Ten Surprising Side Effects of Coffee You Need to Know

Coffee and tea are daily staples in practically every adult’s life. We use it to wake up, we use it to energize ourselves, we use it to calm down and drink it with friends. There seems to be every reason to drink coffee. In reality, there are many reasons we should avoid it, like these 10 side effects of coffee.

1. Caffeine is dangerous to your health

We have heard it before; too much caffeine is dangerous. Though 2-3 cups a day give you the desired effect of focus and concentration, more than 3 cups of coffee will bring your mind to a frantic and stressful state.

2. Emotional tiredness

A person addicted to coffee will often feel tired and disoriented when they do not have their daily fix. This dependency on coffee will start a cycle of mental exhaustion, which leads to a lack of motivation and hopelessness.

3. Coffee is addictive

We do not have to remind you that caffeine is an addictive ingredient in coffee. More than a physical manifestation, mental dependence on coffee occurs if we have a habit of consuming too much of it. Then, cutting back will cause withdrawal symptoms, like headaches and emotional tiredness.

4. Insomnia

Consuming a lot of coffee, especially in the evening, disturbs regular sleep. You will find yourself staying up longer or waking up constantly in the middle of the night because the coffee ingredients are still working in your body.

5. Coffee increases cholesterol level

Cafestol and Kahweol, two chemicals in coffee, increase your LDL (low-density lipids) or bad cholesterol. Even though filtered coffee supposedly strains these chemicals, it is better to be safe.

6. Irritability

Coffee itself does not cause irritability, but the withdrawal symptoms do. Effects and symptoms like headaches, panic attacks and increased heart rate all contribute to a person’s mood. Unpleasant symptoms mean unpleasant feelings like irritability.

7. Coffee is dangerous for pregnant women

Studies show that women who drink excessive amounts of coffee during pregnancy are likely to give birth to physically weaker children. This is because the effects of coffee transfer to the baby, too. Avoiding coffee during pregnancy is ideal for moms and their babies.

8. Upset stomach

Coffee causes dehydration and produces certain acids that irritate the stomach and its lining. This can cause gastritis or even worse, peptic ulcers.

9. Panic attacks

Coffee triggers our fight-or-flight response, which is the body’s natural instinct in facing harm. Excessive coffee overwhelms this response and leads to panic attacks. A person will feel shaky, sweaty and even paranoid in this state.

10. Cardiovascular diseases

If you drink a lot of coffee, you will start to feel palpitations. Your heart will beat faster because of increased levels of the neurotransmitter nor-epinephrine in your body. The consistent elevated levels and irregular heartbeat, mixed with stress around you can lead to permanent heart disease.

This list is not meant to scare you into cutting coffee out of your day; it is just a reminder that everything must be taken in moderation. As tempting as it is to load up on coffee to energize, it does not always give you the effects you want.