Cutting down on Coffee

Many people who begin their day with a cup or cups of coffee don't realize that the caffeine in coffee can have harmful side effects.

Caffeine, found in both regular and decaffeinated coffee as well as other drinks and foods, is the mildest habit-forming drug. Medical research does not reflect that moderate caffeine consumption is harmful, but it has demonstrated that excessive consumption through coffee and other caffeine-laced drinks and foods can be. The presumed danger point for caffeine intake is between 200 and 750 milligrams depending on the individual. Because different brands of coffee contain varying amounts of caffeine, it is difficult to say just how many cups of coffee will put you in the danger range.

People who drink more than ten cups a day (about 1,000 milligrams of caffeine) can experience sensory disturbances, such as ringing in the ears, spots before the eyes, or hallucinations. However, the most serous, long-term effe4ct of excessive caffeine consumption is the risk of heart disease due to elevated cholesterol levels. Other side effects include nervousness, insomnia, increased urine output, headaches, stomach irritation, and stomach ulcers.

With these host of complications, one might wonder why the coffee bean is still so common place in households. According to a Stanford University study, most coffee drinkers have at least two-and-one-half cups of regular coffee each day, which is considered moderate consumption; other (approximately one fourth) drink five or more cups a day. This is considered excessive. Yet, even those who drink only two-and-a-half cups a day may receive additional doses of caffeine through other drinks and foods, which contain the drug. So, it is difficult to say that moderate coffee drinkers are safe from the ill effects of caffeine.

To really determine whether people are receiving too much caffeine, you have to look at their entire caffeine intake. People who drink decaffeinated coffee, which contains significantly less caffeine that regular coffee, may feel that it is safe to drink as many cups as they want. Depending on the number of cusp they drink, this may not be so.

The appeal of caffeine is that it heightens awareness and enhances motor coordination soon after it is ingested. This is why coffee is so popular as a morning eye-opener. Studies indicate that the caffeine in coffee does appear to stimulate the senses soon after drinking it. But after about an hour these effects begin to fade and are replaced by nervousness and fatigue. To counteract such nervousness and fatigue, people have a tendency to continue drinking more coffee when they start to feel the bad effects of their last cup. It's that need to experience a caffeine high that leads to coffee overdose.

Given all the sources of caffeine, eliminate caffeine intake is difficult, but cutting back on the amount of coffee you drink is a good start. You might want to consider herbal teas a s a substitute to coffee; most herbal teas contain no caffeine.