Is Coffee For Me?
Coffee is one of those things – you either love it or hate it. You know if you like the taste or not (or if it’s just a reason to drink sugar and cream). You know how it makes you feel (i.e. your gut, your mind, etc.).
Not to mention the crazy headlines that say coffee is great, and the next day you should avoid it!
There is actual science behind why different people react differently to it. It’s a matter of your genetics and how much coffee you’re used to drinking.
NOTE: Coffee does not equal caffeine. Coffee contains between 50-400 mg of caffeine/cup, averaging around 100 mg/cup. Coffee is one of the most popular ways to consume this stimulant. But… a cup of coffee contains a lot of things over and above the caffeine. Not just water, but antioxidants, and hundreds of other compounds. These are the reasons drinking a cup of coffee is not the same as taking a caffeine pill. And decaffeinated coffee has a lot less caffeine; but, it still contains some.
Let’s look at caffeine metabolism, its effects on the mind and body, and whether coffee drinkers have higher or lower risks of disease. Then I’ll give you some things to consider when deciding if coffee is for you or not.
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Caffeine metabolism
Not all people metabolize caffeine at the same speed. How fast you metabolize caffeine will impact how you’re affected by the caffeine. In fact, caffeine metabolism can be up to 40x faster in some people than others.
About half of us are “slow” metabolizers of caffeine. We can get jitters, heart palpitations, and feel “wired” for up to 9 hours after having a coffee. The other half is “fast” metabolizers of caffeine. They get energy and increased alertness and are back to normal a few hours later.
This is part of the reason those headlines contradict each other so much – because we’re all different!
The effects of coffee (and caffeine) on the mind and body
NOTE: Most studies look at caffeinated coffee, not decaf.
The effects of coffee (and caffeine) on the mind and body also differ between people; this is partly from the metabolism I mentioned. But it also has to do with your body’s amazing ability to adapt (read: become more tolerant) to long-term caffeine use. Many people who start drinking coffee feel the effects a lot more than people who have coffee every day.
Here’s a list of these effects (that usually decrease with long-term use):
- Stimulates the brain
- Boosts metabolism
- Boosts energy and exercise performance
- Increases your stress hormone cortisol
- Dehydrates
So, while some of these effects are good and some aren’t, you need to see how they affect you and decide if it’s worth it or not.
Coffee and health risks
There are a ton of studies on the health effects of coffee, and whether coffee drinkers are more or less likely to get certain conditions.
Here’s a quick summary of what coffee can lead to:
- Caffeine addiction and withdrawal symptoms (e.g. a headache, fatigue, irritability)
- Increased sleep disruption
- Lower risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
- Lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes
- Lower risk of certain liver diseases
- Lower risk of death (“all cause mortality”)
- Mixed reviews on whether it lowers risks of cancer and heart disease
Many of the health benefits exist even for decaf coffee (except the caffeine addiction and sleep issues).
NOTE: What’s super-important to note here is that coffee intake is just one of many, many factors that can affect your risks for these diseases. Please never think regular coffee intake is the one thing that can help you overcome these risks. You are health-conscious and know that eating a nutrient-rich whole foods diet, reducing stress, and getting enough sleep and exercise are all critical things to consider for your disease risk. It’s not just about the coffee.
Should you drink coffee or not?
There are a few things to consider when deciding whether you should drink coffee. No one food or drink will make or break your long-term health.
Caffeinated coffee is not recommended for:
- People with arrhythmias (e.g. irregular heartbeat)
- People who often feel anxious
- People who have trouble sleeping
- People who are pregnant
- Children and
- Teens.
If none of these apply, then monitor how your body reacts when you have coffee. Does it:
- Give you the jitters?
- Increase anxious feelings?
- Affect your sleep?
- Give you heart palpitations?
- Affect your digestion (e.g. heartburn, etc.)?
- Give you a reason to drink a lot of sugar and cream?
I am often asked about caffeine and what effect is has on our health. Usually, this is in reference to coffee, which many of our clients are so used to drinking or generally enjoy.
Coffee is one those items that many people enjoy drinking. The average American consumes more than 7 pounds of coffee each year (most of which is caffeinated). Drinking decaffeinated coffee isn’t the solution either, as most processes introduce additional chemicals that may be more harmful than the caffeine that they remove.
Soft drinks and energy drinks are loaded with sugar and should be consumed. You will need to transition off of these to avoid side effects as you begin to balance your energy levels and regain your health. These are both epidemics for adults and children and the seriousness should be addressed in order to stop the obesity and increase in disease in our country.
Chocolate has caffeine and certain types can be consumed in moderation. There are some health benefits associated with dark chocolate (75% + cocoa).
