We are all bombarded with advice on what and when to eat and drink. Study after study comes with recommendations on the best and worst foods and drinks for our health and energy levels. And just when we start to get to grips with the right foods and drinks for our personal goals, conflicting advice makes us question our choices. This confusion is no less relevant when it comes to drinks designed to boost alertness and energy levels. Specifically, drinks containing caffeine.
Caffeine is both the hero and villain when it comes to affects on our bodies. So what are the pros and cons and why does it affect some of us differently to others.
The caffeine affect?
Your body’s reaction to caffeine following consumption of your fravourite caffeinated drink has to do with how it breaks down in your body. Our genes play a large part in this process. If your body metabolises caffeine slowly you may take a while for the effects to kick in but you will experience the effects for longer. This means you will experience all the positive and negative effects over a longer period of time. Those who metabolise caffeine more quickly will get the boost they need shortly after consuming their drink but will often be reaching for another cup sooner than the slow metabolisers as the effects wear off.
Its not just our genes that are relevant in the rate at which we metabolise caffeine but our age, weight and other biological factors may all play a role. The main point is to recognise how it affects you and to be aware of the positive and negative effects on your body.
The pros and cons of drinking caffeinated drinks
Whether it’s the humble cuppa or a high energy drink, caffeine is a popular stimulant when we’re in need of a boost. Understanding the effects caffeine has on our bodies is the first step to taking control of how we use the stimulant.
The pros of caffeine
- Focus
Caffeine can enhance focus and concentration. Useful when sitting an exam or having to complete a report for work. Beware the negative effects of caffeine and make sure you exploit this benefit at the right time.
- Alertness
Caffeine is a stimulant so no surprise that alertness is one of its key benefits. If you’re burning the midnight oil or need that extra energy boost this might be an option. But bear in mind, when you want to wind down and relax you probably wont appreciate this effect hanging around in your system. Nehlig, et al., 1992 found that caffeine improved not only attention but memory and reaction time.
- Get up and go
Caffeine has been shown to give an energy boost when doing physical activities. Drinking your caffeinated drink of choice at the right time can get you moving while at the gym.
- Mood
Various studies have shown that caffeine can improve mood. This is apparently due to the release of dopamine, the feel good chemical, in our brains. (Grosso et al., 2016)
The cons of caffeine
- Sleep disruption
Because caffeine is a stimulant, if its still in your system by the time you want to wind down and go to bed, you may find it difficult. If your sleep is disturbed then you may wake up tired and drink caffeinated drinks to combat this. And so the cycle continues. The trick is to understand how caffeine effects you and manage how you consume caffeine through the day.
- Increased heart rate
As a stimulant caffeine can increase heart rate. This may also have an affect on blood pressure. If you have health issues related to high blood pressure its probably wise to limit or avoid caffeine. The effects should only be temporary but if your general health is affected, irrespective of the duration of that effect, it can have an unintended and negative impact. If in doubt speak to your doctor.
- Addiction
Caffeine is a drug and as such can be addictive. Your body may have become accustomed to regular shots of this drug and may react negatively if you slow down your intake. Typical side effects of withdrawal include headaches, irritability and fatigue.
- General health effects
Caffeine can act as a diuretic. Depending on your general health this may not in itself be a problem. However, if you don’t drink sufficient water you may find yourself dehydrated. If you drink excessive amounts of caffeine you may also experience digestive problems such as heartburn and stomach ulcers. (Turnbull et al., 2017)
The alternatives
If you decide you want to avoid caffeine but still would like to boost your energy levels there are alternatives.
- Sugary drinks
Fruit juice with a high level of natural sugars can give you the energy boost you need. Even juice made from concentrate with supplement sugar will work. Add to this vitamin C, which also provides a boost to your energy levels, and you should be full of get up and go. If you don’t like the idea of sugary drinks you could always try water.
Water infused with slices or chunks of fruit is an alternative to sugary drinks. If you chop a fruit in to a jug of water before bed and then decant the flavoured water in to a drinking bottle in the morning, you will have a tasty pick me up to drink all day.
And finally…
We all need a boost to our energy levels at points during the day. The need to focus and concentrate is often accompanied by a trip to the break room for a coffee. However, understanding how caffeine affects you personally can ensure you stay in control of how you use the stimulant. Managing your use of caffeine is important if you don’t want to be a victim of its effects. So you get the boost you need when you need it and not when you don’t.