Caffeine: The Pros and Cons.
Caffeine: The Pros and Cons.
Can caffeine affect your chances of Pregnancy?
Caffeine is a stimulant, and globally, the most widely used drug.
Millions of people use caffeinated drinks every day to increase wakefulness, alleviate fatigue, improve concentration and focus.
Evidence suggests that moderate coffee consumption can provide both benefits and risks.
Caffeine over consumption may be harmful to one's health. Furthermore, the recent trend of incorporating caffeine into beverages and snacks that do not naturally contain it has raised new concerns.
The Pro’s and Con’s…
Caffeine is a very beneficial molecule. It is surprisingly safe unless you intake massive amounts. It is suggested that if you consume about 200 milligrams of caffeine a day, it should not provide any serious threats in terms of your health.
Caffeine found in green tea and coffee associates with health benefits. These include increased alertness, mild laxative for easy bowel movement, and improved cognitive skills.
People with medically diagnosed anxiety, arrhythmia and blood pressure though might experience more negative than positive effects.
But on the contrary, coffee consumption has also been linked to elevated cholesterol. Now I am not talking about milk coffee here (dairy has obviously been linked to cholesterol), but even black coffee.
Now, brewed coffee does not actually have cholesterol (like meat does), it instead has two natural oils that contain chemical compounds -- cafestol and kahweol -- which can raise cholesterol levels
Caffeine in anything other than coffee…
You might not realise but soft drinks, herbal tea’s, supplements and many other things you might be consuming int he name of health also contain caffeine.
Recent studies have found that daily soft drink consumption may lower bone mineral density in women.
According to much of the published research, caffeine appears to be beneficial in moderation. In contrast, caffeine has also been linked to several negative side effects, according to some studies. For example, in certain studies, high caffeine consumption has been linked with depression and severe anxiety. It has also caused blood glucose levels to rise in people with type 2 diabetes. This could be due to caffeines contribution to insulin resistance.
According to one study, caffeine might reduce a woman's chances of becoming pregnant by about 27%. It has also been discovered that women who consumed 329 mg of caffeine per day, equivalent to three cups of coffee or more, had a 70% increased risk of bladder problems.
It has also shown that caffeine consumption three to six hours before bedtime can significantly disrupt deep sleep.
My take…
Caffeine, like everything else in the world, has advantages and disadvantages. Research has revealed both sides of the coin, and it is up to you to decide which side you want to take.
Caffeine does not appear to be harmful in moderation, and a moderate intake of caffeine may have health benefits.
However, the effects will vary depending on the amount consumed, the individual's size, gender, sensitivity, and any supplements or medications they may be taking.
I personally switch between caffeine and herbal tea’s to keep me company on cold winter evenings.
Trust this helps,