A cup of black coffee, cappuccino, a shot of espresso, latte macchiato, cortado, flat white, with whipped cream, with sugar, and even decaf; drinking coffee is popular. Trendy coffee shops and take-away counters have sprung up like mushrooms in recent years. Whereas coffee drinking used to be popular only among adults, nowadays more and more young people also drink a cup of coffee with all kinds of syrups, toppings and other specialties. But how good is drinking coffee really for our health? We discuss it in this blog.

The effect of a cup of coffee

Coffee drinkers often report that the first cup of coffee of the day is a favorite. Many people see coffee as a boost to the brain to really get into action. Without coffee, they say they do not even function properly. What does this have to do with? 

The main substance in coffee is caffeine, a stimulant found naturally in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa beans and other plants. It affects the central nervous system and has various effects on the body. 

The stimulating effect of caffeine usually begins within 15 to 45 minutes of consumption and can last for several hours, depending on factors such as individual sensitivity to caffeine and the amount consumed. 

What does caffeine do in the body?                                                                   

Caffeine can stimulate the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, in this process adrenaline is released, leading to an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. This produces a feeling of alertness and a temporary spike of energy. This is why many people drink coffee to stay awake and perk themselves up. The release of adrenaline and, as a result, the increase in heart rate, can improve performance in sports or other physical endeavors. This is why the substance caffeine is often added to energy and sports drinks.

In addition, caffeine has other effects on the body. In fact, caffeine can boost metabolism, which stimulates the breakdown of fat cells to then be used again as a source of energy.

Finally, caffeine can temporarily improve feelings of well-being and mood, making some people feel happier after consuming it. 

Sleepless nights after a cup of coffee

The half-life of coffee is about 5 hours. This means that five hours after drinking a cup of coffee, the amount of caffeine in the blood after five hours is still half the amount of caffeine from your cup of coffee.

Not everyone breaks down caffeine as quickly and effectively, this has to do with the enzyme CYP1A2. The enzyme in question is responsible for 95 percent of your caffeine metabolism. Genetic variants of this have a significant influence on the functioning of CYP1A2 and thus determine your degree of caffeine breakdown. People with one or two unfavorable copies of the CYP1A2 gene metabolize caffeine a lot slower and therefore feel a greater and especially longer effect of coffee 

This explains why one person can calmly drink coffee late in the day and sleep just fine, and the other is still bouncing in bed half the night staring at the ceiling. 

The disadvantages of coffee 

If you drink too much coffee in a day, you may experience symptoms such as: 

• Restlessness
• Rapid heartbeat or palpitations
• Fear
• Headache
• Irritation
• Trembling or trembling
• Insomnia or oversleeping problems 

In individuals who also have a different function of the Cyp1A2 enzyme, elevated blood pressure also frequently occurs on top of this. 

Does everyone experience the above disadvantages of drinking coffee? No. This has to do with how well and quickly a person can metabolize coffee as well as how much coffee a person has drunk.

Coffee drinking & stress 

Do you regularly experience one (or more) of the following complaints? 

• Heart palpitations
• Restless brain
• Anxiety and stress
• Pressure on the chest
• Hurried feeling

Caffeine stimulates the production of the stress hormone cortisol, especially when drunk on an empty stomach. Many people like to start their day with a nice cup of coffee, but we still advise against it. When you cut back on coffee, you can achieve greatest results: more peace of mind, fewer stress symptoms, and less of a feeling of agitation.

A good and tasty alternative to coffee is cocoa, for example. You can make this into a chocolate drink or a chocolate milk with (vegetable) milk. Charlotte Labee Supplements has a Cacao Blend with an added mushroom mix, maca extract, Brazilian ginseng and more!