Coffee is part of the routine of many Brazilians and is considered a national passion. There are those who cannot go without a cup of the drink when they wake up or right after lunch. After all, the drink is a true stimulant and, when consumed in moderation, brings several benefits. But how does caffeine act in the body ?
Caffeine has the potential to stimulate brain activity , acting directly on the central nervous system. It works to block the action of a neurotransmitter called adenosine, which makes you feel more alert and less drowsy.
Adenosine is the neurotransmitter responsible for promoting sleep and relaxation. Therefore, by blocking its action, caffeine helps us to become more awake and energized . Furthermore, the drink also acts on the release of other stimulating neurotransmitters, such as adrenaline and dopamine.
One of the most common benefits of caffeine is making us more alert and stimulating our attention to our surroundings, in addition to combating physical fatigue.
Main benefits of coffee
The benefits of caffeine may be linked to increased mental alertness. So, for example, in individuals who need to be vigilant, it will improve concentration, vigilance and response capacity.
But, in addition to stimulating brain activity and being responsible for giving us more energy, coffee has other interesting health benefits that have already been demonstrated in studies.
One of them is that coffee can be a good source of energy for pre-workout , improving physical performance in various activities. This is what the International Society of Sports Nutrition points out, in a statement published in 2021 . According to the organization, ingesting caffeine before physical exercise can increase muscular resistance, movement speed and muscular strength, in addition to offering greater aerobic resistance.
Another benefit observed in caffeine is its thermogenic action , which can be interesting for accelerating metabolism and helping to burn fat, contributing to weight loss. A study published in the journal Scientific Reports in 2019 showed that a cup of coffee can help with weight loss.
Furthermore, caffeine intake can improve reasoning abilities and combat cognitive decline associated with advancing age. This benefit was noted in a review of studies published in the Proceedings of the National Academy Sciences (PNAS).
According to the review, the benefits of coffee for the brain occur with the consumption of moderate doses, between 100 and 400 milligrams of coffee per day, which is equivalent to 1 to 5 cups.
To add up, moderate coffee consumption (two to three cups per day) was associated with a 10% to 15% lower risk of getting heart diseases , such as heart failure and heart rhythm problems, according to three research summaries published in 2022 .
Excessive coffee has side effects
Despite its benefits, excessive coffee consumption can have side effects. Excess caffeine can increase anxiety and feelings of nervousness, as well as generating an increase in binge eating by releasing adrenaline, signaling that the body needs energy.
Furthermore, drinking a lot of coffee can harm your sleep quality . Caffeine remains in the body for hours after ingestion, being capable of causing insomnia .
In people who are sensitive to caffeine or who have low metabolism of the substance, coffee can also cause headaches, heartburn, abdominal discomfort and nausea, in addition to increasing heart rate, increasing blood pressure and causing hand tremors.
This happens because caffeine blocks adenosine, which is the relaxation neurotransmitter, which can accelerate the heart rate and is commonly associated with feelings of anxiety, tachycardia and, in more serious cases, depression.
In rare cases, too much coffee can lead to a caffeine overdose . This condition occurs when a person has dangerously high levels of caffeine in their system, which can lead to serious symptoms such as difficulty breathing and seizures.
How to consume coffee in moderation? See the tips
For the FDA ( Food and Drug Administration ), the US regulatory agency, the healthy limit for coffee is 400 mg of caffeine per day , which is equivalent to four or five cups of coffee .
In addition, I recommend avoiding coffee after 2 p.m. to prevent caffeine from disturbing your sleep at night and restlessness/idleness later in the day.
I also recommend being careful with the consumption of other drinks that contain caffeine, in addition to coffee. This is the case of black tea and green tea, which have a stimulating effect. Just like coffee, its consumption brings benefits, as long as it is done in moderation.
Add comment
Comments