The Commerce Times

Caffeine: It’s more harmful than you think

It’s time to rethink that 4th cup of coffee. Courtesy of sxc.hu

April 11, 2010 1 | By Brittany Devenyi

You want it, you crave it, and you can’t start off your day without it. Its alluring aroma becomes your central focus and all of your stresses disappear once its warmth touches your lips. You reach out to embrace it, and then reality sinks in. You’re addicted to caffeine, and you need your next fix.

When I first started [drinking coffee], I never thought about the health implications.

For students, in order to make it through the day in a conscious state, coffee seems to do the trick. It holds the ability to turn a person’s drowsiness into absolute vitality, but the question still stands: is this dependent
relationship worth the added health risks?

For some, the addiction is gradual. The initial craving starts off harmless, until the need becomes more frequent, and before you know it, you’re hooked.

“When I first started [drinking coffee] I never thought about the health implications,” said Sarah Herajelahi, a third-year sociology student.

“I don’t like putting something in my body that is bad for my health. That just doesn’t flow with me.”

According to Kim McColl, a dietitian at Toronto Public Health, the recommended caffeine intake is 400 milligrams a day, which is equivalent to three cups of coffee. Anything higher than this can have harmful consequences.

“I think the primary concern is that people underestimate the amount of caffeine that they actually consume in a day,” said McColl.

“It can add up really quickly, and people need to be more conscious of it.”

Some of these effects, said McColl, reveal themselves in the form of nervousness, an inability to sleep, headaches and severe irritability. Those who consume higher doses of caffeine are also reported to have an
increased heartbeat, and some cases can result in feelings of nausea.

McColl says that these symptoms differ from person to person. The maximum daily intake is based on one’s body weight, so the effects can be more severe depending on the individual.

With the sizeable average workload allotted to students, the jolt of energy that caffeine provides seems to take precedence over its negative side effects.

“The health factor of coffee does affect me, but then I think of studying and staying awake seems more important,” said Yash Mehta, a fourth-year aerospace engineering student.

“I’m a grad student and coffee keeps me going, especially during crunch time,” said David Shell, who is completing a Masters of Spatial Analysis degree.

However, drinking a cup or two of coffee a day is not all bad. According to Valerie Smigielski, an employee at Nutrition House in the Eaton Centre, drinking coffee in moderation is not harmful to your health. In fact, it can even be beneficial.

“If you drink coffee black and make sure that it’s organic, it can actually be good for you,” said Smigielski.

Coffee, similar to wine, contains antioxidants that can help to prevent heart disease and certain types of cancers. Smigielski said that these benefits should not be incentive for people to maximize their daily intake. Too much coffee can also increase some of these risks.

“It does have benefits, but the negative effects of caffeine are there too, so it would be better for your health to cut down on it,” McColl said.

Over the years, portion sizes have increased substantially. McColl says this is part of the reason the average person’s daily caffeine intake has risen. It’s a part of our social experience, and it ends up displacing other healthier choices.

“20 years ago a large cup was much smaller, so I think that’s where people make those mistakes,” said McColl.

Ben Freedman, a first-year photography student has worked at Starbucks for three years, and has
since been sure to lessen his caffeine intake.

“Everything in life needs to be taken in moderation – coffee being one of them.”

McColl encourages people to decrease their consumption gradually, and to satisfy those cravings by filling up a mug with half decaf coffee instead. So next time you want to reach for that cup of heated chemistry, try to find an alternative. Your palpitating heart will thank you.