For many, drinking coffee means more energy, efficiency and speed in doing daily tasks, and sometimes we become very dependent on it without realizing it.
Is coffee addictive? Coffee addiction or caffeine addiction is the harmful and excessive use of coffee over a period of time, such that it negatively affects your health, social interactions, or other areas of your life.
As we have experienced ourselves or read about it from various sources, coffee has many positive effects for us and our health. Research into the effects of coffee and its stimulants has shown results that improve mood, relieve headaches, and possibly reduce the risk of other major medical issues such as stroke, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s.
However, some people experience negative problems as a result of using coffee. Although rare, caffeine overdose has also occurred.
Read more: Decaffeinated Coffee
What is caffeine?
Caffeine is a natural stimulant found mostly in tea, coffee and the cocoa plant.
Caffeine is a bitter substance that occurs naturally in more than 60 plants, including:
- Coffee beans
- Tea leaves
- Kola nuts are used to flavor cola drinks.
- Cocoa beans used to make chocolate products.
There is also artificial (man-made) caffeine that is added to some medicines, foods and drinks. For example, some pain relievers, cold medicines, and over-the-counter medications for alertness contain synthetic caffeine. Energy drinks and chewing gum are also among these items.
Natural and synthetic caffeine
Cocaine is naturally and synthetically present in many drugs and foods.
Most people absorb caffeine from beverages. The amount of caffeine in different drinks can vary greatly, but in general it is as follows:
- A cup of coffee 220 grams: 95-200 mg
- A 340 gram can of soda: 35-45 mg
- A 220g energy drink: 70-100mg
- A 220-gram cup of tea: 60-14 mg
According to historical evidence, historians have estimated the first brewed tea in 2737 BC. According to reports, coffee was discovered years later by an Ethiopian shepherd who noticed the extra energy in his goats after consuming it. Caffeinated soft drinks hit the market in the late 1800s, followed by energy drinks.
Today, 80% of the world’s population consumes a caffeinated product every day.
What effect does caffeine have on the body?
Caffeine enters your bloodstream from the stomach and small intestine. When caffeine enters your bloodstream, it stimulates your central nervous system—the nerves, brain, and spinal cord—to make you feel more awake and alert. If you start your day with coffee every morning, it’s not a bad idea to read about drinking coffee on an empty stomach.
Caffeine reduces fatigue and improves concentration. It also causes the secretion of acid in the stomach and you may experience heartburn or indigestion after consuming caffeine.
When you drink or eat caffeine, dopamine signaling in your brain increases. Dopamine is a chemical that helps control motivation, emotions, and movement. When signaling increases you should feel more alert and awake.
Is caffeine addictive?
Many people’s bodies are resistant to caffeine. This means that your body gets used to consuming caffeine every day. Over time, you may find that you need to increase your caffeine intake to achieve the desired effects of alertness and ability to focus.
How much caffeine is allowed?
An average adult consumes 200 mg of caffeine per day. This is equivalent to two cups of coffee. Consuming up to 400 mg, or four cups of coffee, is not a problem for most people. However, caffeine affects people differently depending on their size, gender and sensitivity to it.
If you are sensitive to caffeine, even moderate amounts can cause insomnia (difficulty sleeping), fast heart rate, anxiety, and feeling restless. Health and nutrition experts agree that consuming more than 600 milligrams of caffeine per day (equivalent to four to seven cups of coffee) is excessive.
How long does caffeine last in the human body?
The effects of caffeine can be felt immediately or up to 15 minutes after consuming it. Caffeine levels in your blood peak about an hour later and remain at this level for several hours for most people. Six hours after consuming caffeine, half of its effects are still in your body. It can take up to 10 hours for caffeine to be completely cleared from the bloodstream.
If you have underlying diseases, articles such as the relationship between coffee and breast cancer, the effect of coffee on the thyroid, and coffee and migraines can help you better understand the benefits and risks of coffee consumption.
Coffee and its addiction
When coffee becomes problematic, it’s when it’s disrupting your life in a negative way, but you can’t stop drinking it, or you’re drinking it in amounts that are potentially dangerous to your health, despite knowing it. It may harm you mentally or physically.
How coffee can negatively affect your health
Coffee has various effects on the body that are potentially harmful to health. Coffee is associated with increased blood pressure and heart rate changes. There is also the question of whether coffee may be linked to an increased risk of osteoporosis. If coffee is consumed six hours before sleep, it can endanger your health by disrupting sleep.
Coffee addiction symptoms
Since coffee is a stimulant, consuming too much of it can cause a range of symptoms related to stimulation of the brain and nervous system. Symptoms of coffee addiction include:
- Dizziness
- Shaky feeling
- Headache
- Increased blood pressure
- Being nervous
- Palpitations or other heart rhythm abnormalities
- Sleep problems
Like all addictions, the pleasurable effects of coffee can sometimes mask other issues. Lack of energy and depression may be the cause of coffee addiction. Some people may rely on coffee to compensate for sleep disturbances.
Coffee withdrawal symptoms
Just as too much coffee can cause problems, so can suddenly removing it from your diet. The most common symptom experienced by people experiencing caffeine or coffee withdrawal is a headache, which can range from mild to severe. Of course, there are also some misconceptions about coffee, which it is better to read more about.
Read more: Quit Coffee, Side Effects of Sudden Caffeine Withdrawal
Coffee addiction can look like any other disorder
Since coffee addiction is like drug addiction, its disorders may seem like illness and drug withdrawal symptoms. For example, coffee poisoning causes symptoms that can easily be confused with anxiety disorders such as panic attacks.
Too much coffee can also worsen the symptoms of these disorders by intensifying the feeling of worry, creating rapid thoughts, increasing the heart rate and preventing relaxation and quality sleep. It may also be confused with withdrawal symptoms from other substances such as amphetamines and cocaine.
Who should avoid coffee?
Having coffee in your diet is not safe for everyone. Avoid drinking coffee if you are one of the following:
- Have any sleep disorder such as insomnia.
- have a wound
- are pregnant
- They are breastfeeding.
- Have migraines or chronic headaches.
- They have high blood pressure.
- Take certain stimulants, antibiotics, asthma medications, and heart medications.
- are children or teenagers.
- Have anxiety.
- Have a fast or irregular heartbeat
Read more: Coffee Grounds For Plants
Some tips for quitting coffee
Slowly reduce the amount of coffee in your diet. Do not make the mistake of completely stopping its use. You will likely experience withdrawal symptoms. Avoiding Withdrawal Symptoms Caffeine withdrawal is one of the most common reasons why people continue their coffee habit.
Some people ask the question, how many days does it take to quit coffee? To successfully cut down on coffee, gradually reduce the amount of coffee you drink per day. Start replacing coffee with water. Water is a healthy choice and eliminates the need to drink fluids. Water also naturally flushes caffeine from your body and keeps you hydrated.
Gradually switch from regular coffee to decaffeinated coffee. First, alternate between regular and decaffeinated coffee. A gradual reduction in caffeine consumption over two to three weeks will help you successfully kick the habit without causing withdrawal symptoms.
| ⚠️ Pay Attention Please! This article was prepared by an expert. But this is for general information only. Before any action, it is necessary to consult a doctor. Beneficially is not responsible for any damages or losses! |
source:
- https://www.addictioncenter.com/stimulants/caffeine/
- https://www.verywellmind.com/caffeine-addiction-4157287
- https://www.insider.com/guides/health/conditions-symptoms/caffeine-addiction
- https://www.sutterhealth.org/health/nutrition/breaking-your-caffeine-habit
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/caffeine-dependence
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