Too much coffee can make you forgetful. If the number of cups reaches six, the caffeine high could give your health a big low. Dementia is just one of the risk factors of too much coffee, according to a study conducted by University of South Australia’s Centre for Precision Health. A reduced brain volume or a stroke is the other threat. “It was found that coffee decreases overall blood flow inside the brain, especially in the area of memory circuits. It can cause neurodegeneration. In the long term, excessive intake of coffee can lead to impaired functioning of these memory circuits. Cognition will suffer as well, harming overall body function,” says Dr Rajeev Ranjan, neurologist at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Delhi.
Too much coffee (caffeine) aggravates headaches, gait problems and visual processing. Caffeine makes the blood vessels narrower and constricts blood flow that raises blood pressure. “The ones carrying blood to the brain can narrow as much as 27 percent,” says Ranjan. This will slow down our ability to think and perform mental tasks. Needless to say, when the blood vessels get used to this pattern of narrowing, it gets difficult to break bad coffee drinking habits.
“The molecular structure of caffeine is similar to that of adenosine. Caffeine blocks the adenosine (natural inhibitor in our body) receptors and inhibits its effects. It causes drowsiness by slowing down nerve cell activity. Coffee can affect the function of nerve cells, which might become the reason for memory problems,” says Dr M Sriharibabu, Professor and Head, Department of Medicine, GSL Medical College, Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh.
Coffee, indeed, contains a good amount of antioxidants, vitamins such as B2, B3, B5, potassium and manganese. But the keyword here is moderation. One or two cup cups of coffee a day is alright, maybe beneficial even. “A good time to take coffee is as a morning or evening beverage. Do not combine with meals,” says Dr Priyanka, chief and nutritionist at Apollo Hospitals, Bangaluru.
But better still, according to experts, avoid coffee at night as it can lead to sleep disturbances. Adenosine is a neurotransmitter in our brain, which is responsible for good sleep. Caffeine interacts with this receptor and makes our neurons remain active hence ruining sleep.
“While the FDA and other health groups have recommended limits for caffeine consumption for adults, they have not established a safe level for children. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists recommends that pregnant women limit their caffeine intake to less than 200 mg per day,” explains Dr Sowmya M, Consultant - Neurology, Aster RV Hospital, Bengaluru.
Hope the large population of daily coffee drinkers all over the world—approximately one billion—are listening.
Symptoms of caffeine overdose
Some symptoms like feeling jittery may immediately show up while others take time to manifest. They may seem harmless but can cause trouble. Here are some of those.
✥ Dizziness
✥ Increased thirst
✥ Insomnia
✥ Diarrhoea
✥ Mild to moderate headache that lingers
✥ Feeling crabby
✥ Vomiting
✥ Confusion and difficulty focusing
✥ Fever
✥ Hallucinations
“Caffeine blocks the adenosine receptors. This causes drowsiness by slowing down nerve cell activity, which may lead to memory problems.”
Dr M Sriharibabu, Professor and Head, Department of Medicine, GSL Medical College, Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh
Compiled after speaking to experts