Guest guest Posted August 17, 2002 Report Share Posted August 17, 2002 Mercola.com Dr. ph Mercola All Health, No Hype FREE Weekly Health Newsletter Your Email Address: Issue 351 August 17, 2002 About Saturated Fat Saturated Fat Helps Diabetic Control The Danger of Vaccines The Great Con-ola Asthmatics Medication Link Between Cooking and Cancer School Lunches Japanese Living Longer Than Ever Coffee, Tea, or Stress-Free? The Glow of Biotech Health Resources Eating Plan Less Grains / Sugars More Omega 3 More Water Emotional Health Effective Sleep Home New Patients Online Store Coffee, Tea, or Stress-Free? 85% of U.S. adults consume caffeine daily and they are prone to increased blood pressure, meaning greater chances of heart disease, and feeling more stressed than if they didn't drink their coffee, cola or tea. The Duke University research team found that even if people don't consume caffeine after 1pm, the effects remain until they go to sleep. That's because caffeine takes a long time to deteriorate in the body - twelve hours after consumption, the body still contains one-eighth of the original amount of caffeine. With regular consumption, these long-lasting effects could increase the risk of heart disease. In addition, any disorder related to stress, such as the type 2 form of diabetes or social anxiety, can be adversely affected by caffeine consumption. In the study, 47 regular coffee drinkers consumed 500 milligrams of caffeine - about the same as four 8 ounce cups of coffee -- in the form of two pills, and no later than 1pm. They took these active pills one workday, and inactive pills the next day, never knowing which type of pill they were consuming. The researchers monitored their blood pressure, heart rate, and quality of specific substances in their urine. The subjects showed higher stress levels on days they consumed the caffeine pills, and produced 32% more epinephrine, a stress hormone. They also had slightly higher blood pressure with the caffeine pills. Psychosomatic Medicine 2002;64:593-603 DR. MERCOLA'S COMMENT: Previous studies have shown that caffeine worsens insulin sensitivity, one of the major causes of chronic illness. Coffee is one of the most heavily sprayed crops, with plenty of toxic pesticide residue present on the beans. Even if you use organic coffee, you still have to contend with the dioxins on most coffee filter paper and the chlorine and fluorine in most water used to make it. Other studies have shown that caffeine leads to a loss of aortic elasticity, and raises blood pressure. Caffeine is the most widely used drug in the world. While I believe that coffee and caffeine are far less dangerous than fruit juice or soda, it is still wise to limit, and if possible, eliminate its use. This is becoming increasingly clear for women, as coffee should NEVER be consumed during pregnancy. It also appears that coffee consumption is associated with increased estrogen levels, which means an increase in the risk of breast and endometrial cancer. Coffee has also been associated with increased risk of stroke and rheumatoid arthritis. To wean yourself off coffee, I suggest a product called "Water Joe" that is basically bottled water with caffeine added. If you stop coffee "cold turkey," note that you will likely develop a severe headache from going through caffeine withdrawal. If you simply MUST drink coffee, here are a few tips to help reduce the chance of harmful effects: Use organic coffee - Coffee is a heavily sprayed crop, so drinking organic coffee might reduce or eliminate the exposure to toxic herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers. The only drawback is that the countries where coffee is produced probably have less control and monitoring for compliance to organic practices. You will also be helping to protect the health of the people working in the coffee fields, as you will be helping to reduce their toxic exposure as well. "Swiss Water Process" decaf - If you are going to drink decaffeinated coffee, be sure that it uses a non-chemical based method of decaffeination. The "Swiss Water Process" is a patented method and is the best choice. Most of the major brands are chemically decaffeinated, even if it says "Naturally Decaffeinated" right on the container. If you are unsure of the methods, contact the manufacturer. Avoid sugar and/or milk - These are actually much worse for you than the coffee itself. Don't compound the detrimental health effects by adding milk or sugar to your coffee. Unbleached filters - If you use a "drip" coffee maker, be sure to use non-bleached filters. The bright white ones, which most people use, are chlorine bleached and some of this chlorine will be extracted from the filter during the brewing process. Related Articles: Caffeine Elevates Heart Rate Caffeine and Children's Tics Coffee May Damage Blood Vessels Return to Table of Contents #351 Privacy/Security Current Newsletter Contact Info ©Copyright 1997-2002 Dr. ph Mercola. . This content may be copied in full, with copyright; contact; creation; and information intact, without specific permission, when used only in a not-for-profit format. If any other use is desired, permission in writing from Dr. Mercola is required. Disclaimer - Newsletters are based upon the opinions of Dr. Mercola. They are not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and they are not intended as medical advice. They are intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Mercola and his community. Dr. Mercola encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.