Espresso, cappuccino, instant, or macchiato – people have their favorite caffeine fix to start off their day. For some, coffee is already an addiction and it takes more than just a cup of coffee to make them feel energized throughout the day. Just like everything else in life, too much of something really is not good for you. While you can have your regular, daily morning dose of coffee, going overboard may not leave a bad taste on your mouth, but it can have serious physical disadvantages. It has been studied for the past decades that too much caffeine is bad for you. And just how bad is having too much caffeine?
While coffee can indeed make people feel more alert and energized, it is an artificial energy boost because caffeine does not create real energy, but rather it is the chemicals that are doing the work and making the body feel stimulated. In other words, it is just a short term benefit and when the chemicals are depleted, the short term stimulation will end, leaving the body as tired as it was before. The body will eventually experience fatigue and additional drowsiness brought about by the surge of energy. The chemicals released through the caffeine only triggers the stress response of the body. Coffee allows the body to use up and consume the stored energy, resulting in physical activeness, faster heartbeat, and mental alertness – all considered to be the good benefits of coffee – but when all this energy is used up, the body experiences the fatigue as the side effect.
Caffeine also confuses and eventually raises blood sugar levels of the body. Apart from the obvious fact that sugar is often added to coffee, even those who take black coffee can have their blood sugar affected. The natural sugars of the body are also triggered by the caffeine with its call for an energy jolt. Sugar tends to be more present in the blood basically just to get the energized and alert effect.
Caffeine also tends to disrupt one’s sleeping pattern. Especially if you have consumed a high caffeine drink with added sugar and other additives such as syrups, flavors or whipped cream, the body will take its time to consume the caffeine and the sugar, keeping you awake throughout the night. The temperature of hot coffee can affect the body’s temperature as well, making you feel hotter as the body heat increases. Over time, dependency and tolerance are some things you have to worry about. Because of tolerance, you no longer get your caffeine fix with just a shot of espresso. Eventually, just like drugs, you will have to increase your intake to get the same effect.
And lastly, just like any other addiction, kicking the habit of coffee addiction has its own withdrawal symptoms. People who are trying to stop or minimize and control their daily consumption of caffeine often experience headaches, irritability and fatigue during the first few days of their withdrawal. Coffee should therefore be consumed in moderation and it may be a good idea to take a break from drinking it every now and then to avoid addiction.
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