Caffeine
Caffeine addiction is defined as the long-term, hazardous use of caffeine that has bad consequences for your health, social relationships, and other aspects of your life.
To be clear, caffeine has been linked to a slew of beneficial side effects.
This plant-derived stimulant has been linked to headache relief, increased mood, and maybe a lower chance of various severe medical conditions, including strokes, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s.
It’s true that caffeine addiction will not harm your physical and mental health as aggressively as other substances, but the harm it causes is still noticeable.
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Impact Of Caffeine Addiction On Your Health
Albeit it is uncommon, Caffeine overdose has been reported. However, some people develop unfavorable side effects from caffeine usage or have difficulties managing without it. Therefore, it clearly proves that caffeine addiction is possible, and since it is an addiction, it surely has some negative effects.
Let’s find them out:
(i). Digestive Problems
Many people find that a cup of coffee in the morning helps them move their bowels.
The release of gastrin is also responsible for coffee’s laxative effects. It is a hormone created by the stomach accelerating colon action when eating.
Caffeine also appears to increase bowel motions by increasing peristalsis, which are the contractions you get when your food goes through the digestive system.
It’s hardly surprising, therefore, that high doses of caffeine can cause loose stools or even diarrhea in some people.
It’s also worth mentioning that consuming coffee very often can stain your teeth. This reliable dentist in arlington recommends brushing your teeth 30 minutes after drinking coffee and decreasing the number of times you drink it in a day.
(ii). Disordered Drinking
Caffeine has certain downsides for some people.
The FDA considers a daily dose of 400 milligrams or less — about three to four cups of home-brewed coffee — safe. Still, smaller amounts can cause side effects like restlessness, insomnia, and a rapid heartbeat in people who are particularly sensitive to caffeine.
Pregnant women should limit their intake to 200 mg per day.
Even though many people switch to kratom instead of caffeine to change their caffeine urges, it does not work for most of them.
(iii). Anxiety
Caffeine has been shown to boost attentiveness.
It works by inhibiting the effects of adenosine, a neurotransmitter in the brain that causes fatigue. At the same time, it increases adrenaline hormone secretion that is linked to enhanced energy.
These effects may become more prominent with increasing dosages, resulting in uneasiness and agitation.
In fact, caffeine-induced anxiety disorder is one of four caffeine-related disorders, according to the American Psychiatric Association.
(iv). Insomnia
One of caffeine’s most coveted features is its ability to keep people awake. But, on the contrary, it can make falling asleep really hard for people who consume a lot of it.
Caffeine usage tends to stretch the time it takes for one to fall asleep. It may also cut down on the overall quality of sleeping schedule, especially in older people.
Low doses of caffeine do not appear to have much effect on someone’s sleeping patterns or even those who have self-reported insomnia.
If you underestimate the quantity of caffeine you consume, you may not notice that it interferes with your sleep.
(v). Addiction
Despite all of caffeine’s health advantages, it’s impossible to ignore that it has the potential to become addictive.
According to a comprehensive assessment, while coffee stimulates specific brain chemicals in the same way that cocaine and amphetamines do, it does not produce the same type of addiction.
However, especially at high doses, it can cause psychological or physical dependence.
In one research, 16 persons who normally ingested high, moderate, or no caffeine did a word test after being caffeine-free for an overnight period. Only those who consumed a lot of caffeine displayed a predilection towards coffee triggers and experienced coffee cravings.
What Is The Right Caffeine Dose?
Caffeine is chemically related to the neuromodulator adenosine, which builds up throughout the day and causes sleepiness at night. Caffeine binds to adenosine receptors in the brain, inhibiting the effects of adenosine and enabling dopamine to flow more freely as a side effect.
This can lead to emotions of happiness, vitality, and alertness.
Caffeine appears to boost cognitive performance in several studies, helping to speed up reactions and maintain attention.
However, if you intake 5 or more cups of coffee a day, it may exacerbate symptoms such as headache, agitation, anxiety, speech dysfunctionalities, and excitement. This condition is known as coffee intoxication.
It’s a border that casual users may over on occasion since many individuals develop a tolerance for caffeine over time, leading them to take more of it.
Up to 400 mg of caffeine is considered safe for an adult, but if you are suffering from any premeditated health issue or are pregnant, your daily caffeine intake should not cross more than 200 mg.
How To Mitigate Caffeine Addiction?
- Caffeine can interfere with sleep when ingested up to six hours before bedtime, lowering sleep by an hour and interfering with sleep efficiency and REM patterns. As a result, you must plan your caffeine intake properly.
- There are no established guidelines to assist individuals in quitting consuming caffeine, but psychologists suggest that tactics that work for quitting other problematic habits like smoking, drinking alcohol, or overeating may help. They include things like learning to recognize caffeine-inducing situations and enlisting the support of others to get you to your goal.
- Delay drinking coffee for at least an hour after you get up in the morning; when your body requires a caffeine boost, it creates cortisol, a natural energy booster, soon after you get up. So you can reserve your coffee breaks for mid-morning or early afternoon when cortisol levels are low.
- Similarly, if you don’t take caffeine regularly, consume it just when you absolutely need a functional boost, such as before a long journey or an especially lengthy lecture.
Say NO To Coffee!
We know how it sounds.
Caffeine is surely a strong addiction but it is not as harmful as some of those other substances.
So, if you can resist the caffeine urges, it’s time you make room for some new hobbies in that time and fill up your schedule.
We have already mentioned some ways to prevent caffeine addiction, and if you think abiding by those will be too hard for you, you can let us know below.
We will come up with some new solutions ASAP.
