Health effects of coffee

Coffee is the most widely consumed beverage in the world (after water), and no one should be surprised by the number of queries and questions sent to us regarding coffee and its effects on health.

We have already touched on this subject in our article on the benefits of coffee and its properties, but in this case, we will go into more detail to answer specific questions. We will not follow any particular order but will answer the most common questions of our readers:

Why does coffee give me diarrhoea?

Many consumers ask themselves: why does coffee make you go to the toilet? It does not happen to everyone, but those who suffer from it because they cannot enjoy one of their favourite drinks to its fullest extent.

Some studies have shown that coffee stimulates the colon’s movements, which encourages (so to speak) a lighter bowel movement. Caffeine may have something to do with it because regular coffee is much more laxative than decaffeinated coffee.

If the coffee is very acidic, it can also increase the production of bile acid and cause bile to be released into the intestines (this causes diarrhoea directly, so if you add milk, sugar, supplements on top, you can stop wondering why coffee with milk gives me diarrhoea).

It may be one of the reasons why coffee loosens the stomach. We repeat, this is not widespread and affects only about a quarter of coffee drinkers.

And now that you know why coffee helps to go to the toilet, let’s move on to other less mundane problems or symptoms. For example:

Why does coffee take away the headache?

Active and clear caffeine, that’s why coffee relieves headache, and some people even take it as a remedy for migraines. Caffeine is to blame, though, so decaffeinated coffee won’t do the trick.

Why does coffee stain your teeth?

It has been proven that coffee stains the teeth and affects the enamel quality. It darkens the brightness of the enamel, and the teeth appear less white than they are (they do not necessarily get yellow).

Why does brown make teeth yellow? Mainly because of its dark colour. Something similar happens with any very dark drink that often comes into contact with the teeth, so a possible remedy against this is to drink the coffee with milk.

Why does coffee make you lose sleep?

Because of the stimulating effect of caffeine, what caffeine does is change the biological clock, our internal clock, which tells us when to sleep and when our body should be activated. So, if we drink coffee in the evening, caffeine will delay our “sleep time” by a few minutes, and we will not be able to fall asleep at the time we usually do.

This video explains why coffee prevents you from sleeping in a little more detail.

Why does coffee increase triglycerides?

Before answering, it should be made clear that coffee can increase triglycerides (just like cholesterol) depending on what a person is like and the pace of life they lead. It cannot be stated categorically that coffee generically increases triglycerides.

Triglycerides are very important for our body; it is necessary, but it is also related to cholesterol. In other words, it is important to keep them in check.

Coffee contains two components, cafestol and kahweol (diphenyl), found in much smaller proportions if the coffee comes from a filtering process. It means that the increase in triglycerides is also related to how the coffee is prepared.

Is coffee bad for cholesterol?

Well, the conclusion is that if you have high cholesterol or triglycerides, you should not drink coffee or at least reduce your dose considerably. And if you do drink it, make it filter coffee.

Why doesn’t coffee work for me?

Caffeine doesn’t work for me. It is the dilemma posed by many people who cannot use coffee to wake up or get a grip on themselves in the morning. If coffee doesn’t work for you, it can be for two main reasons:

  • Because of genetics: not everyone gets the same effect from caffeine.
  • Like any other stimulant, coffee is a “soft drug” and your body gets used to it. So if you drink more and more coffee in your life, your body will either eliminate the caffeine faster and faster, or you will hardly notice the effect.

Why does coffee absorb odours?

Infused coffee is a drink with countless nuances, components and materials. It is part of its richness, and in the same way, it also makes it an extraordinarily sensitive food.

It is why coffee absorbs odours so easily. Consequently, both coffee beans and ground coffee should be stored in airtight jars, always closed and prevented from coming into contact with the outside world.

Why does coffee lose weight?

It is only half true. Black coffee (the espresso of all life) accelerates thermogenesis: a process that defines the number of calories the body needs to digest and decompose food. But of course, it cannot be applied to coffee with milk, coffee with sugar, or other mixed preparations.

