5 Effects of Coffee on the Brain and Body
Many of us can’t start our day without a cup of coffee and the energy of caffeine. Americans have a coffee habit, drinking on average 2 cups per day and spending over $1,000/year on their caffeine fix. While we value our $5 lattes to give us a kick start to our day, we don’t talk about the effects of coffee on the brain and body.
Caffeine On The Brain
When caffeine reaches our brain, it mimics adenosine, a naturally produced molecule responsible for “energy currency” and sleep regulation. When caffeine latches onto the receptors designed for adenosine, you feel more alert and awake. Eventually, adenosine will catch on and make new receptors. This “catch-on” causes you to need another cup, or experience a serious crash.
5 Effects of Coffee on the Brain and Body
When it comes to nutrition and body, black coffee can be healthy for you. Coffee loses a lot of its nutritional value when flavors, milk, and sugars are added to it. But by drinking black coffee you can reap the health benefits, including the positive impact that it has on the brain.
The five most beneficial effects of coffee on the brain and body can include:
1.Prevention of Cancer, Diabetes, and Hypertension
The caffeine in coffee is a stimulant. Caffeine increases the activity in the brain and contains chemicals called polyphenols which are powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. Polyphenols also have anti-cancer, anti-diabetes, and anti-hypertensive properties.
2. Decreases Depression
Caffeine has also been linked to decreasing depression. Women who drink 2-3 cups of coffee per day are 15% less likely to become depressed according to the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2011.
3. Lower Rates of Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s is a disease that affects our central nervous system by killing the nerve cells in the brain that are responsible for dopamine. One study reported a 29% lower risk of Parkinson’s in people who drank three cups of coffee per day. Consuming more did not seem to benefit the participants. Caffeine appears to be the active ingredient in coffee responsible for these results.
4. Improvement of Memory
Some studies have found that caffeine may improve your short-term memory. While there is still a debate on long-term memory and coffee usage, studies have also shown that caffeine may improve long-term memory when administered after learning.
5. May Reduce Risk of Dementia
Diet-related factors have been discussed for a long time in terms of reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia. Observational studies have shown that coffee consumption can lower the risk of Alzhemine’s by 65%.
How Much Can I Drink?
So should you be drinking coffee? It all depends on your habits. If drinking coffee has negative effects on your sleeping patterns or mood, then you should decrease your consumption rate. Otherwise, a cup or two each day seems to have some preventable benefits that may help your health long-term.