The Benefits & The Risks of Coffee
- Isabella Boston
- May 25
- 4 min read
Updated: 22 hours ago
Understanding Coffee's Caffeine - the Benefits & Dangers
"What goes best with a cup of coffee? Another cup." - Henry Rollins.
One thing that I love is my morning cup of coffee. I start every day with God, prayer, a morning devotional, and a hot, delicious mug of coffee. But lately I've had to cut back a little.
Why, you might ask?
One word: Caffeine.
Depending on the day, caffeine can be my friend and a good writing buddy. It helps me to get those words on paper and screen, pound out those books (three and counting), and write beautiful masterpieces for my affiliates and clients.
But there are days when it can work against me.
If I drink too much caffeine, I start to feel so jittery that it affects my work. And, not in a good way either. Instead of concentration, I get restlessness. I even start to feel a little....grumpy.
So, instead of two or three mugs of coffee, I now enjoy only one...ok on some days.
But what exactly is caffeine? Is it beneficial? Or is it harmful?
Today, we are going to dive in and talk about it.
Let's go!
What is Caffeine?
Caffeine is the most widely used addictive substance, but also one of the least harmful. It is found in coffee, tea, chocolate, and soft drinks. It is also added to some pain relievers, cold medicines, weight-loss supplements, and other medications to increase alertness and mental focus.
Within minutes of digestion, caffeine is absorbed through the small intestine into the bloodstream and carried throughout the body. It stimulates the central nervous system (CNS), increases heart rate, boosts urine production and digestive acid secretion, and relaxes smooth muscles - including those that regulate the airways and blood vessels.
How Caffeine Harms
May cause insomnia: Caffeine ingested late at night can cause insomnia (lack of sleep), anxiety, irritability, rapid heartbeat, tremors, and excessive urination.
Stomach irritation: Excessive amounts of Caffeine can increase stomach acid; people with GERD and ulcer patients should limit their caffeine consumption.
Reduces calcium absorption: Caffeine may reduce calcium absorption and can increase the risk of osteoporosis, especially in older women. However, adding milk to your coffee may offset this problem.
Can cause withdrawal symptoms: A sudden withdrawal from caffeine can cause irritability, headaches, and other symptoms that vary in severity from one person to the next.
May aggravate heart conditions: People with certain heart valve diseases are often advised to limit caffeine altogether because it can trigger heart palpitations or other cardiac arrhythmias. Caffeine can also cause a temporary rise in blood pressure, speeding up the heart rate.
How Caffeine Heals
Provides a boost of energy: Having a cup of coffee in the morning can help you to "get going", and a coffee or tea break during the day can give you a boost when your energy is low.
Caffeine may reduce cancer: Studies show that women who drink more than three cups of coffee a day may lower their risk of developing cancer by 20%. Men who drink coffee may also cut their risk of developing prostate cancer.
Wards off depression: Consuming at least two cups of coffee daily can reduce women's chances of becoming depressed by 20%.
Enhances mental & athletic performance: The stimulants in coffee enhance mental performance by increasing alertness and concentration. Studies confirm that 250 mg of caffeine (about two cups of strong coffee) increases endurance. Presumably, this is because caffeine increases your ability to burn fat for fuel.
May help control diabetes: In Finland, a study of 14,000 people found that women who consumed three to four cups of coffee a day cut their risk of developing diabetes by 29%. For men, it was by 27%. Researchers are not sure why this is, but they believe that the antioxidants in coffee help deliver insulin.
Helps with migraines: In some people, coffee may trigger a headache, but in others, drinking a few cups of coffee when a migraine hits might help to relieve the pain. Caffeine is so effective in helping to shrink swollen blood vessels in the brain that it is one of the main ingredients in over-the-counter migraine medicines.
Who Should Limit Caffeine Consumption?
Migraine sufferers
Ulcer sufferers
Heart patients
Seniors with hypertension
Pregnant and nursing women
So, as you can see, caffeine is a double-edged sword. It has both benefits and drawbacks.
For most people, caffeine is safe and harmless. However, if you have ulcers, heart disease, hypertension, osteoporosis, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you will want to limit or avoid caffeine consumption.
As for me, I will never break up with my sweet, loving, and trusted friend; I will love my caffeinated coffee until the end.
Gotta go...my coffee is calling!
Sources
Berkoff, F. G., & Schwarcz, J. (2018a). Foods that harm, foods that heal: What to eat to beat disease and live longer. Reader’s Digest.
Gardner, A. (2011, November 22). Coffee may reduce women’s cancer risk. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2011/11/22/health/coffee-reduces-cancer-risk/index.html
Safe, S., Kothari, J., Hailemariam, A., Upadhyay, S., Davidson, L. A., & Chapkin, R. S. (2023, January 31). Health benefits of coffee consumption for cancer and other diseases, and mechanisms of action. International journal of molecular sciences. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9916720/
Author’s Bio
Isabella Boston is a skilled writer and the creator of Bella’s Attic Studio. She is well-versed in copywriting, scientific research, informative articles, and medical content writing, with a focus on the areas of neuroscience and immunology. She is also a diarist and a published author.
When Isabella is not writing, she enjoys reading, vintage-style fashion, learning a new language, and spreading God’s Holy Word.
"Together we can share your stories, promote your cause, and connect you to your target audience one word at a time."
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