Got the Jitters? It Could be Your Beverage of Choice

Coffee is a magical brewed potion of pure ambition. It’s natural and beneficial effects on the body are endless. Most types contain caffeine, a substance that may boost your mood, metabolism and mental and physical performance. But what if you have too much? Jitters, shakes and anxiety can all come flooding in. It’s the caffeine – it is a drug, and you need to know how much you are getting and what it will do to you.

Research has shown that your genes have a major influence on your tolerance to it. Some can consume much more caffeine than others without experiencing negative effects. What’s more, individuals who aren’t used to caffeine may experience symptoms after consuming what is typically considered a moderate dose. Coffee is “the most commonly used psychoactive drug,” and drinking more than 5 cups a day can have you hearing things.

Coffee is basically the modern version of the Holy Grail. This life-restoring elixir makes red-eye flights bearable, sleepless nights melt away, and honestly, goes great with dessert. So it’s understandable, then, that you might drink a little too much from time to time. (It tastes so good! And I’m so tired!) But combine all those grande lattes with other foods that contain caffeine, like dark chocolate, and you could wind up with a serious case of the jitters. Lets talk about the effects of too much coffee and caffeine, and the benefits of the right amount.

The Damages of Too Much Caffeine

It can damage your liver, according to studies by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, while moderate amounts of coffee can help the liver to detoxify the body, too much can have to opposite effect and hinder your liver’s function. This is especially true if you’re taking high doses of common over-the-counter pain medication. It can make you irrational and irritable.The shallow breathing caused by too much caffeine can stymie oxygen’s flow to the brain, which in turn harms the decision making process. As well as heartburn/reflux. Caffeine has been shown to relax the esophagus, contributing to gastroesophageal reflux. This can either cause or exacerbate heartburn in susceptible individuals.

You can start to notice rambling thought and speech. Along with many of your other senses, speech and thought speed up in response to the stimulant effect of caffeine. While this can be very useful for concentration, too much can cause confusion and stuttering. Then there are the heart palpitations. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system. It speeds up the heart rate and can cause the heart to flutter or palpitate. Even hallucinations,  they are believed to occur when an overdose of caffeine causes the body to become stressed. This is a result of high adrenaline levels.

It can take up to nine and a half hours for caffeine levels in your bloodstream to even decrease by half. But just because you accidentally went overboard doesn’t mean you’re totally screwed. First, start drinking water. Staying hydrated can ease some of the symptoms caused by an overdose and help the body efficiently eliminate it. Mild exercise to help your body metabolize the caffeine faster. Eating foods with potassium or magnesium (like bananas) is also helpful. Caffeine wipes out your body’s potassium and magnesium, which can cause the tremors and jitters of caffeine overdose

Here is Why You Want the Right Amount of Coffee and Caffeine Each Day

A cup of coffee in the morning may provide more than just an energy boost.The potential health benefits associated with drinking coffee include protecting against type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, liver disease, liver cancer, and promoting a healthy heart.

For Starters, two cups of coffee can cut post-workout muscle pain by up to 48%. A cup of brewed coffee represents a contribution of up to 1.8 grams of fiber of the recommended intake of 20-38 grams. Also studies show, Those who consumed 6 or more cups per day had a 22% lower risk of diabetes. And there is considerable evidence that caffeine may protect against Alzheimer’s disease. Get me some of that delicious black gold now!

Worried about Parkinson’s? Researchers in the U.S. carried out a study that assessed the link between coffee consumption and Parkinson’s disease risk.The study concluded that higher coffee and caffeine intake is associated with a significantly lower incidence of Parkinson’s disease. In addition, caffeine in coffee may help control movement in people suffering from Parkinson’s.

Then there is cancer. The worst enemy of mankind. Did you know coffee consumption lowers the risk of liver cancer by about 40%. In addition, some of the results suggest that if you drink three cups a day, the risks are reduced by more than 50%.7? And in another recent study appearing in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute looked at the coffee-drinking habits of more than 447,000 people over 10 years. The researchers found that those who drank four or more cups of caffeinated coffee each day had a 20 percent lower risk of developing melanoma than people who drank decaffeinated coffee or no coffee.

The Final Thought

Coffee is great, It is great for you. Listen to your body and enjoy. I wish all things in life could be this simple, but at least we have coffee.