Caffeine is a stimulant, which means it increases activity in your brain and nervous system. It also increases the circulation of chemicals such as cortisol and adrenaline in the body. In small doses, caffeine can make you feel refreshed and focused.
Here are just a few key ways coffee can support the brain: Caffeine increases serotonin and acetylcholine, which may stimulate the brain and help stabilize the blood-brain barrier. The polyphenol micronutrients in coffee may prevent tissue damage by free radicals, as well as brain blood vessel blockage.
Although many of these studies are observational — meaning they can't prove cause and effect — they strongly suggest that coffee is good for your brain. However, moderation is key. When consumed in excess, caffeine can cause anxiety, jitters, heart palpitations, and sleep problems ( 33 ).
Yes, it may be beneficial for a quick mental boost but ultimately, caffeine does not address the root cause of your brain fog. No matter how many cups of coffee you take, you cannot force the brain to perform its best when it's in a fatigued state.
Moderate caffeine consumption might boost memory. Recent Johns Hopkins University research indicates that caffeine may enhance long-term memory.
Not partaking in caffeine can be good for your blood pressure. Caffeine has been shown to raise blood pressure levels due to the stimulatory effect it has on the nervous system. High intake of caffeine — 3 to 5 cups per day — has also been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
The drug is notorious for causing the jitters and anxiety, particularly at higher doses. People with underlying mental health issues may be more susceptible: a review of eight studies found that caffeine aggravated symptoms of anxiety and panic disorder (Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, 2011).
According to the FDA, the half-life of caffeine is between four and six hours. This means that up to six hours after drinking a caffeinated beverage, half of the caffeine you consumed is still present in your body — keeping you alert. And, if it's bedtime, keeping you from falling asleep.
Long-term effects at this level may include chronic insomnia, constant anxiety, depression, and stomach problems. It can also cause high blood pressure or make high blood pressure worse. More than 300 mg of caffeine (about 2 to 3 cups of coffee) in a day may be linked to miscarriages and low-birth weight babies.
“For most people, moderate coffee consumption can be incorporated into a healthy diet.” Hu said that moderate coffee intake—about 2–5 cups a day—is linked to a lower likelihood of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, liver and endometrial cancers, Parkinson's disease, and depression.
As a general rule, you can assume that an average 8-ounce (240-ml) cup of coffee offers around 100 mg of caffeine. Several sources suggest that 400 mg of caffeine per day — the equivalent of 4 cups (945 ml) of coffee — is safe for most healthy adults ( 3 , 5 ).
In this battle over health benefits, coffee comes out on top. Coffee drinkers can raise a mug to fiber, microbiome health and lowering risk for cancer and diabetes. But tea drinkers, do not despair. Tea is undoubtedly good for your blood pressure, cholesterol, stress levels, mental health and productivity.
The caffeine-brain connection
With adenosine out of the way, these brain-sparking chemicals can flow more freely—giving you a surge of energy and potentially improving mental performance and slowing age-related mental decline.
Indeed, when you dose up on tea made to the equivalent strength as coffee, it actually proves to be more effective at sharpening the mind.
Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant and the most commonly consumed legal, psychoactive substance. It has a wide range of effects of most people and is considered safe in limited amounts. Learn more about: Effects of caffeine.
Caffeine can block the effects of adenosine, which is what makes you feel alert after your morning cup of joe. However, once the caffeine wears off, your body may experience a buildup of adenosine that hits you all at once, which is why coffee can make you feel tired.
Besides waiting it out and avoiding caffeine, there isn't any effective home remedy to clear caffeine from your system. All the same, you can reduce its side effects by staying hydrated, going for a walk, and eating fiber-rich foods.
Studies reviewed in the meta-analysis show coffee's anti-inflammatory properties are associated with decreased depression. Caffeine blocks mood-depressing chemicals in the brain. Caffeine blocks receptors in the brain from binding with a chemical (adenosine) that causes fatigue and depressed mood.
How does caffeine affect ADHD? The effects of caffeine consumption on ADHD remain largely anecdotal. The stimulant calms some people, while increasing anxiety in others. However, many parents and adults with ADHD, (and some studies) report light to moderate caffeine use as a way to help boost focus and concentration.
While the side effects of caffeine and anxiety can be alike, you can't get anxiety from caffeine directly. But, drinking coffee can make anxiety symptoms worse. Research shows that in people with panic disorder, caffeine consumption raises the risk of having a panic attack and increases levels of anxiety.
Although things were bad for the first few days, by the third day, I started feeling the benefits of quitting coffee. I was sleeping better and it was easier to wake up in the morning. I had more energy throughout the day, and I could think more clearly. Perhaps most surprisingly, I was experiencing less anxiety.
Gradually reducing your caffeine consumption over a period of two to three weeks will help you successfully change your habit without causing withdrawal symptoms.
In fact, in a Psychology Today article by Ohio State University professor Gary L. Wenk, Ph. D., coffee does not raise IQ levels. The caffeine in coffee only increases the brain's processing speed but it doesn't lead to significant long-term changes in cognitive performance.