Over the past few years there have been many articles, books and TV programmes documenting the dangers and benefits of coffee. You only have to run a Google search on the dangers of caffeine or the benefits of caffeine to see thousands of results both for and against this drug. Since starting personal training I have found this to be a big area of confusion so I would like to help you the reader try and understand the pros and cons of caffeine so you can come to your own conclusion. This is an unbiased point of view, the information given is from a large number of credible resources on both sides of the argument, so read on and make your own judgment.
Before I mention the benefits and dangers I would like inform you that it is not just coffee that contains caffeine. Tea, energy drinks such as red bull and a large percentage of soda drinks also contain a similar dose of this drug, so if you wish eradicate caffeine from your life then beware of the different forms that contain it.
The Cons
Caffeine Triggers Food Cravings
Caffeine and other ingredients found in coffee, including decaffeinated coffee, have been shown to increase stress. Caffeine elevates the stress hormone, cortisol. This stress hormone creates an emergency “fight or flight” reaction in the body including increased heart rate, blood pressure, and a sense of “emergency alert”. This alerts the body to increase its energy stores which results in food cravings specifically simple carbohydrates (sugars). The short term reaction is a state of alertness followed by a fatigued/lethargic state a couple of hours later.
Caffeine Increases Stress
Caffeine intake aggravate stress including physical, mental, and emotional stress. Additionally, caffeine has been found to interfere with our “feel good” brain messenger called GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid). This brain messenger plays an important role in mood and stress management. A lack of GABA can trigger stress or emotional eating, which leads to weight gain. How often have you grabbed a pint of ice cream or bag of cookies when feeling bad? Quitting caffeine can help you get a handle on emotional eating by reducing stress hormones and allowing GABA to do its job of making us feel better.
Stress Hormones Increase Body Fat
Studies show that prolonged elevated cortisol levels increase the deposit of fat in the deep belly area. Abdominal fat is associated with increased health risks like cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Decreasing caffeine along with regular exercise are great steps you can take towards a firmer belly and healthier body.
Caffeine Increases Insulin Resistance
Research shows that caffeine contributes to insulin resistance, a condition that reduces the body’s ability to use insulin effectively. When our bodies’ become resistant to insulin, glucose and insulin build up in the blood, endangering our health and increasing our risk of developing Type II Diabetes. Drinking coffee can also cause insomnia and sleep deprivation, both of which have been found to increase insulin resistance. Kicking the caffeine habit can help to lower your risk of insulin resistance and help you to manage your weight more effectively.
It’s not all bad though…here are some benefits!
The Pros
Caffeine speeds up the metabolism
Also, it can help the body break down fat about 30% more efficiently if consumed prior to exercise. (You must be exercising to get this benefit, though.) Additionally, caffeine can keep blood sugar levels elevated, leaving you feeling less hungry. Caffeine has been found to enhance physical performance and endurance if it isn’t overused. This, combined with its effect of fat burning during exercise, can actually enhance workouts and enable you to get in better shape if you take it at the right time.
Coffee may reduce the effects of Alzheimer’s
This horrible disease damages the brain by encouraging it to overproduce a protein known as beta-amyloid. This protein clumps together inside brain cells until they eventually silt up and stop working.As the disease progresses, sufferers begin to lose their memories and, one by one, all of their faculties. Research published July 09 shows that caffeine reverses the build-up of this beta-amyloid protein in the brains of experimental mice. These mice had been bred to develop the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease that were equivalent to the those of a 70-year-old human sufferer. Scientists gave a group of these mice caffeine in their drinking water equivalent to a human dose of around five cups of coffee. The researchers then stood back and watched to see how the caffeine affected the creatures. The results were nothing short of astonishing. The brains of mice given caffeine showed a 50 per cent reduction in levels of the 'toxic' beta-amyloid protein. And gradually, over a period of a few months, the brain cells seem to recover, too. The mice were soon back to running around their exercise wheels and exploring their mazes as if nothing had happened to them.
My Conclusion
From looking at the different research I would advise people not to drink cafeinated drinks as a method to pick them up in the morning, especially if you live a stressful lifestyle. Instead try to adopt a healthy balanced diet which will keeping you going longer than a cup of coffee and will not leave you feeling lethargic later.
However, I would say that caffine is safe to use if it is controlled. So if you exercise regulary and do not suffer a stressful life then try a cup of coffee approx 15 mins before a workout to feel maximum benefits, as this should not be a problem. Beware if you exercise later in the evening as this may effect your sleep patterns.
With regards to the research on Alzihemier’s, this was conducted on mice and no research on humans has yet been trialed.
I hope this helps you to now make a decision on using caffeine or not. I personally would not use it as I prefer to use a healthy balanced diet to keep me energised throughout the day, however the choice is down to you!!