Health Effects of Coffee Addition

Coffee is undoubtedly the most cherished hot beverage of many developed countries, particularly those in North America and Europe. For quite some time, health-conscious individuals and researchers have been worrying about the health effects of caffeine (the active chemical component in coffee) and the craving for coffee that has come to be called ‘coffee addiction’. The findings of these studies suggest the need to keep the intake of coffee in moderation due to the harmful effects of caffeine.

Harmful Effects of Coffee Addiction

Coffee is a stimulating drink and its immediate effect on the body and mind is invigorating-augmenting both physical and mental energy. The later effects of coffee are, however, quite the opposite and even dangerous. Coffee stimulates the brain by causing the body to release stress hormones in the blood. The presence of these hormones induces an unusual alertness and practically robs the body and mind of their energy by excessive stimulation. The result is an irritable mood with feelings of fatigue and bouts of depressed mood. To make things worse, coffee also interferes with the night sleep and perpetuates the feelings of fatigue. To regain the vigor, one needs to take more coffee and hence the problem of coffee addiction. Before long, the coffee addict faces other health effects like acidity (heartburn), irregular heartbeat, and dark circles around the eyes. Other health effects of coffee addiction are also being verified by researchers.

Symptoms of Coffee Addiction

Common symptoms experienced by coffee addicts include excessive craving for coffee (the primary symptoms), a feeling of fatigue that lingers throughout the day (except when taking coffee and some time after it), heartburn, irritability, sleep disturbances (lack of restorative sleep), and stiffness or discomfort in the neck, shoulders, back, stomach, hands, and legs. Anxiety, constipation, heaviness, difficulty in concentrating, dizziness, and pre-menstrual syndrome, or PMS, (in women) are other symptoms of coffee addiction.

Coming Off Coffee Addiction

It is important for coffee addicts to reduce their daily coffee intake or give it up altogether. For one thing, quitting coffee is not so easy since the drink is an addiction for many people and cause disturbing effects if left or brought down suddenly. Withdrawal symptoms of coffee addiction include fatigue, nausea, headaches, difficulty in concentrating and poor orientation, increase in the intensity of PMS (in women) constipation, and frequent memory lapses. To avoid the severity of withdrawal symptoms, it is advisable that one tries to come off coffee gradually. This would mean taking half as much coffee daily as one is addicted to in routine; the missing half being replaced by green tea or herbal tea that is good for health. The remaining daily intake of coffee should be gradually reduced to two cups of coffee, or less, by replacing with herbal tea, soup, or fresh fruit juice.