Caffeine is good for the Human Body

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Caffeine is good for the Human Body

Introduction

Caffeine is a stimulating plant product found in several plants such as coffee beans, tea leaves, soft drinks, chocolate, and drugs such as painkillers. The pure form of caffeine is a white crystalline, bitter, and soluble solid, which has been used in many chemical processes. Caffeine affects the central nervous system of the human body. Ingesting moderate amounts of coffee has shown to alter both the physical and psychological state of an individual (Chambers 17). Caffeine main effect is the improvement of the level of alertness and wakefulness of a person. However, extensive research has revealed that caffeine may affect the body negatively especially when taken in larger doses (doses of more than 400 milligrams per day for adults). Some of the main problems and side effects associated with caffeine intake include shakiness, high blood pressure, nervousness, increased and uneven heart rate, dehydration, and addiction. Addiction of caffeine is known to be one of the most prevalent issues affecting many adults today, with some reporting the inability to carry out daily life tasks without having taken tea or coffee. The issue with caffeine addiction is that people tend to increase their doses as time passes by, thus leading to side effects that are more serious. However, caffeine has been shown to possess a host of health benefits, which outweigh the side effects, on the condition that the stimulant is consumed in the appropriate amounts.

Contradictions of Caffeine Usefulness

According to the American Fitness Professionals and Associates, one of the main dangers of caffeine is that it affects the digestive system in different ways. This is because the metabolic rate is different from one individual to another. Therefore, for people with a low metabolic rate, caffeine may act as an improvement of the system. However, the bodies that already have a high rate of metabolism will only be aggravated by caffeine intake. When evaluating the positive effects of caffeine, the varying sensitivity to the drug from one body to another was not taken into account. The report suggests that the side effects of caffeine are difficult to control due to the long period that caffeine remains in the bloodstream. “The time required for the body to eliminate one-half of the total amount of caffeine consumed (or caffeine’s half-life) varies from several hours to several days” (American Fitness Professionals and Associates).

In addition, the effects of caffeine can be aggravated by several factors even when taken in moderate amounts. Negative side effects will be experienced when the person is under certain types of medication such as antibiotics, pregnant women, women taking oral contraceptives, and chain smokers. People suffering from heartburn and liver damage. For such people, taking caffeine will only exacerbate their conditions. According to the study, the continuous ingestion of caffeine leads to the development of a certain level of tolerance where the effects will be less experienced as in the beginning. Consequently, individuals will need to increase their doses as time passes. Thus with time, caffeine users will tend to increase their doses to feel the effects.

This is an indication that the body is developing a certain level of resistance to caffeine effects, and thus they are more likely to experience withdrawal symptoms with continued use. Caffeine overdose can lead to serious effects on the nervous system (Chambers 17). According to the study, large doses of more than 6 cups a day (750 mg of caffeine per day) will lead to side effects such as nausea, dizziness, tense muscles, sleep disturbances, and irregular heartbeats. Long-term effects can lead to anxiety attacks, delirium, and tinnitus (ringing ears). Some of the oils found in caffeine such as green coffee oil can lead to gastrointestinal irritation and diarrhea. Individuals are more likely to experience constipation due to the high concentration of tannin found in most of the food items that caffeine has.

According to another research, high doses of caffeine have shown to lead to early death. Caffeine intake was also related to poor body fitness and an increased likelihood to become addicted smokers, which comes with a host of other health problems emphysema, asthma, lung cancer, and death. Caffeine increases blood pressure and hypertension levels when taken in large doses of more than 6 cups a day. Adults diagnosed with hypertension were reported to be four times more likely to have a heart attack. Even with the recommended moderate intake of caffeine per day, reports revealed that such adults were three times more likely to suffer from heart attack. Caffeine was also linked to reduced fertility in women. Chances of becoming pregnant were reduced by more that 20 percent even with moderate caffeine intake.

Main Argument

Despite the rebuttals presented that argue against the usefulness of caffeine intake in the body, extensive studies reveal that caffeine has a host of health benefits to the body given that an individual has not taken large amounts. Coffee, which contains caffeine, is a rich source of antioxidants, which are known to fight inflammation. As an underlying cause of many chronic conditions, inflammation reduces metabolism and reduces the strength of the immune system. Antioxidants are also useful in keeping the body healthy through prevention of cell and tissue damage. Caffeine also contains chlorogenic acid, which is known to be useful in preventing cardiovascular diseases.

