Coffee is a substance that contributes to some health benefits. However, it is important not to consume it excessively, as it could lead to dependency and cause negative effects on the body.
Coffee is a socially accepted beverage, says neurosurgeon Ramón Vivar, who adds that it also has positive effects on health. “There is research that it can help with depression and there are studies that talk about the relationship between coffee and the reduction of the risk of suffering from certain types of cancer,” he adds.
Similarly, because it contains caffeine, it helps burn fat; increases adrenaline levels, improves physical performance; and may reduce the risk of heart failure, even though it increases blood pressure.
However, these benefits occur when coffee consumption is moderate (two cups a day).
“In our sociocultural context, coffee is something important, it is a pleasure that can be shared,” says Diego Guacajol, a clinical psychologist at the Entero Psychological Care Center, adding that, since it is so accepted, it is also permissible to drink it in large quantities.
Guacajol also explains that the negative effects begin when dependency sets in and people do not usually relate the symptoms to coffee consumption, since, at the beginning, they did not notice them.
Dependence
Coffee is a drink produced from the beans of the coffee plant, which contains caffeine and, according to Carlos Ramírez, a neurologist, “it is a nervous stimulant that causes the release of dopamine.”
Also known as the reward hormone, dopamine is one of the happiness hormones, as it provides feelings of satisfaction and motivates repeat behaviors, such as drinking coffee. By not stimulating this hormone, a person’s mood changes.
Ramírez explains that when there is a dependency, by not consuming coffee, the individual’s dopamine levels drop and this makes the person feel the need to drink it.
“It is not so harmful if consumed in moderation. Like any stimulant, the problem may be that the person consumes more and more cups to maintain the effect,” says Ramírez.
How does it work?
It all starts with moderate consumption, where the person drinks coffee for pleasure and, at most, two cups a day. It serves as a stimulant, to have a better concentration and to be more awake, so there are no signs of negative effects on health.
When consumed more frequently, the body becomes accustomed to the amount it ingests and requires more and more, explains Guacajol. “All this develops from neurotransmitters, which associate a certain amount of caffeine as necessary for the proper functioning of the person,” he says.
There have even been more extreme cases in which, rather than consuming coffee, a higher dose of caffeine is necessary, to the point of requiring pills concentrated with this substance.
Carlos Ramírez also refers to the “reward system,” which consists of a person moving closer to what makes them feel good and, on the contrary, moving away from what doesn’t.
Signs of dependency
Different signs and symptoms indicate that there is a dependency. These are related to the physical and emotional state of the person. For Diego Guacajol, there is a difference between enjoying and needing coffee. These are some signs of dependency:
According to Vivar, if when you wake up in the morning the first thing you want is a cup of coffee, if after drinking your cup you have a strong desire to urinate, if you feel that by not drinking your coffee you do not stay awake, then there is addiction.
Furthermore, this substance can affect sleep. Vivar adds that “some people become so addicted that they cannot sleep without drinking coffee first, which is a contradiction.”
It is also an irritant to the gastrointestinal system and the person becomes anxious and irritable if they do not consume it, as dopamine levels drop, says Ramírez, adding that another sleep disorder consists of stimulation of the nervous system, which causes the person to no longer sleep.
Other immediate and very common symptoms, says Guacajol, are headache, the need to drink, lack of concentration, and bad mood.
Some recommendations
In the case of addiction, it is advisable to reduce consumption. “You may feel the desire to take it like any other drug. It can even give you serious headaches,” says Ramón Vivar, adding that another suggested habit change is to exercise.
“When you feel the urge to increase the amount, try to stop,” advises Carlos Ramírez. “Sometimes, when you reduce the amount of cups, withdrawal symptoms can occur.” This consists of a set of symptoms of physical and psychological changes that occur when you suddenly stop an addiction.
To this, Ramírez adds that, when there is an addiction, it is no longer a decision to drink coffee, but a compulsion.
Moderate coffee consumption can contribute to your health, but it is important to take note of the number of cups you drink and the symptoms you show since caffeine can cause dependency. Moderate your consumption and consult with specialists if you have irregular symptoms.
Coffee as a miracle cure
According to AFP, coffee is also a miracle cure for a disorder of uncontrolled movements. This is the case of an 11-year-old patient who was diagnosed with dyskinesia (involuntary movements) related to a gene called ADCY5.
Faced with the rare disease, doctors prescribed him coffee, and two espressos a day. The effect lasted about 7 hours and the movements almost completely disappeared.
An important detail is that it is not decaffeinated. For it to be effective, doctors suggest consuming caffeine when dealing with this type of dyskinesia.
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