It isn’t unknown that most of us collegiettes have a strong dependence on coffee and its miraculous stimulant, caffeine. Drinking it on mornings for those tedious 7:00 am classes, in the afternoon to gain more needed energy to get through the day, on evenings to prevent us from lacking motivation on our scheduled plans, and even at night to prepare us for the dreaded all-nighter we’re about to undergo. We not only consume it, but we also thrive on it. Aside from being delicious, it also replenishes our mind. Waking us mentally and physically to endure another day. Everyone who consumes it has a unique experience with it; some are more responsive, becoming alert right after drinking it, while others are so accustomed to caffeine consumption that its effects are fruitless to them. Though we all have distinct experiences and have a variety of ways of how we prefer it being made, most of us can agree that coffee is divine. Although, as we all know, nothing is without consequences and every overindulgence can be dangerous, coffee is not an exception.
Caffeine is a pure and natural stimulant that keeps us awake and alert. It can be found not only in coffee, but in chocolate, sodas, tea, and energy drinks; this one being the most commonly known containers. By consuming this stimulant we are recipients of many beneficial outcomes that can be of use in our daily lives. Nevertheless, it can also be a contributor to health risks.
Today, by reading this, you may have an idea about the positives and the negatives of the coffee we love so much
The Perks
1. Caffeine increases long-term memory, can make you smarter, and increases your energy levels. A bonus for us learning students who need every corner of their brain to store class material.
2. It can stimulate hair growth, burn fat, and improve physical performance. Your physical performance improves because of the increased adrenaline.
3. Adults who consume it daily are less prone to commit suicide.
4. Scientists confirm that it may lower your risk to develop Type II Diabetes, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson.
5. It helps to keep you alert in times of sleep restrictions. Hellooooo, all-nighters.
6. Scientific studies also approve that it can reduce the risk of several types of cancer. This may include mouth and throat cancer.
7. It has a great number of antioxidants. Studies demonstrate that you can get more of this by drinking coffee than you can get by eating fruits or vegetables.
The above mentioned are only a few of the health benefits that drinking coffee present. But remember, these perks are only in effect when people consume it regularly to two or four cups a day. Now, even though it provides us a nice arrange of welfare, drinking more coffee than you’re supposed to can be hazardous for you.
Many of us forget that caffeine is basically an addictive drug and consuming it in a high dose can lead to negative consequences. That’s why the suggested amount of caffeine to consume is 300mg per day if exceeded it may result in a caffeine overdose.
Here we have the Cons
1. May cause insomnia. Regrettably, many students suffer from this.
2. Causes nervousness and restlessness.
3. Stomach irritation, nausea, vomiting.
4. Increased heart rate and respiration, and can cause fatigue. This can also occur frequently for people who aren’t accustomed to regular coffee consumption.
5. Can lead to anxiety, headaches, mood alteration, and even induce panic attacks. If you are more than an average consumer, it is probable that those headaches aren’t because of the test you have later in the week.
6. It can increase your blood pressure. People with a low tolerance for caffeine are more prone to this than normal consumers.
Many of the facts listed above are symptoms of a caffeine overdose that overstimulates the body. This can happen when your fix on coffee gets you to drink more than the recommended average of caffeine ingestion. Like the perks, caffeine has additional cons not mentioned here.
Still, coffee is delicious nectar that sometimes we think was made especially for us working students. You can drink as many cups as you want, but always keep in mind that nothing is perfect and too much of anything is a risk. Remember, happy medium! So if you think you’re drinking more than 300mg of caffeine, please try to ration. Also, before I forget, I hope this next National Coffee Day (September 29th) you celebrate it with a good, warm, and comforting cup of coffee at your side.
Cups raised!