Moderate intake of caffeine is also linked to an increased capacity to retain memory. Researchers were able to establish an increased level of brain activity, which resulted in increased level of memory retention as well as a quicker response time. Caffeine also increases the levels of concentration for individuals, which useful for people who are about to take tests or intend to absorb large volumes of information in a short time. In the recent history, caffeine has been used as a means of controlling weight. Caffeine reduces a person’s appetite for as long as it takes effect in the body, thus reducing the likelihood of consuming large amounts of food in the immediate future. Caffeine also burns calories through activating thermogenesis (Antonio 21). The body produces heat energy from the food ingested, thus helping to reduce weight in this biological way. In addition, caffeine is one of the most active ingredients in many of the recommended diet pills, due to their effectiveness and low-risk side effects.

The risk of liver disease is also known to be suppressed by the intake of caffeine. Liquids such as coffee and tea, which are one of the most consumed beverages, have been linked to protecting liver functions and preventing diseases such a fatty liver disease. Through the high metabolic rates that result from caffeine intake, it is also linked to an increased strength in the muscle tissues, thus enabling people to carry out physically demanding tasks more easily. Caffeine is also known to be a pain reliever, which is why it is found in many pain relieving pharmaceutical drugs. Through the increased heat production by thermogenesis, caffeine has also been linked to result in mitigated symptoms of asthma, which occur when a person is exposed to low temperatures. It is also known to open airwaves for breathing, thus enabling people suffering from regular asthma attacks to breathe more easily.

The effects of caffeine can last up to 12 hours for a person with an average metabolic rate. As such, caffeine has been useful for people who need energy, concentration, a boost in the brainpower, and logical reasoning (Preedy 33). Many professions today require long hours of concentration and quick response reflexes to perform their job effectively. These include drivers, air traffic controllers, engineers, programmers, laboratory technicians, and surgeons, among others. Caffeine could prove to be a beneficial addition to their diet as a means of improving their performance. For such people, one cup of caffeinated beverages (about 100 to 150 mg of caffeine) will provide them with enough physical and mental energy that will last them for 6 to 12 hours. In men, intake of caffeine is linked to reduced risk of developing erectile dysfunction. Such effects are experienced when ingesting between 250 and 375 mg of caffeine daily.

Caffeine taken in large amounts is results in negative short and long-term effects on the body. Some of the stated negative side effects such as dehydration, shakiness, and ringing ears. However, such side effects are known to be significantly reduced when caffeine is taken with other liquids. For instance, coffee can be taken with milk or large amounts of water, which reduce its concentration, and thus reduce the levels of dehydration in the body. Since caffeine is known to cause gastric irritation in the stomach lining, this can be reduced by taking it with foods such as soy or almond. They help to coat the stomach lining, thus reducing heartburns and irritations. It is also easy for a person to be familiar with caffeine sensitivity. This enables them to be aware of their limits of caffeine intake, thus reducing the risk of taking large amounts that cause negative side effects (Crozier 19). In addition, it is also important for caffeine takers to be aware of their side effects of caffeine, to be aware of the appropriate times of the day they can take for optimum results.

Conclusion

Caffeine is among the most consumed beverages in the world. Used for centuries, caffeine has shown to have a host of advantages and disadvantages in the body, thus, it has been a source of medical controversy for decades. Due to its popularity and as a part of people’s daily lives, extensive research has been dedicated to determining whether this central nervous system stimulant is beneficial or harmful to the body. Many studies have revealed that while large doses of caffeine affect the body negatively through issues such as dehydration, shakiness, tinnitus, poor fitness, anxiety attacks, and delirium, among others (Preedy 71). However, such studies have failed to take into account that these negative effects are only realized when caffeine is taken in uncontrolled amounts, which can be solved easily by educating caffeine users on the adequate doses. On the other hand, studies supporting the use of caffeine have revealed that the health benefits are expansive, affecting body weight, increasing concentration, increasing energy and reducing liver diseases, among several other advantages. As such, it is important for an individual to weigh the benefits of caffeine and see whether it will provide benefits aligned to their life choices.

Works Cited

American Fitness Professional & Associates. Caffeine’s Hidden Dangers. 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2015.

Antonio, Jose. Sustaining the Caffeine Advantage: The Science of Sustained Energy, Exercise, and Fat Burning. North Bergen, NJ: Basic Health Publications, 2005. Print.

Chambers, Kenneth P. Caffeine and Health Research. New York: Nova Biomedical Books, 2009. Print.

Crozier, Alan, Hiroshi Ashihara, and F A. Tomas-Barberan. Teas, Cocoa and Coffee: Plant Secondary Metabolites and Health. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. Print.

Preedy, Victor R. Caffeine: Chemistry, Analysis, Function and Effects. Cambridge, U.K.: Royal Society of Chemistry, 2012. Print.