Caffeine, a psychoactive drug, is loved by college students worldwide for the quick bursts of energy it provides. It has always been enjoyed, but anything in excess is bad for you. Who knew coffee could cause ulcers, stress, and tension? Here are some of the negative side effects of caffeine we should all be aware of.
1. Drinking more than 4 cups of coffee is linked to early death
It’s been shown that young adults who were diagnosed with mild hypertension (high blood pressure) had four times the risk of having a heart attack if they consumed the amount of caffeine equivalent to four cups of coffee.
2. Coffee creates a physical dependency
Caffeine use can be associated with several distinct psychiatric syndromes: caffeine intoxication, caffeine withdrawal, caffeine-induced sleep disorder, and caffeine-induced anxiety disorder. If a regular coffee drinker, for example, fails to drink their daily dose of caffeine, he can end up with headaches, excessive sleepiness, and feeling like he cannot function. Withdrawal from caffeine can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to resolve itself, depending on how much caffeine a person usually consumes.
3. Caffeine can weaken bones
There is an association between consuming caffeinated drinks and decreasing bone mineral density at both the hip and the spine that comes with aging. You can lose up to five milligrams of calcium for every six ounces of regular coffee or two cans of cola consumed. As little as 300 to 400 mg of caffeine a day doubles the risk of suffering a hip fracture.
4. Coffee can be a source of incontinence
A study out of the University of Alabama showed that people who consume a lot of caffeine are 70% more likely to develop incontinence (i.e. you pee yourself). Yikes!
5. It can lead to lack of sleep
This is one of the most common effects of caffeine. It’s said to block the effects of adenosine, a neurotransmitter thought to promote sleep. It also increases the number of times one wakes up during the night by increasing the need to urinate and interfering with deep sleep. This leads to and fatigue during the day, which in turn makes you need more caffeinated drinks. The same caffeinated beverage we use to jump-start our day only worsens our health.
6. Caffeine can cause indigestion
People with stomach conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, and ulcers are usually victims of too much caffeine. It increases the acidic response in the stomach, which may lead to excessive bowel movements and stomach discomfort.