Is Coffee Good For You?

 

     Coffee is believed by many to help them focus, fight fatigue and boost their energy level and it has been linked to a long list of potential health benefits. 

     One study found that consuming caffeine increased the time to exhaustion during a cycling exercise by 12% and significantly reduced subjective levels of fatigue in participants. Another study found that consuming caffeine before and during a round of golf improved performance, increased energy levels and reduced feelings of fatigue 

     But, does it really have any other health benefits? Maybe, a lot of the research is filled with words like "may" or "could."

     Caffeine is known to block the receptors of a neurotransmitter called adenosine. A neurotransmitter ia a chemical that is released at the end of a nerve fiber by the arrival of a nerve impulse and, by diffusing across the synapse or junction, causes the transfer of the impulse to another nerve fiber, a muscle fiber, or some other structure. 

     Blocking adenosine increases levels of other neurotransmitters in your brain that regulate your energy levels, including dopamine, a chemical released in the brain that makes you feel good. 

     Some research suggests that drinking coffee regularly could decrease thr risk of developing type 2 diabetes over the long term. The results are mixed, but some research suggests that coffee may help protect against certain disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. 

     According to some research, coffee could be beneficial for weight management. 

     Some studies have found that drinking at least four cups of coffee could be associated with a lower risk of depression. 

     Several studies suggest that coffee could support liver health and protect against disease. 

     One study found that drinking more than two cups of coffee per day was linked to lower rates of liver scarring and liver cancer in people with liver disease. Research also shows that the more coffee people drank, the lower their risk of death from chronic liver disease. 

     Some research suggests that drinking coffee may benefit heart health...drinking three to five cups of coffee per day was tied to a 15% reduced risk of heart disease and a 21% lower risk of stroke. 

     While all that may be good, caffeine affects blood pressure and people with with unmanaged blood pressure could be negatively impacted. 

     Some research suggests that coffee could help people live longer. Drinking two to four cups of coffee a day was associated with a lower risk of death, regardless of factors like age, weight status, and alcohol consumption. 

     Also, drinking a cup of coffee per day has been associated with a lower risk of death from cancer. Bear in mind though that no matter how much coffee one consumes death is inevitable. 

     However, not all of this research has been done on humans and more research is needed to determine whether all of these "coulds" could also apply to humans.

     

More information HERE