Coffee’s one of the most consumed beverages in the world. Some people drink it daily. Some people drink it 5 times a day. Today, we’re going to talk about all the effects it has on your body that you might not expect.
Associate coffee with the urge to go to the bathroom
Most people associate coffee with the urge to go to the bathroom, and that is true for some people. The reality is that coffee affects our GI systems differently. For some, it can actually cause constipation, as opposed to diarrhea. We’re quick to blame caffeine for this urge to go, but research shows that decaf coffee has similar effects. This leads us to believe that it’s actually the result of the secretion of a hormone named gastric, which promotes digestion.
Coffee can absolutely wreck your ability to sleep
Throughout the day, your body produces more adenosine, which binds to receptors generating a sleepy response. The longer you’re awake, the more adenosine, the more binding, and the sleepier you are. Now, coffee comes in with its caffeine content and starts blocking those adenosine receptors, making you feel less sleepy and making it harder to fall asleep. So, its intended effect can actually become a negative one. Caffeine can also impact our circadian rhythm through its effects on melatonin, which can confuse our internal clock. It’s almost like having a form of jet lag without any of the fun of travel.
Sorts of tasty things to add to your coffee
You can add all sorts of tasty things to your coffee, like cream, sugar, or whatever you like. Of course, unless you’re drinking decaf, your coffee is also loaded with caffeine. While caffeine can be useful in waking you up and keeping you stimulated, it can also cause a jittery sensation in your body, making you feel anxious or even sweaty. That’s because it activates the fight-or-flight response in the body, known as the sympathetic nervous system. Research has even shown that overdoing caffeine by a small amount can increase baseline anxiety and the likelihood of panic attacks.
Coffee can absolutely impact your weight
Black coffee is nearly calorie-free and actually boosts your metabolic rate. Caffeine stimulates the production of adrenaline and also decreases the level of ghrelin, the hormone that makes you feel hungry and causes your stomach to growl. This effect holds true even for decaf coffee, as it increases the hormone peptide YY, which makes you feel satiated or full. And for intermittent fasting fans like me, research has shown that having a black cup of coffee does not break your fast and actually keeps the majority of the fasting benefits intact.
Coffee makes your hands feel cold
Coffee makes your hands feel cold because it stimulates the small glands that sit on top of your kidneys, called the adrenals. They secrete adrenaline and a stress hormone known as cortisol. One of the main effects of adrenaline is to constrict blood vessels, which are not critical for your survival. This means the small blood vessels furthest from your body’s midline, like in your fingertips and toes, get constricted. This temporarily reduces circulation to your hands, making them feel cold and look pale.
Caffeine is one of the most studied performance-enhancing drugs
Because it works and has been shown to have significant benefits, as long as you don’t overuse it. Focus, endurance, strength, and speed have all been tested and found to be boosted with low to moderate doses of caffeine, 60 to 90 minutes before workouts and competitions. In fact, this effect is so great that the NCAA has actually set a caffeine limit for its athletes, restricting caffeine concentrations to roughly 500 milligrams or several cups of coffee.
Heart rate and blood pressure temporarily rise
It’s no surprise that coffee raises the heart rate and blood pressure temporarily due to the secretion of epinephrine (adrenaline). The interesting part is that this effect has been found to be true for decaf coffee as well, so another ingredient might be responsible here. It’s important to note that long-term consumption doesn’t seem to cause hypertension. The thinking is that those who consistently consume coffee actually build up a protective tolerance to it. That said, I’ve treated individuals who have better controlled their blood pressure by removing caffeine from their diet entirely.
Removing coffee is a double-edged sword
Removing coffee is a double-edged sword because it could cause withdrawal symptoms as early as 12 to 24 hours. The theory behind caffeine withdrawal headaches is that the blood vessels in the brain, which are normally kept tight and constricted due to caffeine’s action, start to swell, causing pain. The ironic part is that caffeine is actually found in some common over-the-counter medications, like Excedrin Migraine.
Is coffee dehydrating?
This one is fiercely debated on online forums. Some say yes, some say no. Here’s the truth: Coffee is a mild diuretic. It makes you pee more and excrete more fluids. However, if you’re drinking a full cup of coffee, there are fluids in there, so it replaces the fluids you lose, right? Yes. However, if you’re drinking little espressos or espresso shots and getting a ton of caffeine, you’re not replacing the lost fluids. In that case, it can be somewhat dehydrating. That said, if you’re not overdoing it, it’s usually not enough to become a problem.
Acid reflux sufferers
My dear acid reflux sufferers, coffee can absolutely impact your acid secretion. First of all, we need to stop with this acid-base obsession that has developed online. Drinking electrolyte-reduced water or alkaline water is complete nonsense. The reason coffee makes acid reflux worse is much simpler than that. It is proven to stimulate gastrin release, which increases gastric acid secretion. This happens because of the bitter taste of coffee, which activates the type 2 bitter taste receptors in your mouth. So, the bitter taste of coffee makes your body secrete more acid.
Coffee actually messes with your medications and interacts with them
Coffee actually messes with your medications in one of three ways. First, it affects the absorption of the medications. Studies have shown that common over-the-counter meds like Ketoprofen (similar to Ibuprofen) and paracetamol (similar to Tylenol) are significantly impacted by coffee intake. The second way is through the disruption of the metabolism of the medications via enzymes. For example, the blood levels of clozapine, lithium, warfarin, and several antidepressant drugs actually increase after the ingestion of coffee, making them more potent and potentially increasing toxicity. The third way is through the disruption of drug excretion, which affects how long the drugs stay in the system. In fact, we’ve seen increased excretion of minerals like calcium, magnesium, sodium, chloride, and even water-soluble vitamins like vitamin B.
Want to know more about “Does Coffee & Coffee Beans Expire | What Happens if You Drink Expired Coffee?” As always, stay happy and healthy. There are tons of great comments and questions here.
I am Sabiq Rasel is an Entrepreneur and broadcaster. I believe that every sip of coffee holds the potential for a moment of inspiration, creativity, and every cup tells a story.
