Myth or fact? Caffeine has always been part of our daily consumption from the most obvious ones such as coffee and chocolate to least likely ones such as-over-the-counter pain meds and decaf coffees – yes decafs are still caffeinated.
Turns out we still have a lot to learn. In this article, we’ll talk about common accepted knowledge about caffeine and listing them as either myth or fact.
Caffeine as an addictive drug
Can you really call someone as a caffeine junkie? Facts state that caffeine is an active substance working as a mild stimulant; therefore it is considered as a drug. People who have high dependency to caffeine can go in withdrawal for seven to ten days.
Symptoms include headache, fatigue, anxiety, irritability, depressed mood, and difficulty in concentrating. So yes, caffeine can be mildly addictive, but not on the same level as stimulant drugs. As a conclusion, this myth has a seed of truth in it.
Caffeine causes insomnia
Let’s define insomnia first. Insomnia is an incapacitating, continuous cycle of sleep inability. It keeps you awake every night due to hyper-metabolism your body is experiencing. Caffeine on the other hand will inhibit your sleep for around five to seven hours after consumption, which is only a one-time thing and could easily be halted by as simple as not drinking coffee.
So contrary to popular belief, caffeine does not cause insomnia. It is just a stimulant to keep you awake on occasions while insomnia is a sleep disorder caused by the body itself.
Caffeine induces heart risks
On a research conducted by the Framingham Heart Study, there is no existing links between caffeine intake and cardiovascular disease, which was also supported by Harvard University in the study they made on the subject matter.
It can actually decrease the risk of cardiac death by 43%. However, it is dangerous to those with hfeart problems, which is probably the source of this myth.
Caffeine will sober you up
Ladies and gentlemen, this one’s unfortunately not true. Whilst you’re thinking that a shot of caffeine will help improve your cognitive judgments and motor reactions, it is actually still the same as the one before you took a cup of coffee.
The blast of adrenaline caused by caffeine is more of a psychosomatic effect rather than a negating factor to reduce the alcohol impact in your body.
Caffeine has no health benefits
Aside from its usual effect such as enhanced alertness, improved concentration, and added energy, other possible benefits include alleviating certain types of headache pains. Limited evidences also suggest that it helps reduce Parkinson’s disease, liver disease, colorectal cancer, type 2 diabetes, and dementia.
However, despite the potential benefits, too much consumption that is above your body’s required capacity will have adverse effect on one’s health. So, the rule of thumb? Take it all in moderation.
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