Let's Talk: Coffee consumption

 Greetings!

For this weeks blog post lets talk coffee consumption, this might not immediately come across as a health issue however many people drink coffee and some drink too much coffee. From my personal experience people in healthcare, first responders and military personnel have some of the highest caffeine consumption. Oh and of course college students. 

What is safe caffeine consumptions:

The mayo clinic states that 400mg of caffeine is safe to the average adult. Children and young adults should be more careful about their consumption and pregnant women should limit their caffeine intake to less than 200mg per day. Some are very sensitive to caffeine and even low levels can cause side effects for certain individuals. Others are not as sensitive and to them, caffeine might even have a calming effect. Nevertheless people should consult their doctor for any health related concerns. 

Over consumption of caffeine can lead to side effects such as:

• Headaches
• Trouble sleeping or staying asleep 
• Anxiety 
• Fast heart rate and muscle tremors 
• Frequent urination 

These side effects might be unpleasant to some consumers but the motivation to stay awake might drive people to still drink more. 

Thus: How can someone drink coffee effectively and safely?

• only drink coffee in the morning
• Caffeine has a half life of 5 hours, meaning if someone drinks a cup of brewed coffee at 8am which has a coffee content of about 100mg, will still have 50mg of caffeine by the time 1pm comes around. 
• Stay hydrated 
• Caffeine is known as a dryadic, meaning it pulls water from the body making the consumer urinate more frequently, this can also lead to headache and muscle spasms. 
• Take breaks from drinking coffee 
• As caffeine is consumed regularly, the body can get used to the daily consumption and make someone feel like it's not having as strong of an effect, pushing people to consume more. In order to avoid this, try taking a few days off not consuming caffeine in order to let the body revert back to its previous tolerance. 

There are many other ways to stay resilient and safely consume caffeine, these recommendations are just a few.  It is always recommended to consult your personal doctor for guidance. 

                                                   A painting of a rooster I found at a Cafe:

Sources: 

Mayo clinic Staff. (2022, March 19). Caffeine: How much is too much?. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/caffeine/art-20045678#:~:text=Up%20to%20400%20milligrams%20(mg,safe%20for%20most%20healthy%20adults.