Coffee is one source of tremendous joy for me in my own life. I love the stuff, I drink far too much of it, and I have been for years now.
Do I plan on changing my ways anytime soon? No, I do not.
I was a little curious, however, when I heard something about coffee being a possible culprit behind elevated stress levels for some folks, so I wanted to look into the matter a bit more thoroughly. This information comes from verywellmind.com.
The article I am referencing discusses the ways in which coffee can be a hormone disrupter:
- “Adenosine: Caffeine can inhibit the absorption of adenosine, which calms the body. This can make you feel alert in the short run, but cause sleep problems later.
- “Adrenaline: Caffeine injects adrenaline into your system, giving you a temporary boost, but possibly making you fatigued and depressed later. Taking more caffeine to counteract these effects can lead to agitation and sleeplessness.
- “Cortisol: Caffeine can increase the body’s levels of cortisol, the ‘stress hormone,’ which can lead to other health consequences ranging from weight gain and moodiness to heart disease and diabetes.2
- “Dopamine: Caffeine increases dopamine levels in your system, acting similarly to amphetamines. This can make you feel good at first, but low after it wears off. It can also lead to physical dependence.
“Caffeine and stress can both elevate cortisol levels. High amounts of caffeine can lead to the negative health effects associated with prolonged elevated levels of cortisol (as in chronic stress). However, small to moderate amounts of caffeine can lift your mood and give you a boost,” the article from the web page states.
Obviously, this information isn’t great for someone like me who is well aware that I ingest too much Java, but here’s hoping it can assist someone out there.
Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash
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