I always read the Health Debate section in the Sunday Mail where Dr Cindy Pan and Naturopath Leah Hechtman write their take on a question or issue. Have just read their comments on “Is Caffeine Really That Bad For You?”
“If used in excess any substance has the potential to be harmful, and caffeine is no exception,” says Dr Cindy Pan. I am always glad to find common sense has a place in the medical spectrum of advice.
Coffee can become addictive, so be aware. If you find you need more cups of coffee because the lift doesn’t last as long any more, or need stronger coffee for the same lift to kick in, then it may be time to cut out coffee for four days and see what happens.
If you are addicted then you may experience withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, muscle aches, extreme tiredness, lethargy, irritability, or temporary depression. That is clear evidence your nervous system has been relying on coffee to keep going.
Why cut out coffee for four days? Because it takes your liver a minimum four days to clear the influence of anything you eat or drink out of your blood and dump any offending components out of your body.
Ever increasing intake of coffee can disturb your sleep, trigger rebound headaches, create low-level anxiety, disturb your appetite, make you jittery, even give you the shakes.
What’s a rebound headache? If you drink coffee to settle a headache and it works for you, it may work only for a short time. Used too often or for too long, coffee that helped a headache initially will actually bring on a headache.
The same thing can happen with various medications. Sleeping pills may help at first then rebound and actually become the cause of on-going sleeping problems. Same with some sinus medications, so always ask about rebound possibilities when you are taking prescription or over the counter drugs.
But there are some benefits with coffee, if used as part of your diet and not as a replacement for healthy eating, regular sleep and effective stress management.
“Ultimately caffeine is a drug”, says naturopath Leah Hechtman. I agree with her. And so is the sugar you may be adding to your coffee. If coffee is the only way you can rev up in the morning and a glass of wine is the only way your can wind down at night then you are addicted to uppers and downers.
“Caffeine is also an incredibly potent diuretic,” adds Leah Hechtman. You may recognize the truth of that when you find that within twenty to thirty minutes of drinking coffee your need to empty your bladder. So your body and brain cells become dehydrated each time you drink coffee. That causes some chaos in your system.
To rescue your brain cells and keep your muscles and organs hydrated too, drink a glass of water before you drink coffee and another after your coffee.
The other influence of dumping fluids so fast with coffee is that you may wash out minerals, but that’s another story for another time.
So, is caffeine really that bad for you? I guess it depends on how much and how often and what purpose it serves. It’s not a substitute for food or rest. Be aware of your intake and choose wisely.
Cheers
Anna McRobert