While caffeine might get you through morning rush-hour traffic and the afternoon slump. But there’s a high price to pay over the long term for a quick pick-me-up, which renders caffeine as a big let-me-down.
Emotional roller coaster
We’ve all been annoyed by coworkers who are so jacked up on caffeine that they completely blow presentations for executives with incoherent 90 mph rambling. But caffeine’s effects go far beyond annoying anxiety jitters. Caffeine instigates irritability, depression and attention disorders. People drink caffeine to feel more alert and high-functioning, but in reality, it decreases blood flow to the brain by up to 30 percent; this compromises memory and cognitive performance. Caffeine can also cause depression after its stimulating effects wear off.
Nutrient deficits
Caffeine forces the body to excrete excessive amounts of calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and trace minerals in the urine. It also interferes with optimum absorption of other vital nutrients.
Chronic heartburn and ulcers
Have you ever felt a burning sensation in your stomach after drinking a cup of java? That’s because coffee—including decaf— lessens pressure on the valve connecting the esophagus and the stomach; this allows stomach acids to flow upward into the esophagus, causing heartburn and even gastro-esophageal reflux disease. Also, coffee increases the production of hydrochloric acid. And excessive levels of hydrochloric acid are linked to a higher risk of developing ulcers.
Blood sugar roller coaster
Caffeine intake causes blood sugar to spike dramatically. And what goes up must come down. This spike causes the body to respond by overproducing insulin, which then causes blood sugar to plummet within just a few hours. A blood sugar crash can leave you feeling weak, shaky and entirely unable to concentrate.
It can also make you crave candy and refined carbohydrates, starting the vicious cycle all over again. Insulin tells the body to store excess sugar as fat, so the caffeine blood sugar roller coaster leads to weight gain. If you are diabetic or hypoglycemic, you should avoid caffeine.
