Caffeine is a very popular drug consumed mostly in coffee, tea, soft drinks and chocolate. Pure caffeine can be found in different powders, caplets or tablets. An estimated 80% of the entire world's population consumes one of the substances containing caffeine every day, which probably makes it the most widely consumed psychoactive drug in the world. We have a choice of what we drink and we choose caffeinated beverages for a good reason, and it is because of the stimulating effect that caffeine provides. There are only a few people who are not aware of this effect. There’s been quite a bit of confusion and sometimes even controversy surrounding caffeine lately. Is it good or bad for our health? Caffeine has been known to affect mood, stamina, the cerebral vascular system, and gastric and colonic activity. It is because all of this that caffeine may not be good for everyone. It is time to find out just what it does to us!

You can feel the effects of caffeine in your system within a few minutes of ingesting it, and it stays in your system for about four to six hours. During that time caffeine effects many hormones in the human body:

* Adenosine - It inhibits absorption of adenosine, which calms the body and it can make a person feel alert in the short run, but it can also cause sleep problems later.

* Adrenaline - Caffeine injects adrenaline into the human system, giving a temporary boost to the person cunsuming it, but possibly making him or her feel fatigued and depressed later.

* Cortisol - Caffeine can increase levels of cortisol in the human body. Cortisol is called the “stress hormone” and increased levels can lead to other health consequences ranging from weight problems, moodiness or even heart disease and diabetes.

* Cardiovascular problems  

Caffeine increases the heart rate, elevates blood pressure, and can contribute significantly to the development of heart diseases. Coffee increases levels of cholesterol and homocysteine, and science has linked this to increased risk for heart attack. It is also linked to coronary vasospasms, the cause for 20% of all fatal heart attacks which kill people that were otherwise perfectly healthy and had no serious health problems.  

* Stress related problems  

Caffeine stimulates the excretion of stress hormones like Cortisol which can produce increased levels of anxiety, irritability, muscular tension and even pain, indigestion, insomnia, and decreased immunity in some cases. Increased levels of stress from caffeine can prevent you from being able to make healthy responses to the normal levels of daily stress everyone is subjected to in their lives in the 21st century.  

* Emotional disturbances  

Anxiety and irritability are the most common mood disturbances associated with caffeine consumption, but depression and attention disorders are equally important. Caffeine actually decreases the blood flow to the brain by as much as 30% and thus negatively effects memory and mental performance.  

* Problems with blood sugar  

Diabetics and hypoglycemics should avoid substances containing caffeine because they stimulate a temporary surge in blood sugar. This is then followed by an increased production of insulin that causes a blood sugar crash within the next few hours.  

* Gastrointestinal problems  

Many people say that they experience a burning sensation in their stomach after drinking coffee because it increases the secretion of hydrochloric acid, which leads to an increased risk for ulcers to occur.  

* Nutritional deficiencies  

Caffeine inhibits the absorption of some important nutrients and causes the urinary excretion of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and trace minerals. These are all essential elements necessary for good health.  

* Male health problems 

In majority of cases, men can significantly reduce their risk for urinary and prostate problems by making dietary changes which include eliminating coffee and other substances containing caffeine.  

* Female health problems  

Fibrocystic breast disease, PMS, osteoporosis, infertility problems, possible miscarriage, low birth weight of infants and menopausal problems such as hot flashes are all increased by caffeine consumption. Women using birth control pills for contraception are particularly at risk since they have a decreased ability to detoxify caffeine in their body.  

* High adrenal exhaustion  

Consumption of caffeine leads to adrenal exhaustion which can leave a person highly vulnerable to a variety of different health disorders related to inflammation, autoimmunity, and fatigue.  

* Aging problems  

Many people find in their forties that they can no longer tolerate the same level of caffeine consumption as they could in their twenties and thirties. The body's production of DHEA, melatonin, and other important hormones starts to decline and caffeine speeds it up even more. Caffeine dehydrates the body and contributes to the aging proccesss of the skin and kidneys. It has also been shown to inhibit DNA repair and slow down the ability of the liver to detoxify foreign toxins. 

With all the potential negative and positive health consequences, caffeine can still be your friend, but in controlled doses. Here’s what you should remember about cunsuming caffeine:  

* Do not take too much caffeine because of all the health risks, as well as the risk of physical dependence that can come with four cups of coffee or more per day. It is wise to limit your daily caffeine intake.      

* Do not consume caffeine after 2pm because sleep is essential for proper physical functioning, and caffeine can stay in your system for 8 hours or longer. You should limit your caffeine intake to the first half of the day to ensure that your sleep isn’t disrupted.      

* Enjoy caffeine with physical activity! It is best to ingest it before an exercise cause your performance is then enhanced and the stress management benefits of exercise can also keep you healthy and feeling less stressed throughout the entire day.  

Enjoy your coffee!