drank four or more cups of coffee daily were twice as likely to avoid becoming physically frail or to have seriously diminished strength or endurance as they aged into their seventies. This is pretty amazing.
Numerous research studies in the past two decades have found that moderate intake of coffee has been correlated with positive effects on cardiovascular health including a reduced risk of stroke, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, metabolic syndrome and heart failure. Significantly, caffeine consumption has been correlated with a substantial decrease in all-cause and cardiovascular-related mortality.
Caffeine intake is also linked with a decreased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes because of its effect on regulating glucose and insulin levels.
Coffee drinkers have been found to be less likely to be depressed, which may be related to its antioxidant effects or its anti-inflammatory properties.
With compounds known to protect against cellular damage, caffeine has been shown to reduce the risks of certain types of cancer, particularly liver and endometrial cancer, but also including colon, breast cancer, bladder and some types of skin cancers. Caffeine intake has been associated with reduced liver stiffness, decreased scar tissue and reducing the severity of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease among overweight people with type 2 diabetes.
It also increases your basal metabolic rate, jumpstarting the process of converting fat stores into energy. Kilgore says that coffee improves endurance and speed as well as decreasing your perception of fatigue, helping people to exercise more vigorously and for longer periods of time. A new study shows that people who drink coffee take, on average, 1,000 extra steps per day compared to non-users.
Coffee drinkers have been found to be less likely to be depressed, which may be related to its antioxidant effects or its anti-inflammatory properties (and taking a break in my day to have a cup of java in a local café certainly acts as an antidepressant for me!)
Caffeine has been found to reduce the risk of cognitive decline, Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia, possibly by preventing the build-up of beta-amyloid plaque. Studies have suggested that caffeine can protect against the loss of dopamine neurons in the brain and can measurably lower the risk of developing Parkinson's disease.
Many people aren't aware that decaffeinated coffee still contains caffeine, about 2 to 15 milligrams per cup. Decaf coffee has only slightly lower levels of health-inducing substances, which is why its intake seems to also be associated with improved longevity. An eight-ounce cup of black tea contains 47 mg. of caffeine and has many, although not all, of the health enhancement effects of coffee.
One study showed that coffee drinkers between the ages of 65 to 70 took 33% longer to metabolize caffeine than did younger participants, meaning that we may experience amplified effects as we get older.
A recent study in BMC's Cell and Bioscience journal found that, due to the presence of polyphenolic compounds such as chlorogenic acid (CGA), one to two cups of coffee per day may help to reduce the risk of severe COVID. Just one more reason to enjoy that afternoon pick-me-up!
When Caffeine Isn't Good for You
Too much coffee can lead to a variety of unpleasant, and sometimes even dangerous, side effects. These include anxiety, insomnia, palpitations, racing pulse, jitteriness, elevated blood pressure and nausea or diarrhea.
Age may contribute to a growing caffeine sensitivity. One study showed that coffee drinkers between the ages of 65 to 70 took 33% longer to metabolize caffeine than did younger participants, meaning that we may experience amplified effects as we get older.
Some people get headaches if they consume too much caffeine, although the vasoconstriction it causes actually helps some headaches, such as migraines.
Unfiltered coffee made with a French press or Turkish style and, to a lesser extent, espresso, are associated with a small but significant increase in LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) and triglycerides. This is because filtering coffee removes much of the cafestol, a compound in coffee that raises blood cholesterol levels.
Energy drinks, especially those containing mega-amounts of caffeine and consumed multiple times throughout the day or evening, have landed some users in emergency rooms with palpitations, panic attacks, tremors or even delirium.
I must admit that beach vacations and coffee are two of my favorite things in the entire world. I'm so glad they're both good for me.
