Coffee: Healthy drink?

by nate on Friday, October 24th, 2008 | Health

Before we start, I’d like to introduce you all to an old friend of mine, he is actually a wonderful-genius-full of dedciation person. We went to the same junior high school and I just found out recently that he pursued his medical degree. Like I mention before, he is a smart and very kind in personality… I’m trying to persuade him to join this community just in case any of you have any medical inquiries…so without further due, please welcome the first writing of Doctor Adhi within this blog…

by permission of: doctoradhi.com/blog

Today was one of my busy day, and suddenly I felt headache this afternoon. I first thought this might be caused by hypoglycemia, but then it didn’t go even after I finished my dinner. I wanted to take coffee, to help reduce the headache, but I was afraid I will have difficulty to sleep tonight. So, while I’m now fighting my headache (damn, I rarely feel this happening in my head!), I would like to paste my article about coffee.
Some of us are really addicted to coffee. I have some friends who always start their morning with a cup of coffee. They say that they can’t concentrate on their jobs if they miss a cup of coffee in the morning. Some believe that missing coffee in the morning will generate such an headache. So, is it true?
Caffeine inside the coffee is really seducing. Starting from a cup of hot coffee with the scrambled-egg breakfast (you start feeling hungry, huh?) until a cold starbucks frapuccino, caffeine cannot be separated from our daily life. In medical point of view, yes it is a vasoconstrictor that can help reduce the headache symptoms. And since it has sympathetic effect, caffeine is really a help for us to stay awake and keep concentrating.
But lately, there’re pros & cons about the caffeine addiction. The pros say that caffeine is good for our health, it can improve memory, decrease fatigue, and keep the concentration. Consumption of 300 mg caffeine has little evidence of health risks and some health benefits. But don’t forget that coffee can also increase the blood pressure, so older people should be careful about that. Some people will experience a withdrawal syndrome. If they suddenly stop drinking coffee, they will sometimes feel fatigue, irritable, have trouble concentrating, and drowsiness.
As a conclusion, it’s not wrong to start your day with coffee, but remember also that sometimes it can bring discomfort feeling to your stomach. So I do suggest that you don’t miss your meal while you’re having your caffeine drink.

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Tags: addiction, caffeine, coffee, doctor, healthy, healthy living

7 Responses to “Coffee: Healthy drink?”

1
Sherin Says:
October 25th, 2008 at 2:58 am
I have somewhat agree with the same because I am not interested on coffees. I am sure that lots of researches going on the health advantages of consuming tea. It is right too. tea has the ability to prevent cardiac arrest. If you have still doubts, have a black tea when you are suffering from headache. See the result.

Nice read and informative.. keep it up

Sherin
http://investinternals.blogspot.com
2
doctoradhi Says:
October 25th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
First, I’d like to thank Denny for posting my article here..It’s really an honor for me. Thanks again,bro..

Sherin, thanks also for your comment. And I will agree with what Sherin stated, since tea has ’similar’ chemical substance just as what coffee has, but in lower effect. So now we have two options: “morning Sir, can I serve you coffee or tea?”
3
Darmawan Says:
October 26th, 2008 at 9:46 am
I just know that coffee can help to increase concentration and reduce fatigue. Maybe, I’ll try it in the next morning since I usually have that kind of problems
Thx for ur great article..
4
nate Says:
October 26th, 2008 at 10:57 am
I’ve got a gastric stomach everytime I drink coffee, tea or just regular meal… any tips for this, dr. Adhi?
5
bintangkecil Says:
October 26th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
Stomach upset is the second most common complaint I hear from tea drinkers after caffeine intolerance.

What are the culprits? They are caffeine and polyphenols. They cause indigestion by stimulating the production of gastric acid.

Taken from wikipedia:

Polyphenols were once briefly known as Vitamin P. The possible health benefits of specific polyphenols such as quercetin are well-established, and there are less well-established claims of health benefits from all types of polyphenols.

Research indicates that polyphenols may have antioxidant characteristics with potential health benefits. They may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Polyphenols have also been investigated as a source of additional health benefit in organic produce, but no conclusion was made. Polyphenols bind with nonheme iron (e.g. from plant sources) in vitro in model systems. This may decrease its absorption by the body.
6
doctoradhi Says:
October 27th, 2008 at 7:49 am
I will agree with what bintangkecil already said. The caffeine inside the coffee is responsible for the stomach upset or stomach discomfort. Caffeine is known that it can increase the secretion of stomach acid, and that explains why some people will feel the discomfort after drinking coffee, and that ‘hyperacidity’ will be reduced if we have some meals first before the coffee session (the meals will somehow ‘protect’ the stomach lining from its hyper-acid condition).

Hope this short explanation can answer. Meanwhile, “Stay healthy always..”
7
Wendy Says:
November 13th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
My boyfriend is a pharmacist, he drinks 4 or 5 coups coffee a day, he wakes up in the middle of the night or very early in the morning have night sweep. On the next day, he’ll complains about his tiredness and drinks more coffee. His gave me his professional opinion is coffee only good for our body and no effects. I was a light coffee drinker; however, every since I was pregnant, I quick coffee. Now I am in my early 40s, I have never had any health issues. Can you give me more helpful information?