Caffeine Levels And Caffeine Facts About Addiction

If you enjoy your coffee, there’s nothing like a well made cup of cappuccino. The odd cup now and then can lift your spirits and put a spring in your step, but be warned, that’s all it should be—just an occasional drink. With our high stress lifestyles, we’ve become used to drinking cup after cup of coffee to get through a tiring work day. Unfortunately, this is really bad news for our bodies, since coffee does have some serious harmful effects.

Caffeine is found in tea, coffee, and many types of cola. In minor quantities, it is also found in chocolate bars and drinks. It works by causing increased neuron activity in the brain, which releases adrenalin, which gets us going. The downside is that as the adrenaline starts to wear off, you start ‘crashing’, or feeling tired and lethargic, and maybe feel a headache coming along. So what do you do? You grab another coffee. This ‘roller coaster’ effect of caffeine is very harmful.

Effects Of Caffeine Consumption

Here are some of the known effects of caffeine consumption:

• Stress levels are elevated for up to 18 hours after consumption.
• The liver releases increased sugar into the blood.
• The pancreas produces extra insulin to counter the excess blood sugar, leading to more fat storage.
  Insulin spikes create a ‘roller coaster’.
• Muscle stress is increased.
• The blood vessels constrict, leading to less blood flow to the lungs and extremities.
• Digestion is affected.
• The immune system is weakened.
• The body produces less DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) and anti-aging hormones.
  Stress increases with the increase of cortisol production.
• Calcium and magnesium in the body is lost.
• As you can see, all these effects should be enough incentive to curb caffeine consumption before it’s too late. In fact, those suffering from heart, kidney, liver or digestive problems are advised to stop drinking coffee.
• It may be difficult to stop cold turkey, but you can slowly cut down on caffeine consumption. Start replacing a few cups of coffee everyday with green tea. This alternative is much healthier with all the anti-oxidants it has, and is also very tasty.

Drink a large amount of water every day, which will keep you hydrated and energised. Try to stay away from energy sapping foods like heavy meats, and stick to light foods like fresh fruits, veggies, and salads. Eat five or six small meals a day; this will keep your energy levels high throughout the day. Try to get plenty of sleep in the night, even if this means skipping the late show.