Tea and coffee are excellent healthy beverages, but only if you consume them moderately. Caffeine, which is commonly found in them, is a substance that can improve your metabolism, well-being, and physical performance. Did you know that almost 80% of our population has at least one caffeinated beverage per day? It’s either coffee or energy drinks. Most of us tend to consume them daily or even twice a day. Almost 200 milligrams of caffeine is consumed daily. That’s a lot!
Even if this sounds a bit scary, caffeine is healthy, especially if you are trying to lose weight or have some good energy during the day. How many cups of coffee do you consume daily? Are you aware of its side effects?
1. Insomnia
In the morning, all you need is a good cup of coffee because you feel like you can’t function properly. Caffeine has the amazing ability to help people stay awake and, furthermore, to keep them energized during the day. But on the other hand, too much caffeine can cause you insomnia. Especially if you drink it after 5 pm. Studies have shown that a higher consumption of caffeine can decrease sleep time, especially when it comes to elderly people.
Studies have shown that caffeine remains in your body for at least five hours and, for some people, up to nine hours. And that’s a lot if you are planning to sleep before 10 pm. Choose chamomile tea instead. It has a relaxing effect and will improve the quality of your sleep.
2. Increased thirst
Have you ever noticed that after you drink a big cup of coffee, you are immediately thirsty? Studies have shown that even a small amount of caffeine can increase thirst. Doctors recommend drinking at least 2 liters of water per day, regardless of how much caffeine you consume. After one sip of coffee, drink half a glass of water.
3. Frequent urination
It is no secret that caffeine is a diuretic. And God forbid if you ingest too much coffee before going on a road trip. This is another side effect of drinking too many beverages that contain caffeine. It increases blood flow to the kidneys and directly affects their ability to reabsorb salt and water as they filter the blood, resulting in increased urine flow in the bladder.
How many cups of coffee do you drink per day? Did you know that frequent urination leads to a reduction of calcium, B12, magnesium, and potassium? This can affect your bones pretty badly.
If you happen to notice breathing problems right after you drink coffee, it is possible that you have a caffeine allergy. You need to call for medical help right away!
4. Rapid heart rate
Caffeine has a number of negative side effects, one of which is increased heart rate. This can lead to atrial fibrillation, which is common among younger people who drink a lot of energy drinks. Some people can tolerate a higher amount of caffeine without having any side effects.
In a recent study, 51 individuals with heart failure took 100 mg of coffee each hour for five hours, and their heart rates and rhythms remained normal. Anyway, despite all these studies, you should control your daily caffeine intake in case you notice side effects.
5. Addiction
It’s a fact that caffeine has a lot of health benefits, but it can become addictive too. Every beverage that contains caffeine activates brain chemicals similarly to the way amphetamines do, but it won’t cause the same type of addiction. This can lead to physical dependency, especially if it’s consumed in high dosages.
If you drink coffee every morning and one day you decide to stop, that may lead to increased fatigue, headaches and low energy. This happens because your body is used to a certain amount of caffeine per day. Try to moderate your consumption, especially if you tend to drink more than 2 cups per day.
6. Irritability
Studies have shown that people who tend to drink more than two cups of coffee per day and a can of energy drink feel irritated during the day. That’s a lot! If you have a psychological disorder, you may experience irritability with less caffeine consumption than other people. My advice is to reduce the amount of caffeine if you feel nervous or angry right after consuming it. Because who wants to be angry right before a workday?
Are you a tea or coffee person? It’s a fact that green tea stimulates and increases your energy levels too. So maybe it’s not a bad idea if you want to switch from coffee to tea. At least 3 times a week!
7. Fatigue
It’s a fact that coffee is good for boosting your energy levels. But how much coffee do we drink per day? Sometimes I find myself drinking two to three cups, depending on how busy or stressed I am. And I still cannot find the energy to do chores or simple stuff around the house. Why is that? Because this may be a side effect of too much caffeine. A recent study shows that caffeinated energy drinks like Monster or Red Bull can give you some energy after you drink it, but that won’t last long. A lot of study participants said that the next day they were even more tired.
Try to moderate your caffeine intake in order to help minimize rebound fatigue.
8. Headaches
This is a common issue when it comes to bad side effects, and that’s because caffeine is usually used as a psychostimulant. Now I know why I tend to drink tea or coffee every morning. But this may lead to serious headaches. The substance can actually activate the symptom of “caffeine rebound,” which happens right after you drink a lot of caffeine. This may lead to fatigue and headaches because the effect has worn off.
Doctors recommend avoiding morning coffee if you suffer from headaches on a regular basis, even though it may be hard in the beginning.
9. Digestive issues
A lot of doctors tend to recommend a morning cup of coffee because of its laxative effect. You should know that caffeine stimulates bowel movements by increasing peristalsis, which means moving the food you eat directly through your digestive tract. And a huge amount of caffeine might have the exact opposite effect, which is diarrhea.
If you have gastroesophageal reflux disease, then you may know that by just eating chocolate or pasty products, you can easily worsen your situation. In this case, you are forbidden to drink coffee.
The good news is that decaffeinated coffee has the same effect! So if you want to give up caffeine, now’s the time!
10. Muscle breakdown
As you can see, caffeine’s side effects can be very nasty. And that is hard to accept, especially if you are more than a social coffee drinker. Another serious side effect is rhabdomyolysis, which leads to muscle breakdown. The best way to reduce the risks is to limit your daily consumption to less than 250 milligrams of caffeine per day.
Don’t panic because this condition is very rare and doesn’t happen to many people, but it’s still one bad side effect and you should be aware of it. I know you love coffee because I love it too. That’s why I tend to drink it too much. Try to limit the number of cups you’re drinking per day and don’t forget to hydrate! After 1 cup of coffee it is recommended that you drink at least 2 glasses of water.
Let’s be honest, more is not necessarily better. Especially when it comes to coffee. You must be aware of these side effects and try to consume it moderately because otherwise it can really damage your health.
Don’t forget to take care of yourself!
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