Thermogenesis is the explanation of why coffee helps to burn fat faster. But this does not work with all types of coffee, nor does caffeine intake alone help burn fat faster.

Another beneficial indicator of caffeine is the RRT: Resting Metabolic Rate. That is the number of calories we can burn while resting. That’s why coffee can be used to lose weight too.

We have also talked about green coffee for weight loss on our website, although in this case, it refers more to the raw material or the extracts than to the infusion.

Why does coffee make the heart race?

coffee speeds up the heart

Others can replace a question such as why coffee alters the nerves or why coffee affects blood pressure.

The reason is always the same: coffee increases blood pressure because it has vasodilatory properties, which also explains why coffee increases the heart rate. Of course, because of the effect of caffeine (we are not going to discover anything new with this).

Why does coffee speed up the metabolism?

A frequent question among sportsmen and women. Yes, coffee accelerates the metabolism and mobilises the fatty tissues, so it can be useful in sports and help lose weight. We say that coffee can help you lose weight, not that it is a miracle cure.

The question now is to understand why coffee speeds up the metabolism.

The answer is found in caffeine, a component that, among other things, is capable of sending to our nervous system the order to decompose the fat in our tissues to use it as a source of energy.

Why does coffee affect the kidneys?

It is not clear whether coffee is good for the kidneys. Some studies point in one direction and others in the opposite direction. If we talk about objective facts, it is proven that coffee stimulates the kidneys and makes us urinate more often. And this, under normal conditions and healthy people, is neither good nor bad in itself.

However, people who suffer from kidney disease should be careful with their coffee intake. Taking a natural diuretic can worsen any symptoms or pre-existing disease in the kidneys in the long term.

Why does coffee increase diuresis?

A question that is directly related to the previous one. Diuresis is how the kidneys filter excess fluid from the body to a greater extent than usual. As a result, urine secretion increases and the number of times we have to go to the toilet at the end of the day increases. The answer also derives from the previous section: coffee is a natural diuretic and therefore helps you to urinate.

Why does coffee increase uric acid?

It is neither true nor proven. Coffee (like tea) has a very low concentration of purines, which benefits people with high uric acid. Or rather: it does them no harm.

So if you have gout or high uric acid levels, you don’t need to cut coffee out of your diet. Is coffee bad for uric acid? No. You can and should take other precautions, but coffee will not affect you.

Why does coffee affect the colon?

Is coffee bad for the colon? It is of particular concern to those who suffer from an irritable colon. Coffee is often mentioned as one of the foods that should be limited or eliminated for individuals with irritable colon. This is one of the side effects of coffee that we have already mentioned in this article: coffee can cause diarrhoea, which is not advisable if you have an irritable intestine.

It should be noted that this is a problem resulting from the consumption of caffeine and not only coffee.

Why is coffee bad for children?

It is obvious, but it never hurts to remember it. Caffeine is responsible again. We have already gone through caffeine’s many effects on people throughout this page. But in a child, the amount of caffeine needed to trigger them is much less. So its effects are multiplied.

It is compounded by the fact that children consume caffeine in cola drinks at a very young age, completely unnecessary.

It is why coffee consumption is strongly discouraged for people under 12-13 years of age. And ideally, wait until the end of adolescence to consume it. As for drinking coffee every day, various medical reports advise waiting at least until the age of 18.

Not forget that coffee is addictive and produces totally real and verifiable withdrawal symptoms. The later you try it, the better.

Why does coffee dehydrate?

Coffee alone does not dehydrate; this is one of the biggest myths about coffee in the world.

The fact is that coffee can stimulate the expulsion of urine, so it is advisable to balance the consumption of a cup of coffee with a cup of water. Many people also feel that coffee makes them thirsty, which has also influenced the habit of accompanying it with a cup of water.

But from there to the fact that coffee causes dehydration, there is an abyss.

NOTE: All the advice on this page comes from reliable and proven sources; however, any consultation regarding medical or health issues should always be made first with a professional or your family doctor. We do not recommend taking what you read on any Internet site to make decisions related to these or other health issues.