TOO MUCH COFFEE – NEED CAFFEINE
A recent study released by the Mayo Clinic may inspire men under 55 to curb more than 4 cups of coffee a day. However this study may be best just for worry worts.
Last week, the Mayo Clinic Proceedings released a new study that revealed interesting results for coffee drinkers. At least, for drinkers under the age of 55, limiting your coffee consumption to less than 28 cups a day is advised.
According to the study, men who drink more than 28 cups of coffee per week have a 56 percent increased risk of death from all causes. Young women had a similar increase of risk from too much coffee. However, both men and women over the age of 55 see no change in risk.
Of course, this may confuse many Caffeine pouches readers (myself included) seeing we report so often on all of the great benefits of drinking coffee. Especially seeing so many other studies point out that coffee helps prevent premature death. The Mayo Clinic’s study’s data helps sort out the confusion.
The study was conducted between 1971 – 2002 where over 40,000 people ages 20 to 87 were given surveys about their health choices and lifestyles during an average span of about 17 years. However, the study only asked participants about coffee consumption once, which doesn’t calculate a change of consumption over time. A 20 year old male may not drink 4 cups a day when he’s 32.
Furthermore, the study didn’t take in account if the participants smoked. Often, higher consumption of coffee meant a drinker smoked cigarettes. In the 70′s and 80′s this was rarely taken in account and a large reason why coffee had a negative light shone on it during the last few decades.
While I don’t believe the study is completely inaccurate, I think it’s safe to say that a reader can have their doubts about the results. Especially with so much positive studies reporting the benefits of coffee consumption. However, I would agree that over-consumption of coffee should be avoided.
The benefits of four cups of coffee a day don’t drastically outweigh the benefits of one or two cups. As well, I don’t think four cups is necessary for most people to receive the caffeine kick that they’re hoping for. What four cups can do, two cups can accomplish just as easily.
Often, I believe over-consumption is just from coffee’s availability and its ability to be used as a distraction. When I make coffee at home, if I use a french press, I tend to drink more coffee than if I used a pour over. Simply, I have more coffee available, so I drink it. I never feel more creative or more awake (maybe a little jittery). I drink it because it’s there and it tastes good.
There’s always the possibility you can consume too much of a good thing. Dark chocolate is very good for you, but I wouldn’t recommend eating more than a small piece every day. Beet juice is extremely healthy for you, but too much can actually be harmful to the body. I don’t doubt that coffee could have the same effect.
My suggestion would be to consume no more than two to three cups of coffee per day.
If you’re having trouble curbing your over-consumption of coffee, here’s a few tips on how to slow down:
Decrease the Size: Whether at a cafe or your home, choose the smallest size cup available. Use a small mug or order the 8 oz cup. If you’re consistently ordering 16 oz cups of coffee, you’re more likely to over consume than with an 8 oz cup.
Drink Green or Black Tea: If the day is winding down, or you’ve already had a few cups of coffee, opt for a black or green tea. It will still have a small kick of caffeine, but the anti-oxidants and polyphenols in the tea are great for your body.
Take a Break: Of course, it’s easier to slow down on your coffee consumption when you can control the addiction. Caffeine is a addictive drug, the body will yearn for it if it doesn’t have it in its system. However, it’s not a serious issue, withdrawals last one to three days depending on how much coffee you drink. If you take a break from coffee though, drink only one cup for a day, or none at all, your body doesn’t crave the caffeine as much and it allows you to drink less.
Find Alternative Sources of Energy: Caffeine isn’t the only source of energy to keep the body active. Think about eating fruits high in vitamin C and B, take a quick cat nap, or do 15 minutes of stretching and exercise. Forming habits that help to boost your energy and don’t require caffeine is a great way to curb over-consumption.
I don’t think many should worry about the Mayo Clinic’s latest study, though I would advise that no one needs to drink more than four cups of coffee a day. If you need that much coffee everyday, I would assume that there are other factors contributing to the need. As in, you made need to eat healthier, get more sleep, or exercise more.
