I love coffee, but I don’t consume it regularly anymore… The implications for my health, weight and fertility are just too significant to ignore.
Caffeine is probably the most popular legal drug in the world. It is found in coffee, tea, chocolate, colas and certain medication, including, quite ironically, headache tablets.
Caffeine junkies get very defensive about their consumption… Of course, like all addicts, they can’t function without their fix and experience withdrawal symptoms when they abstain. They tell themselves, and anyone who asks, that is surely can’t be that bad for them. Allow me to burst your bubble!
Caffeine has a detrimental effect on both the endocrine system and the central nervous system and therefore affect all aspects of our wellbeing.
We all know that caffeine is a stimulant and can keep us awake. I never really believed it, since I could drink strong coffee all evening and fall asleep. What I didn’t quite appreciate was that it wasn’t because of lucky genes that I only needed four hours sleep per night. And I used to wake up exhausted every morning. Fortunately my first cup of coffee got me going soon enough.
The problem is that less sleep and poor quality sleep elevate our cortisol levels. Cortisol is known as the stress hormone and elevated levels indicate a hormonal system out of balance. High cortisol levels make you feel anxious, fearful, frustrated and prone to outbursts. It can also lead to depression. I suffered from all of these symptoms.
Continued elevated levels of cortisol can interfere with the immune system, weaken muscle tissue, decrease bone density and increase belly fat.
There have been many studies in recent years highlighting the need for adequate sleep when trying to lose weight. Now that I rarely consume caffeine, I sleep at least eight hours per night and wake up rested and alert.
Caffeine also stimulates the adrenal glands, responsible for the release of adrenaline, the fight-or-flight hormone. This means that we’re subjected to stress for prolonged periods of time and can lead to adrenal exhaustion. There is also a well-documented link between caffeine consumption and thyroid damage.
Caffeine accelerates the heart rate, raises blood pressure, cholesterol and homocysteine levels – all risk factors for heart disease. Caffeine addicts are more likely to suffer cardiac arrhythmias, that could precipitate sudden death.
Caffeine takes approximately 24 hours to pass through the kidneys and urinary tract. More than one cup per day can place a heavy burden on these organs and caffeine consumption has been linked to kidney failure and bladder cancer.
Caffeine also impairs the body’s ability to absorb iron and calcium. It is also highly acidic in the body, which is the main factor when it comes to bone loss.
Coffee also makes us retain water.
What is of special significance to me is that caffeine forces the pancreas to secrete excess insulin. This leads to insulin resistance, which causes us to gain weight. Caffeine causes us to experience false hunger and food cravings, which induces us to keep snacking through the day and prevents us from feeling true hunger.
Caffeine delays conception. Several studies have shown that women who drink coffee find it three times more difficult to conceive within a year than those not drinking it. As little as one cup of coffee per day can decrease your chances of conception by half.
First of all, caffeine raises estrogen levels, which can lead to estrogen dominance. Estrogen dominance is a major factor in cancers of the reproductive system and breast cancer, ovarian cysts and ovulation problems.
Caffeine has been found to promote endometriosis and damage to the Fallopean tubes.
Even if you manage to conceive, your caffeine habit increases the probability of chromosonal abnormalities. Pregnant women are routinely advised to cut down or eliminate caffeine, since prenatal caffeine consumption has been linked to higher rates of miscarriage and low birth weight babies.
In men, all aspects of sperm health (count, motility and morphology) decrease with caffeine consumption.
Supremely healthy people avoid caffeine… and so should we, if being healthy, lean and fertile is our aim.
Decaffeinated coffee is not the answer, since it’s never fully caffeine-free, but also because the process of removing caffeine involves highly caustic chemical solvents, that we ingest. Some manufacturers decaffeinate with water or non-chemical processes, which are costly, and don’t remove the other potent nervous stimulants found in coffee, theophylline (also very high in tea) and theobromine.
If you are addicted to caffeine, the best way to break your addiction is to start cutting down until you’re ready to give it up completely. Give yourself a realistic time-frame and make regular strides forward. Or if you’re feeling brave, you can stop cold-turkey! I’d advise you to set aside a long weekend, because the symptoms can be unpleasant. The headaches can last for 1-4 days, depending on your level of addiction, but after the withdrawal symptoms abate you will truly become well.
I find that I seldom drink warm drinks anymore (perhaps indicating that my endocrine system, which controls body temperature, must be functioning better), but when I do I opt for chai tea, herbal teas, fruit infusions, malted barley drinks and my personal favorite, rooibos (redbush) tea. Beware of green tea, which is loaded with caffeine!
I know it seems daunting, but you can do it! And your body will thank you…
