Coffee: The Perks & The Pitfalls
After countless sleepless nights battling the never-ending cycle of germs this time of year, I for one, am running on fumes, and I’m sure I am not alone! One thing that helps get me through the early mornings is a perfectly brewed cup of coffee in one of my favourite mugs!
The question is, are the benefits of coffee worth it, or does it do more harm than good? Lets dive into some research on coffee, and its effect on our overall health, wellness, and sanity!
Fresh coffee in our AMD Nutrition branded mug
Many people worry about coffee causing inflammation in the body. Well, fellow coffee drinkers, I have good news! Studies have shown that coffee(in moderation) does not cause inflammation, in fact, it may do the opposite! Coffee is actually an excellent source of polyphenols, which are antioxidant compounds that have been shown to lower risk of many inflammatory-related conditions including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, type 2 diabetes, gout, heart disease, some cancers, and more.
It is not surprising that coffee also offers cognitive benefits such as increased alertness and improved mental performance, but the biggest benefit for most people is comfort and enjoyment! Taking the time to sip your favourite cup of coffee in the morning is about so much more than a caffeine fix, it can be a form of self care that helps to increase mood and set a positive tone for your day!
If caffeine isn’t for you but coffee is your favourite beverage, both regular and decaf coffee offer similar benefits when it comes to antioxidants. If you are sensitive to caffeine, or need to limit it for any reason (pregnancy, breastfeeding, medication, medical condition, etc), decaf is a great choice to provide you with warmth and comfort, as well as antioxidant benefits, without the stimulant effect.
Wired and can’t sleep? It may be your caffeine intake!
I think it’s clear that I enjoy a good cup of coffee, but we can’t overlook its possible drawbacks. Caffeine has the potential to disrupt sleep, especially if you are sensitive to it, as it has a half-life of 5 hours. This means that the dose you take at 7am, half of it is still active in your body at noon. Have an afternoon pick-me-up at 3pm? Half that caffeine is still kickin’ at 8pm! Consuming coffee too close to bedtime may result in poor sleep quality, and consuming excess coffee can lead to insomnia, jitters, and anxiety.
Sleep disruption is not the only potential side-effect: Higher amounts (500mg+) can cause extreme agitation, tremors and a very rapid and irregular heartbeat. Long-term use of excessive caffeine may be associated with loss of bone density, increasing the risk of osteoporosis, especially in post-menopausal women. Studies are beginning to explore genetic disposition of fast or slow metabolization of caffeine (particularly through coffee), which may influence your risk of different conditions such as high blood pressure or myocardial infarction when taking in no, moderate or large amounts of caffeine on a regular basis. We’re not quite there for widespread testing or drawing specific conclusions yet, but it’s a highly popular research topic so stay tuned!
If you’ve ever noticed that you head to the bathroom shortly after your morning cup, you aren’t alone: coffee (both regular and decaf) contains compounds can stimulate involuntary muscle contractions in your gut, sending you off to seek a toilet. This shouldn’t change your bowel movements composition but if you notice any ill-effects or struggle to go regularly without coffee, you may want to consult your dietitian and healthcare team.
Over time, you may become slightly less sensitive to the stimulant effect, both mentally and physically, so dialing your intake back for a while before reintroducing your routine cup may give you that boost again but at a lower total amount.
So, the question is…how much is too much?
For most healthy adults, up to 400 mg of caffeine per day (about 4 cups of coffee) is considered safe. This is a general guideline and does not apply to everyone. For example if you are sensitive to caffeine, pregnant, or at risk for bone fractures, it’s wise to limit your intake to 2 cups a day (~200mg) or skip it altogether.
Two mugs that are different sizes.
Remember, a cup is 250ml. Both of us like to use a big mug so we try to remember that our morning cup of coffee is more like 2-3 cups of actual volume (500-750mL).
Don’t forget, caffeine is found in not only coffee but also tea, chocolate, dark pop/soda, and energy drinks, and is added to a variety of medications including cough, cold and pain remedies. Take this into account when you consider how much caffeine you are consuming in a day.
Ultimately, whether and how much coffee you consume should depend on your health status, personal preferences, and how your body responds. If you love coffee and the thought of a warm cup first thing in the morning helps start your day on the right foot, go ahead and enjoy it (just don’t drink too much!).
