The Long Term Effect of Caffeine

It’s everywhere. It’s in everything from chocolate to baked goods.
Not to mention that some of largest business’s in the world are
built on the backs of peoples caffeine addictions.

So what are the long term effects of caffeine? Is it harmful? Or is
it, as you read in a lot of articles, good for you “in some ways”?

With in excess of ninety percent (Wikipedia) of the population using
it daily I think it’s time for an examination of the truth about caffeine.

One of my biggest issues, as you’ll see throughout this blog, is the
choice of children. Their choice in the matter as to whether or not to
be possibly addicted to a drug as they reach adulthood and the
option to choose or not to choose it.

They are given that option with alcohol. But when it comes to sugar
and caffeine they pretty much have already adopted the usage
patterns of their parents as they reach even puberty.

I know I should supply all the bad facts about caffeine addiction in
order to sway you, or convince you, to see my point of view. You
will be able to find that info here on the site too but I feel, at least at the
beginning, I’ll have to speak to the people who have either consciously
or unconsciously come to the conclusion that they want to limit or
eliminate caffeine from their life and searched us out.

One of the problems of caffeine research in general is that it so
conflicting. I have to believe that a lot of the “positive” press comes
from research funded by the coffee companies and soft drink
manufactures. The best thing to do is just listen to your body and
see if it’s working for you.

Maybe these symptoms that you experience will just be something
you don’t want to have any more and then you can experiment with
seeing what happens when you stop.

1. It makes you have pee all the time
2. Gives you the jitters when you drink just a little bit to much
3. Interrupts your sleeping well and waking up rested. You just feel
you “have” to drink more and the cycle starts all over again that day
4. You are prone to “headaches” – read caffeine withdrawals
5. Speaking of withdrawals. When you try and stop you’re irritable,
lethargic, depressed, anxious and of course the headaches.
6. I won’t even go into all of the proven studies about what it’s doing to
your health.

So we’ve all read stuff like the list above and lots more – both good and
bad. Here the big problem I see with all  the people I consult with.

OK, we’re all grown adults right? And we decide we want to stop
something that everyone says is not addicting and should be no problem
“in moderation.” But then when we actually just try and go through a few
days without it and it’s like trying to lift the Empire State Building.

All of the sudden we have to consciously spend time thinking about it. We
have a raging headache and we’re a little blue generally Then we just say:
“you know what, a cup of coffee or a soda isn’t going to kill me”, and we
start all over again. That represents something I want out of my life.

For me, and I hope you too, the issue is health, mine and that of my children.
No matter who you listen too no one really knows the long term effects of
caffeine. I have to believe that something that is on the low end of the speed
spectrum and makes me feel that way going up – has to have consequences
coming down.

Stay tuned for more caffeine info. Jump on the mailing list and please, leave
your comments below. Let’s get the conversation going.