There seems to be a debate around coffee at the moment. The conventional wisdom for a couple of generations now has been that coffee bad for you, and that you should stay away from it. Especially children. The root of these claims has been due to the caffeine and the acute rise in blood pressure and heart rate that it creates. Early studies seemed to show that these effects lead to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, or CVD, along with other health risks and causes of premature death. But, we have to ask, is this the final word? Or, could there be more to it than meets the eye?
1. Energy
- Caffeine
- Several components of coffee contribute to health benefits. Things like antioxidants, polyphenols, and other phytonutrients. But, of course, the highest and most widely known component is caffeine. Caffeine works as a stimulant raising the heart rate and blood pressure along with arousing the brain. This, in turn, leads to feeling more energized and alert. The energy boost received from caffeine is among the most common reasons for drinking coffee. Conversely, the rise in blood pressure and heart rate due to caffeine is among the most common cautions against drinking coffee. (1,4)
- Adenosine antagonism
- Adenosine is what makes you sleepy. An influx of adenosine signals to the brain that it is time to rest and sleep. However, caffeine is shaped a lot like the adenosine molecule, enough to fit into the same receptors in the brain. What this means is that when more caffeine is consumed fewer adenosine molecules will be able to bind to those receptors and send their signals to the brain. Because the caffeine will be blocking receptors and the adenosine will not be able to get in and do its job. Thus leading to less drowsiness and more alert feeling. (1,4)
2. Focus
- Less drowsiness, more alert
- The more tired and drowsy you get the less focused you are. You just don’t have enough energy to put into focusing. The reverse is also true. The less tired you are the more focused you are. Because you have more energy to divert to focus. Therefore it would follow that caffeine giving you extra energy would also help you focus. It can provide that extra push of energy you need to focus and finish your project.
- More energy available for focus
- Focusing takes a lot of brainpower. The more energy you have, the more you will be able to devote to mental focus and clarity. When you have plenty of energy you have plenty to divert to things like focus and intricate thought processes. The less energy you have, the less you have to devote to mental focus and clarity. What little energy you do have generally has to be diverted to simply keeping your body running. Therefore you will feel more focused overall the more energy you have.
3. Helps with pain
- Anti-inflammatory properties
- Caffeine also acts as an anti-inflammatory due to components such as chlorogenic acids. (2) Reducing inflammation is key to reducing pain. Inflammation causes pressure in certain areas. As this pressure builds, it leads to pain. Think of it like you are squeezing your wrist. Inflammation also causes heat and too much heat causes discomfort and pain. Therefore; reducing inflammation helps reduce pain.
- Enhances pharmacological measures
- Many studies suggest that caffeine gives a small, but significant, boost to the effects of over-the-counter pain medications such as; Aspirin, Ibuprofen, and Acetaminophen. Caffeine seems to have the strongest effect on headaches and with a dose of about 65-150mg. (2,3) Less than 65mg didn’t seem to have as strong of an effect and more than 150mg didn’t seem to show any extra benefit.
4. Lowers risks of some chronic diseases
- CVD
- Some studies have shown that coffee does acutely raise blood pressure and heart rate in those who do not regularly drink coffee, however, some studies have also shown that with habitual coffee drinking the body adapts to the rise in heart rate and blood pressure and the fluctuations become far less significant. Also, early studies that showed a correlation between coffee consumption and CVD risk did not always account for other lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and low physical activity. Ironically, when these are adjusted for the risk of CVD seemed to be lower in regular coffee drinkers. Moreover, there have been studies that have shown that moderate coffee consumption not only does not cause irregular heart rhythm but may even contribute to a more regular heartbeat. (4)
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Coffee has also been shown to have insulin-sensitizing effects. (4) This means that moderate habitual coffee consumption may help manage type 2 diabetes. Unlike type 1 diabetes, in which your body simply does not make insulin, type 2 diabetes is characterized by desensitization to the insulin that your body does make. So, insulin is there and in ample amounts. However, your body doesn’t know what to do with it and it doesn’t affect your body as it should. Therefore it makes sense that anything that can help increase or create insulin sensitivity could help with the management of type 2 diabetes. (1,4)
As with anything in life, moderation is key. Too much of anything is a bad thing. Coffee is the same way. Yes, too much of it is not good for you. However, that does not mean that one cup is going to harm you. There may even be some benefits to moderate intake. So, maybe conventional wisdom isn’t always so wise? Maybe there’s always more than what meets the eye…
Works Cited
- Nieber K. The Impact of Coffee on Health. Planta Med. 2017;83(16):1256-1263. doi:10.1055/s-0043-115007
- Derry CJ, Derry S, Moore RA. Caffeine as an analgesic adjuvant for acute pain in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;2014(12):CD009281. Published 2014 Dec 11. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD009281.pub3
- Lipton RB, Diener HC, Robbins MS, Garas SY, Patel K. Caffeine in the management of patients with headache. J Headache Pain. 2017;18(1):107. Published 2017 Oct 24. doi:10.1186/s10194-017-0806-2
- O’Keefe JH, et al Effects of Habitual Coffee Consumption on Cardiometabolic Disease, Cardiovascular Health, and All-Cause Mortality. JACC Vol. 62 No. 12, 2013:1043-51