Fitness for Life

• Drinking Decaf or Regular Coffee Maybe Good for the Liver, Study Suggests
• Can Coffee Protect Against Malignant Melanoma? Study Looks at Trends
  
• Increasing Consumption of Coffee Associated With Reduced Risk of Type 2 Diabetes, Study Finds
  
• A Cup of Coffee a Day May Keep Retinal Damage Away, Study Shows
  
• Chemical in Coffee May Help Prevent Obesity-Related Disease
  
• How Coffee Protects Against Parkinson's
  
• Caffeine Intake Associated With Lower Incidence of Tinnitus

According to the research coffee is linked to lower levels of abnormal liver enzymes, protection against non-melanoma skin cancers, lower risk of type 2 diabetes, prevention of retinal degeneration due to glaucoma, aging and diabetes, protection against neurodegenerative diseases, and lower rates of tinnitus in women. Coffee also has more anti-oxidants than green tea.

Caffeine also enhances physical performance. It's one of the reasons I like a cup of Joe in the morning. There have been many studies on how caffeine helps endurance. Research shows that 2 cups of coffee enhanced running or cycling about an hour after drinking.

That's a lot. My main reason for drinking coffee is the pick-me-up it gives, and in some cases that may not be a good reason to drink it... but more an that later.

Caffeine, It's Complex

Caffeine is complicated. Scientists say plants such as coffee, cocoa, and tea manufacture it as an insecticide. And when it builds up in the soil it prevents other plants from propagating and competing. But even then, it has an upside. It also gives bees a buzz, literally. Studies show that pollinators get just enough caffeine when they land on flowers... enough to enhance their memories.

Humans get the same benefit as bees. Caffeine enhances memory within the day its consumed. Like bees, we don't need much caffeine to get the benefits. You would get a toxic dose of caffeine if you drank more than 80 cups of coffee at one sitting. That would be one serious test to cram for in order to down that much.

Speaking of the Down Side

Caffeine can cause anxiety in some people and make it worse the more its consumed. Regular intake can lead to psychological dependency, which is rarely good for one's overall health to be dependent on one food like that.

Then there are heart issues. After drinking a cup of coffee blood pressure levels get slightly elevated. Some doctors and researchers don't think this is a big issue if blood pressure levels remain within the healthy zones. But it could be a cause for concern for anyone with borderline and high blood pressure levels. 

In addition, caffeine can also cause heart palpitations or atrial flutter. Not good. I recently learned through my significant other, Jason, who's seen a doctor for flutter, that caffeine can also contribute to the perception of heart flutter. He wore a heart monitor for 24 hours and many of the sensations he experienced as flutter were just perception (a few of the flutters were real but most weren't). The effects of the caffeine fooled the brain into experiencing a flutter that wasn't there. 

But also with that cup comes a boost in glucose levels in the blood. Have a big sugary pastry with that cup and coffee acts to push glucose levels higher.

Get a Doctor Involved

The bottom line is that caffeine is complex. It's wonderful there is so much research on the foods that contain caffeine, namely coffee, tea and chocolate. The positive benefits are truly welcomed. The research seems to be pretty solid. But, and that's a big but, there are definite drawbacks, especially to heavy long term consumption.

By all means, if you love coffee, drink up, but don't do it because the positive research outweighs the negative. It's not enough to read a research report and feel you're covered. After all, caffeine is technically a psychoactive drug. 

My suggestion is to listen to your body and be aware of how caffeine is affecting it. If it's all good that's great. But, don't hesitate to consult with a physician if you have any suspicions of ill-effects.