If you are a coffee drinker, then you probably think of caffeine in terms of your morning cup of java that helps you wake up in the morning. Or an early afternoon energizer when you start to feel tired at work. There are some that swear by it and have it religiously every day, some who try to quit caffeine, and those that never touch the stuff. Some of the best vitamin for energy come with a small portion of caffeine for effectiveness. When it comes to caffeine and caffeinated foods and drinks, there is a mountain of research on the subject, yet the opinions of how good or bad caffeine is for you are still mixed.
What is caffeine?
Caffeine is derived from over 60 plants that acts as a stimulant, but mostly from the cacao bean. These beans originated in Africa and were consumed as food and often used as currency because of their value. Since then, the coffee bean has been harvested all over the world, bottled and sold in caffeinated and decaffeinated coffees, cold beverages, energy drink, and other foods where the coffee taste is desired.
Is caffeine safe?
There have been many studies done about the efficacy and safety of caffeine for human beings. The consensus is that taken in moderate doses, a healthy person can ingest caffeine on a regular basis without any negative effects. Caffeine has been proven to be beneficial for some conditions when taken in concentrated doses under medical supervision. Some caffeine can be ingested in a vitamin. Vitamins for men can contain different levels and other supplements specific to men’s health and the same for women.
What does caffeine do?
Caffeine is a naturally occurring stimulant found in close to 60 types of plants. A stimulant is used to improve focus, increase wakefulness, and boost mood. It is often used in energy drinks, tea, coffee, and other beverages to help with flavor and give the drinker a needed energy boost.
What are the benefits of caffeine?
Increases energy
Caffeine works in the same way vitamins for energy do if it is used correctly and in the proper doses. Energy vitamins and caffeine both stimulate the nervous system and gives you a feeling of wakefulness and euphoria. When it comes to the best vitamin for energy, look at the labels and make sure to contact your health care provider on what the vitamin brands they recommend.
Improves cognitive ability
Studies show that caffeine has a positive effect on mental alertness, focus, memory, and mental acuity. There are even studies showing the effects on Alzheimer’s patients with promising results. Most people who have used caffeine as a way of increasing their mental peak swear by its effects, especially students during exam time. Energy drinks and caffeine pills, if used in moderation can make a definite impact on mental acuity if needed for the short term. When caffeine is used in vitamin patches, it can slowly release into the system throughout the day for peak mental performance.
Improves athletic performance
The effects of caffeine on athletic performance have been studied with promising results. Caffeine is shown to decrease the fatigue that comes with intense exercise and improves the endurance and performance of athletes who drink one cup of coffee compared to those who drink none. Caffeine has been shown to increase the speed and endurance of cyclists as it gives them a boost of energy.
Helps with weight loss
Just one cup of coffee can help with weight loss as the caffeine stimulates your nervous system. This signals to the fat cells to start breaking down fat. This works with pure caffeine, and not if you start to put cream, milk, sugar, or other additives in your coffee. You can also take your daily dose of caffeine in a vitamin for energy.
What are some negative effects of caffeine?
The negative effects of caffeine come about from over-use or adding flavors and dairy to caffeine for taste. There are also some negative effects associated with stopping caffeine consumption abruptly. Some complain of headaches, irritability, and sleeplessness when stopping caffeine quickly which can be counteracted by slowly tapering off caffeine consumption every day. Studies have found that caffeine is not addictive, despite the effects of withdrawal when it is removed from the diet.
Studies show that caffeine is a safe and effective way to get more energy and better performance from your mind and body if used in proper doses. Consult with your healthcare professional if you want to explore the benefits of caffeine.