Caffeine Benefits and Caffeine Side Effects

     Dark coffee, decaf, espresso, the roasted drink has built its reputation on its exciting effect, we're glad we have coffee as a pick-me-up, however, it should not be abused... In moderation, coffee proves to be a particularly interesting health ally, adorned with unexpected benefits.

 What are its effects?

Experts are looking at their role in our metabolism.

What caffeine does to your body?

Caffeine Side Effects: Is coffee good for your health?

     Scientists love coffee! While caffeine particularly excites the attention of researchers, other elements such as antioxidants are also being studied.

     The main reason for drinking coffee: the search for a stimulating effect. Caffeine increases the duration of alertness and delays the appearance of the feeling of tiredness, especially during intellectual or repetitive tasks. 

     This substance also has a positive effect on driving: scientific studies have shown that it improves reflexes and visual perception.


     However, these effects vary greatly depending on the sensitivity of the individual and are more pronounced in small coffee drinkers.

A low-calorie drink

     As a perfect stimulant for the body, caffeine even leads to an increase in basic energy expenditure! Breathing, posture maintenance, intellectual activity then consume 16% more energy when the body is under the influence of caffeine. 

     However, this expenditure does not represent the "slimming" power of coffee! The drink is in any case very low in calories since a cup of coffee provides only 2 to 5 kcal. As long as you drink it without sugar, of course!

Digestive and anti-migraine

    Coffee taken after a meal is a real institution. This tradition is based on the real effect of caffeine since it facilitates digestion by increasing the secretion of saliva and digestive enzymes and by promoting intestinal transit.

     However, this beverage is not recommended for people suffering from a pathology of the esophagus or stomach.


     Coffee is also renowned for its anti-migraine action! This is because caffeine causes the blood vessels in the brain to constrict, which results in a reduction in the intensity and duration of migraines.

     In combination with paracetamol or aspirin, it also has a more intense analgesic effect.

Dope at the cafe?

     Caffeine can also influence sports performance: at the level of the nervous system, it facilitates alertness and leads to an increase in heart rate.

     At the level of adipose tissue, it mobilizes fat as the main source of energy during physical effort.

     This would save muscle glycogen reserves and slow down the onset of fatigue! Furthermore, caffeine acts indirectly on the muscles by increasing the force of muscle contraction.

     All these benefits are enhanced by moderate consumption of coffee, the equivalent of 2 to 3 cups. It is therefore useless for the sportsman to drink liters of it before a competition!

An antioxidant of choice

     In addition to caffeine, coffee contains so-called antioxidant substances, whose properties are increasingly being studied.

     These polyphenols act as protectors against cell aging and cell mutations that cause cancer.

     The antioxidant properties of coffee are thus among the highest of all beverages, along with tea. However, the role of espresso in the prevention of colon cancer is not yet elucidated.

     Faced with the most common cancer in Europe, researchers are nevertheless unanimous: coffee consumption does not present any risk of appearance or aggravation.

Protection against Parkinson's?

     The positive effect of caffeine seems to be confirmed in Parkinson's disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that affects 3% of subjects over 65.

     Numerous population studies had already observed a lower frequency of the disease in regular coffee drinkers.

     The protection factor is estimated to be about 30% for subjects consuming at least two cups of coffee per day.

     While the mode of action is still unclear, recent experimental work has revealed a neuroprotective mechanism: caffeine is thought to act directly on certain parts of the brain involved in movement control, thereby improving the motor skills of affected patients.

No more calculations

     Caffeine would also provide protection against gallstones. A large study of more than 7,800 American nurses found that women who drank four or more cups of coffee a day were 25% less likely to get gallstones.

    Other work has shown an even greater impact on men, with a risk reduction of up to 45%!

Caffeine and its Potential Adverse Health Effects

     Taking caffeine at the end of the day exposes you to insomnia. Taking too much can lead to a syndrome: caffeinism marked by insomnia, anxiety, irritability, faster heartbeats, and excessive urine flow.

     But these symptoms improve as soon as consumption decreases. Otherwise, it is rather harmless; to be really dangerous, even fatal, an adult would have to drink a very large number of cups of coffee in a very short period of time.

     Since caffeine, especially caffeine from coffee, increases the secretion of acidic gastric juices, people with ulcers should avoid taking it after a meal, even if it is decaffeinated. Tea is often better tolerated.

     Caffeine can temporarily increase blood pressure and speed up the heartbeat. Heart patients should drink coffee or tea in moderation.

     As a general rule, cardiologists recommend not exceeding 400 to 450 mg of caffeine (4 to 5 cups of coffee) per day. Elderly people with high blood pressure should limit themselves to 1 cup per day.

     The safety of caffeine for pregnant women is controversial. Some researchers suggest that taking 1-2 cups of coffee a day may slightly increase the risk of miscarriage or low birth weight, but not all studies show these results.

     On the other hand, there is some evidence that high caffeine consumption during pregnancy may increase the risk of miscarriage, preterm delivery, and low birth weight babies.

     Some experts advise pregnant women to abstain from caffeine during pregnancy, or at least to limit themselves to 150 mg (1 to 2 cups of coffee) per day. Since caffeine passes into breast milk, breastfeeding mothers should avoid caffeine.

     Since caffeine impairs calcium absorption, the risk of osteoporosis increases, especially in older women; those who drink a lot of coffee should drink more milk, dairy products, and calcium-rich foods or take supplements.

     Some people prefer to drink decaffeinated coffee, but wonder whether decaffeination would introduce harmful substances into the coffee.

     The process may reduce the flavor of the coffee, but it is safe for the drinker.

     Green coffee beans are soaked in water before the caffeine is removed by physical methods (steam or carbon dioxide under high pressure); caffeine extraction by solvents is virtually non-existent today.


     Warning: the positive effects of coffee are linked to moderate doses! Excessive consumption generates negative effects such as nervousness, anxiety, aggressiveness, insomnia! So drink without overdoing it! No need to add more.