Tea or coffee are basic needs for many of us. There are people who can’t wake up or start their day without having a cup of tea. There are people who drink a number of cups of coffee in a day. There are people who can’t refuse tea or coffee.
Addiction to caffeine is very common among every age group. Drinking tea has become aesthetic and drinking coffee has become the fashion. And the present generation can’t stay away from both. But you know what, on the path of becoming cool, we end up inviting a lot of distress to ourselves.
Everyone knows caffeine is not good for us, but people are like so what? If we can handle pollution and other major issues, can’t we handle addiction to caffeine? But dear people, let me tell you that caffeine is more dangerous for you than you think it is.
Let's go through both the good and bad effects you can observe by including high concentrations of caffeine in your diet.
1. Affects Central Nervous System
Do you know, what is a central nervous system? It is a part of your body that is essential for your functioning. It involves the crucial part of the human body, which is the brain. Caffeine acts as a central nervous system stimulant. When it arrives in your brain, the most prominent effect is alertness. You start feeling more awake and less tired.
Studies show that people who consume coffee regularly have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s and dementia, and cut suicide risk by 45 per cent. Some people think that coffee is a healthy drink, but like most foods, overconsumption can cause side effects.
Withdrawal from caffeine may provoke headaches, anxiety, and drowsiness. Too much caffeine can also cause confusion and hallucinations. Overdosing happens by ingesting large amounts of caffeine, most often in energy drinks or diet pills which can eventually result in death due to convulsions as well.
2. Affects Circulatory and Respiratory Systems
In most people, there is no long-term influence on blood pressure, but if you have unstable heart rhythms, caffeine may make your heart work harder. Caffeine can make your blood pressure high for a short time. This effect is thought to be attributed to either an increase in adrenaline or a temporary block of the hormones that naturally widen your arteries.
3. Affects Digestive System
Caffeine behaves as a laxative and increases peristalsis. Peristalsis is muscle contractions that push food through the digestive system. The effects can start very soon after drinking one cup of coffee. That’s the reason why some people drink coffee in the morning to assist with bowel regulation.
Caffeine stimulates the synthesis of stress hormones which results in an increased heartbeat and gives you a boost of energy. As a result, digestion can be slowed since the intestines receive a low blood supply.
Since caffeine is acidic, it increases gastric acidity which can irritate the intestinal lining and hence cause ulcers and gastritis. Caffeine can make the symptoms worse if you have gastrointestinal crises such as irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn's disease.
4. Affects Reproductive System
There are studies which show that large quantities of caffeine can interrupt the estrogen production and metabolism needed to conceive. Caffeine may also travel within the bloodstream and crosses into the placenta. Since it’s a stimulant, it can cause your baby’s heart rate and metabolism to increase. Too much caffeine can also cause slowed fetal growth and an increased risk of miscarriage.
Caffeine input below the advised levels, that is between 200 to 300 mg per day, seems to have no severe effects on reproductive life. It is still advisable to dodge excessive caffeine intake for women and men who plan to conceive. It is also advised that pregnant women should not exceed 200 mg/day of caffeine intake.
Other Side Effects of Caffeine
The stimulants in caffeine can, in high concentrations, cause small involuntary strains of muscle fibres across the body and this may lead to muscle cramps, and spasms.
Due to the diuretic and laxative properties of caffeine, it may cause dehydration. Some believe that dehydration depends on the quantity of caffeine you intake in a day, hence your caffeine intake must be limited to moderate amounts.
People who consume lots of energy drinks must have felt their hearts beating faster than usual many times, energy drinks are rich in caffeine and consumption of caffeine in high concentrations is the reason behind the increased rate of heartbeats.
The most serious problem associated with caffeine consumption is the risk of addiction. Caffeine is quite addictive, the reason why you can’t refuse tea or coffee ever is its addiction which is quite common in people nowadays. And let me also mention, that caffeine addiction is not easy to come out of.
Written By: Nidhi Jha
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