Health
Issues associated with Coffee and Caffeine
There
are four main health issues caused by coffee and the over-consumption of
caffeine:
1)
Exhausted Adrenal Glands:
Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. It causes the adrenal glands
secrete adrenaline, the hormone your body depends on in emergencies to elevate
your heart rate, increase your respiration and blood pressure for a rapid
flight-or-fight response. When you overuse stimulants, the adrenals become
exhausted. If your caffeine sensitivity has diminished or you’re one of
those who claims you can drink 3 shots of espresso and go right to sleep, guess
what? Your adrenals have given up responding. This means you have less
resistance to stress, which leaves you vulnerable to health hazards such as
environmental pollutants and disease pathogens.
As
we age, the adrenals become more and more important to us as the production
center of the essential youth and sex hormones including DHEA, pregnenolone,
progesterone, testosterone and estrogen. Many people in their forties find they
can no longer tolerate the same level of caffeine consumption as they could in
their twenties and thirties. The multiple effects of aging become apparent in
the forties and the body frequently shows an increased variety of reactions to
the toxicity of coffee and caffeine.
The
adrenals can be considered the storage center for the vital force, your
inherited reservoir of energy. They need nourishing to keep them in optimal
health. Think of your adrenals as a bank account. If you continue to make
withdrawals without any deposits, you will hit bottom with a looming overdraft
in the form of depleted energy and health.
2) Severe Blood Sugar Swings:
Caffeine forces the liver to release glycogen into the blood stream. The
pancreas responds to the sudden rise in blood sugar by releasing insulin, the
hormone which causes excess carbohydrates to be stored as fat. Within the span
of an hour or two, the result is a sharp blood sugar drop resulting in a state
of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). That’s when you think it’s time
for another cup of coffee and the whole cycle starts up again.
As Barry
Sears advises in his book, The Zone, achieving a hormonal balance and
blood sugar stability allows you to maintain your natural weight and optimal
energy level. He counsels that the breakdown of caffeine causes the pancreas to
release too much insulin, thus creating a climate in which excess carbohydrates
are stored as fat and are unavailable for use as energy by your brain. Although
caffeine is a metabolic stimulant, the ultimate effect is to increase your
appetite and contribute to weight gain and thus caffeine should be avoided by
anyone working to reduce body fat.
3)
Acid Imbalance: Over
208 acids in coffee can contribute to indigestion and a wide variety of health
problems resulting from over-acidity associated with arthritic, rheumatic and
skin irritations. Many people experience a burning sensation in their stomach
after drinking coffee because coffee increases the secretion of acid in the
stomach. Optimal health calls for an alkaline pH balance in the body.
Caffeine
breaks down into uric acid, which the body excretes through the kidneys. An
excess of uric acid taxes the kidneys and can cause kidney stones and gout.
Additionally, men have to be concerned about prostate conditions that may be
aggravated by coffee consumption.
4)
Essential Mineral Depletion:
Coffee inhibits the absorption of some nutrients and causes the urinary
excretion of calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and trace minerals, all
essential elements necessary for good health. Women need to be concerned about
osteoporosis as menopause sets in. Studies show that women who drink coffee
have an increased incidence of osteoporosis compared to non-coffee drinkers.
Men are not immune to osteoporosis either.
There are a number of health conditions
for which doctors advise their patients to eliminate coffee and all caffeine
from their diet.
- Acid indigestion
- Anxiety, irritability and
nervousness
- Candida or yeast problems
- Colitis, diverticulitis,
diarrhea and other irritable bowel symptoms
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and other
auto-immune disorders
- Diabetes or hypoglycemia (low
blood sugar)
- Dizziness, Meniere’s
syndrome or tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
- Gout (Elevated Uric Acid levels)
- Heart disease or heart
palpitations
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Insomnia and interrputed
or poor quality sleep
- Liver disease and gallbladder
problems such as gallstones
- Kidney or bladder problems
including kidney stones
- Migraines or other vascular
headaches
- Osteoporosis
- Skin irritations, rashes and
dryness
- Ulcers, heartburn, and stomach
problems such as hiatal hernias
- Urinary tract irritation
Female
Health Issues: Women
in particular need to be concerned about their caffeine intake during pregnancy
because caffeine crosses the placental barrier to the fetus and studies show
higher incidence of miscarriage, infertility and low birth weight
in those women who drink too much caffeine. PMS symptoms and fibrocystic
breast disease are both aggravated by caffeine. Hot flashes and
other symptoms caused by hormonal fluctuations during menopause also are
aggravated by caffeine. Coffee causes the body to excrete calcium and other
minerals. Women at risk for osteoporosis need to eliminate their intake
of caffeine and coffee.
Male
Health Issues: Coffee
is an irritant to the urinary tract and bladder. It is also a diuretic
that aggravates conditions associated with frequent urination.
Eliminating coffee and caffeine often relieves symptoms associated with
frequent urination due to enlarged prostate glands.
