Is Coffee Good or Bad for Your Health?

There are some good reasons why you should drink coffee (or start to if you are not presently a coffee drinker) but there are also reasons why java has developed a bad reputation. Here we look at why you should go easy on coffee or maybe even not drink it at all.

Caffeine Sensitivity = Jitters:

Some people are sensitive to the effects of caffeine and they respond to it in a negative manner. Consuming caffeine in large doses can lead to anxiety and irritability. The reason for this is because caffeine is very similar in nature to a brain chemical called adenosine, which is thought of as the “slow down” chemical.

Adenosine is instrumental in relaxing the blood vessels and preparing the brain and body for sleep. What happens when an individuals takes in too much caffeine is that the drug binds to adenosine receptors on the nerve cells. This leaves little if any room for this brain chemical to find its way in. As a result of this the activity of the nerve cells is accelerated and the blood vessels constrict. This leads to a feeling of jitters and irritability that some people refer to as a caffeine buzz.

For those who take in high amounts of caffeine on a daily basis they will develop a tolerance to it and the jitters will be less likely.

This also means however that you will constantly be requiring a caffeine fix. Your body will adapt to the constant barrage of caffeine by producing more adenosine receptors which will make you more and more sensitive to the effects of this brain chemical.  As a result of this, if you do not get your daily dose of caffeine you will experience withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms may include bad headaches, which are brought about due to the constricting of blood vessels, and extreme tiredness.

Sleep Issues:

If you suffer from insomnia or sleep does not come easily to you when you go to bed then you may wish to switch from caffeinated coffee to decaf or simply to decrease the amount of caffeinated coffee that you drink throughout the day. You also may wish to choose a cut off time during the day and not drink it any time after that. It generally takes six hours for caffeine to leave your system entirely, although this does tend to vary from one individual to another.

A recent study has yielded the result that caffeine robs you of sleep to a greater extent as you age.

Cholesterol Problems:

If you have high cholesterol levels (the bad kind, LDL) then you need to drink up with caution. Boiled or unfiltered coffee such as Turkish-style coffee contains higher levels of a compound called cafestol which can increase the LDL cholesterol in the blood. Your best bet is to select filtered coffee methods such as making a cup with a drip coffee maker.

Pregnant and Nursing Women- Watch Your Consumption:

Pregnant women can safely drink a moderate amount of coffee pr day but should not drink excessive amounts of caffeine.

Moderate amounts in this case would be equivalent to two cups a day or no more than 200 milligrams. At present it is not clear if caffeine amounts that are higher than that can increase the risk of miscarriage. Nursing mothers can safely drink about the same amount as pregnant women but must be aware that the caffeine that they drink will find its way into their breast milk. Nursing mothers should reduce their intake of coffee if their babies start to show signs of irritability or restlessness.

Becca