Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world, with millions of people drinking it every day. It’s highly caffeinated, stimulating the body and offering a temporary energy boost. However, like all things, drinking too much coffee can have negative effects on your health.
A cup or two of coffee per day is generally considered safe, with many health experts recommending limited consumption. But what happens when you drink too much? Let’s explore why excess coffee consumption can be detrimental to your health.
Dehydration
Coffee is known to be an excellent diuretic, meaning it causes your body to lose water. Thus, drinking too much coffee can lead you to become dehydrated. Dehydration can lead to headaches, dizziness, dry skin, impaired concentration, lightheadedness, and muscle strain.
Drinking enough water throughout the day is important for health, and when you’re drinking coffee regularly, you need to make sure you’re balancing out your coffee intake with an adequate amount of water.
Stress
The high levels of caffeine found in coffee can cause heightened stress levels and an increase in cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone. This can lead to an array of stress-based symptoms such as restlessness, insomnia, and even anxiety attacks.
Being overly stressed can also have a negative impact on your physical health, including increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, and even digestive issues. To avoid these outcomes, try to keep your coffee intake manageable and balance out your caffeine intake with plenty of rest, relaxation, and exercise.
Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies
Excess coffee consumption can also lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies. The caffeine found in coffee can interfere with the absorption of many important vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, magnesium, and calcium.
These deficiencies can manifest in different ways, from fatigue, to memory problems, to mood swings, to weakened immune systems. To avoid these symptoms, make sure your diet is rich in vitamins and minerals, and keep coffee consumption to a minimum.
Heartburn and Acid Reflux
Coffee is known to be acidic, due to its high levels of caffeine and other acids like tannic acid. This acidity can lead to heartburn and acid reflux, which can cause chest and stomach pain, acid regurgitation, foul breath, and other digestive issues.
If you have a sensitive stomach, it might be best to avoid coffee, or at least try to keep your intake to a minimum. You can also try alternatives like green tea, which has much lower levels of acid but still contains caffeine.
Stomach Ulcers
Excess coffee consumption can also lead to stomach ulcers. Ulcers are open sores which can be caused by an imbalance of gastric acid in the stomach. The high levels of caffeine found in coffee can aggravate ulcers, leading to pain and discomfort in the stomach.
If you already have an ulcer or if you’re prone to them, it is best to limit your coffee intake as much as possible or to switch to a different drink altogether. You can still get your caffeine fix from alternative drinks like tea or cocoa.
High Blood Pressure
High consumption of coffee can also lead to high blood pressure, or hypertension. Caffeine is known to cause a rapid increase in blood pressure, which puts strain on the cardiovascular system and can lead to other health complications.
If you’re prone to high blood pressure, it might be best to limit your coffee consumption to one cup per day. You can also opt for decaffeinated coffees, which still contain many of the beneficial properties of coffee, but without the caffeine.
Insomnia and Sleep Problems
Caffeine is a stimulant, so it can remain in your system for several hours, making it more difficult to fall asleep. If your coffee consumption is getting in the way of your sleep, it might be best to limit your intake and to make sure you are getting enough sleep at night.
Coffee can also interfere with the production of melatonin, the hormone responsible for controlling your body’s sleep cycle. Too much coffee can cause your body to struggle to produce melatonin, leading to sleep problems, fatigue, and even depression.
High Levels of Acidity
Coffee is known to be quite acidic, due to its high levels of caffeine and other acids. Excess coffee consumption can lead to increased levels of acidity in the body, which can lead to digestive issues, heartburn, and even an increased risk of developing certain cancers.
To reduce your acidity levels, try to balance out your coffee intake with plenty of alkalizing foods like green vegetables, fruits, nuts, and legumes. You may also want to drink alkalizing beverages like kombucha or herbal tea.
Energy Crash
Caffeine is known to provide a temporary energy boost, but too much of it can lead to an eventual ‘crash’. Too much caffeine can cause your body to become over-stimulated, leading to fatigue, irritability, and even depression.
Drinking plenty of water throughout the day can help to balance out the effects of caffeine and can also help to prevent an energy crash. Eating healthy snacks and meals throughout the day, and getting plenty of rest and exercise, can also play a role in keeping your energy levels up.
Weight Gain
Excess coffee consumption can also lead to weight gain. Many types of coffee contain high levels of sugar, fat, and cream, which can all contribute to weight gain, if consumed in excess.
You may also find that you are snacking more when you’re drinking coffee, which can also be detrimental to your health. To avoid weight gain, try to limit your coffee intake, avoid drinking it with sugar or cream, and opt for healthy snacks instead.
Increased Risk of Disease
The high levels of caffeine found in coffee can also increase your risk of developing certain diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. The exact link between coffee and disease is still unclear, but studies have found that drinking excessive amounts of coffee can have an adverse effect on your health.
Ideally, you should try to limit your coffee intake to one or two cups per day. This can help to reduce your risk of developing certain diseases, while still providing you with the short-term energy boost.
Conclusion
Drinking too much coffee can have negative consequences on your health, from dehydration, to stress, to vitamin and mineral deficiencies. It can also lead to acid reflux, stomach ulcers, high blood pressure, insomnia, and even weight gain. To avoid these potential problems, it’s best to limit your coffee intake to one or two cups per day.