So let’s discuss caffeine and its effects so that you can understand it better and make appropriate decisions.
WHAT IS CAFFEINE?
Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid and a stimulant drug.
Caffeine:
- Acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes/kills insects feeding on the plants
- Is most commonly consumed by humans in coffee, tea, soft drinks, energy drinks, and chocolate
- Acts as a stimulant in humans.
- Is the world’s most widely consumed psychoactive drug and crosses the blood–brain barrier and affects brain function, perception, mood, consciousness, cognition, and behavior
- Has a profound effect on developing fetuses (affects fetal heart rate, breathing patterns, brain weight, brain development, learning and memory
- 90% of adults in USA consume caffeine daily
- The most obvious effects of caffeine in are cardiovascular and neurobehavioral.
- Meets some of the criteria of the World Health Organization and the American Psychiatric Association for a drug of dependence and acts on the dopamine system in the same way as amphetamines and cocaine
- May increase the cancer causing potential and other adverse effects of substances such as alcohol, nicotine, and certain drugs.
Is that “Energy” drink actually causing the opposite effect?
Caffeine:
- Stimulates the adrenal glands to increase cortisol release. Cortisol then elevates heart rate and blood pressure, readying the body for a “fight or flight” response. Once the adrenals are provoked to release cortisol in such a manner over and over again, a decreased resistance to stress occurs.
- Cortisol is a “fat storing” hormone.
- Causes ENERGY DRAIN: Caffeine results in short-term energy boosts and possible long-term fatigue.
- Puts the nervous and hormonal systems into a constant state of “flight or fight” stress response, depleting energy reserves. Pushing the adrenal glands to extremes leads to fatigue, anxiety, insomnia and weight gain.
- Sustained adrenal stimulation from caffeine results in chronic high levels of cortisol (which breaks down healthy bone and muscle, slows down cellular healing, and interferes with digestion, metabolism and mental function)
- Chronically pushing the adrenal glands (adrenal burnout) with caffeine puts them into a slow decline. Individuals may use caffeine because they are already in adrenal burnout and are looking for energy. The caffeine only allows people to feel better temporarily while continuing to deplete their adrenals.
Caffeine has an Indirect Effect on Hormonal Balance
- Healthy adrenal glands maintain adequate levels of the sex hormones progesterone, testosterone and estrogen. The adrenals cannot maintain these hormone levels when they are under attack by constant caffeine use.
- As caffeine disrupts the body’s natural cortisol rhythm, it places the body in a constant state of emergency. This constant state of emergency depletes adrenal reserves, forcing the adrenals into survival mode levels of cortisol production only.
- Glucose, released from the liver, increases with caffeine use. This freed glucose gives people a sugar high quickly followed by a sugar crash, resulting in cravings for more caffeine or sugar in the form of simple carbohydrates. These sugar highs and lows add increased stress to the adrenal glands.
Can I ever drink coffee again?
The answer really lies in knowing the facts about coffee/caffeine, your individual state of health, and making better decisions with this knowledge.
Some key things to consider before drinking coffee are:
- Do I know what the effects of caffeine are and how they affect my body?
- Do I have my weight under control and at a healthy level?
- Do I have any underlying issues with my Adrenals?
- Do I have any underlying issues with my other Hormones?
If you have the above answers and choose to drink coffee, my recommendations are as follows:
- Buy Organic (coffee is one of the most highly sprayed crops for pesticides)
- If drinking “decaffeinated” coffee, make sure it is naturally decaffeinated (such as the “swiss water process”) to avoid the chemicals
- Use in moderation or as an occasional indulgence to avoid addiction or adrenal fatigue (adrenal burnout).
- Use without sugar or artificial sweeteners. Use stevia instead
- Avoid the Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts shop. These are all laden with added sugars and dairy products.
Depending on how your body reacts, decide whether these reactions are worth it to you. If you’re not sure, I recommend eliminating it for a while and see the difference.
Recipe (Latte): Pumpkin Spice Latte
Serves 1
3 tbsp coconut milk
1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon)
¼ tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp pumpkin puree
½ tsp maple syrup (optional)
1 cup coffee (decaf if preferred)
Instructions
Add all ingredients to blender and blend until creamy.
Serve & enjoy!
Tip: You can use tea instead of milk if you prefer.
References:
https://authoritynutrition.com/coffee-good-or-bad/
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-coffee
http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/a-wake-up-call-on-coffee
http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/can-your-coffee-habit-help-you-live-longer-201601068938
http://suppversity.blogspot.ca/2014/05/caffeine-resistance-genetic.html
https://authoritynutrition.com/how-much-coffee-should-you-drink/
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