forward to their first cup of coffee as soon as they wake up in the morning.
They are the habitués of coffee shops day-in and day-out, those who have made
coffee a regular part of their daily routine and lifestyle.The growing number of
coffee “addicts” have prompted hundreds of studies addressing concerns about the
effects of coffee on the body and whether or not caffeine causes harm. Some say
that it's good to drink coffee when you have a headache. Others say that it's
bad to drink coffee if you have stomach problems. Learning about the facts and
the myths of coffee drinking will help coffee lovers enjoy their next cup even
more.The general effects of coffee fall into the following categories:·
Stimulant effects. Caffeine makes coffee a well-established stimulant as it
stimulates the nervous system, including the nerves controlling intestinal
activity, blood pressure and airway size which may keep you alert and awake, yet
may also impair sleep, cause jitters and anxiety.· Heartburn. All types of
coffee, even decaf, can stimulate secretion of stomach acid, which may lead to
heartburn.· Diuretic features. Caffeine encourages the kidneys to produce urine
to rid the body of excess fluid. However, coffee leads to urination so
effectively that it may cause mild dehydration. Coffee may also have other
effects on the body, such as yellowed teeth which are common among regular
coffee drinkers. Burn injuries from steaming hot coffee are very common. Some
mental health professionals even suggest that regular caffeine users, including
coffee drinkers, should be considered dependent, addicted or struggling with
substance abuse. Over the past 50 years, studies have raised concern over the
health risks of coffee or caffeine users including an association with stomach
problems, pancreatic and bladder cancer, fibrocystic breast disease and
gallbladder disease, among other conditions. However, when analyzed further,
these studies just fall short of implicating even modest coffee consumption as a
significant health risk among pregnant women and cardiac patients. A review from
April 2007 examined the evidence that coffee consumption might increase the risk
of serious medical conditions like stomach cancer or leukemia. And they found
out that the data were considered inconclusive and that additional study was
necessary. A study about coffee intake being associated with an increased
pancreatic cancer was discredited and is often used as a model to show how a
flawed study can mislead research results. It analyzed a number of “exposures”
among patients with pancreatic cancer, including coffee intake. The number of
factors being examined made it a “fishing expedition” according to most research
experts. The danger of examining too many factors at once may produce
“association just by chance” results. There is the problem of generating
misleading results if a net is cast too wide.The following are therapeutic
effects of caffeine aside from being a stimulant:· Premature babies or those who
have undergone surgery just after birth may be treated with caffeine to
stimulate their breathing. · Some over-the-counter headache or pain relief
medication include caffeine, acetaminophen and aspirin. The effectiveness of
these agents may be linked, at least in part, to the treatment of caffeine
withdrawal, a common cause of headaches. · Several studies found modest benefits
with caffeine in the treatment of asthma as it gives dilating effects on
airways. In fact, some recommend that coffee intake be avoided before breathing
tests so as not to diminish the breathing abnormalities which the tests aim to
detect. · During the Experimental Biology 2007, an American Society for
Nutrition's annual conference, research experts reviewed evidence that moderate
intake of coffee, say 3 to 5 cups per day, might reduce the risk of diabetes,
Alzheimer's disease, kidney stones, gallstones, and depression. That health
risks are minimal and rare bring good news to the coffee lovers vast population.
Although those who are considered high risk patients should better avoid the
stimulant action of caffeine or the heartburn provoked even by decaffeinated
coffee.