How Coffee Affects Your Organs
The main effect coffee has on your health comes from the caffeine present in coffee. We’ll walk through various body systems and how the caffeine from coffee affects your organs.
How Coffee Affects the Body
The raw materials that make coffee are roasted and ground seeds of the evergreen coffee plant. Coffee is among the most popular beverages in many cultures, with it being among the most profitable international commodities. But despite its delectable taste, coffee can also have a profound effect on the different organs in your body. These effects can take effect 5 to 30 minutes after consuming the beverage.
Central Nervous System
Caffeine acts as a stimulant to the central nervous system. It's the common ingredient in treating drowsiness, migraines, and headaches. The benefits of drinking coffee include a steady decrease in developing dementia and Alzheimer's. It can also reduce the risk of suicide by 45%.
It's advisable not to over-use coffee. While considering it a healthy drink, too much caffeine is harmful. A person that overuses coffee can experience withdrawals. For instance, when a person drinks coffee regularly, they can suffer from headaches. A regular coffee drinker experiences these headaches since the blood vessels in the brain expand with continual supplies of coffee.
Symptoms of Caffeine Withdrawal
- Drowsiness
- Headaches
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Achy muscles
Symptoms of Caffeine Overdose
- Vomiting
- Confusion
- Hallucinations
- Trouble in breathing
- Irregular heartbeat
Digestive System
Caffeine in the digestive system increases amounts of acid in the stomach, resulting in stomach upset and heartburn. The liver processes extra caffeine in the body and produces urine—high coffee consumption results in frequent urination. Also, people experiencing stomach issues such as ulcers or acid reflux should refrain from consuming caffeine.
Circulatory and Respiratory Organs
Absorption of coffee from the stomach into the bloodstream happens within two to three hours of consumption. Within a short period of caffeine consumption, it increases blood pressure. An increase in blood pressure results from the temporary blocking of hormones that naturally widen person arteries or high levels of adrenaline in the body.
The long-term effects of caffeine on blood pressure can create irregular heart rhythms. This makes the heart work harder. People who have hypertension or heart issues should seek a doctor's advice before consuming caffeine.
Skeletal and Muscular Organs
The consumption of caffeine in large amounts interferes with the metabolism and absorption of calcium in the body. The high levels of caffeine cause muscles to twitch, which contributes to bone thinning.
Reproductive Organs
Consumption of caffeine by pregnant individuals causes an increase in the unborn baby's heartbeat and metabolism. The absorption of caffeine in pregnant people happens in the bloodstream and crosses the placenta. Slight amounts of caffeine result in safe delivery. However, caffeine abuse causes slow growth of the fetus and increases the risk of miscarriage.
Caffeine affects a person's fertility. Large and consistent intakes of coffee may affect one's ability to conceive. It interferes with the metabolism and estrogen production that a person may need to get pregnant.
Methods of Making Caffeine Healthy
The tips below will reduce the harsh effects coffee can have on your body. It will also make consumption more pleasant.
Avoid Consuming Caffeine After 2 pm
Drinking coffee in the evening impairs the quality of sleep a person has, resulting in health problems. If it's necessary to have a beverage after 2 pm, a person can choose to take a cup of tea. Caffeine keeps a tired person awake by energizing them. This corrupts the natural sleep cycle.
Avoid Putting Excess Sugar in Your Coffee
Added sugar is the worst ingredient added to coffee as it makes it harmful for human consumption. Sugar consumption in massive amounts results in obesity and diabetes. The large amounts of fructose make it an unhealthy drinking option. Try switching to a natural sweetener such as Stevia to make your coffee sweeter.
Use Organic Coffee or Other High-Quality Coffee
There are different variants of coffee depending on the processing method and the bean cultivation. Choosing a brand of coffee that is quality means there is no pesticide contamination. The spraying coffee beans with chemicals and synthetic pesticides makes them unfit for human consumption.
Add Cinnamon to Coffee
Cinnamon in coffee lowers triglycerides, blood glucose, and cholesterol in people with diabetes. It also adds flavor to the coffee, making the drink more palatable.
Use Coffee Filters while Brewing
Coffee filters lower the amount of Cafestol in coffee, an ingredient in coffee that raises blood cholesterol levels.
Wrapping Up
When it comes down to it, coffee will affect your organs, so it’s up to you to regulate the amount you drink and when you drink it. Avoid overconsumption to keep your body in prime coffee drinking status.
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