It’s back to school and you’re full of coffee, your magic potion to survive boring meetings and find energy to complete the meeting minutes… Is this a problem? Should we deprive ourselves of this intense tasting psychostimulant? Between yes and no, there is a whole range of possible answers depending on your situation and your level of consumption. I’ll tell you everything, with scientific studies to back it up!
Myths and truths
Jade consulted me for stomach ailments. For months, the young woman was looking for solutions to improve her travel, limit her intestinal spasms and reflux. “I was told to stop drinking coffee, but I never saw a difference,” he told me. It is actually a common belief to blame coffee. But scientific studies on the subject are not convincing: no one has proven its effect on reflux or irritable bowel symptoms. Coffee promotes intestinal motility in the colon. This is usually a good thing, but in some cases it can lead to spasms.
This is not the case with Jade, and on the contrary I invite her to continue her two daily cups of coffee, especially in the morning, because coffee, you may have noticed, is very laxative. It also promotes the good health of the microbiota according to many scientific studies, with a greater presence of favorable bacteria in regular consumers. It is also, along with tea, the main source of polyphenols for the French, powerful antioxidants that help fight against cellular aging and the risks of chronic inflammation.
So much for a first “debunked” myth. It’s not the only one! Coffee is often accused of promoting heart palpitations and anxiety, but many scientific studies explain that it is actually beneficial to our cardiovascular and mental health. Coffee does not cause cardiac arrhythmia and may even reduce the risk. Even better, its consumption can help fight the risk of stroke. Coffee can also improve insulin sensitivity and therefore reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Coffee does not cause cardiac arrhythmia and may even reduce the risk
Caffeine seems to act as an anti-inflammatory that, among other things, preserves the health of our liver and arteries. But not only that, coffee can help us prevent the risk of depression and make our brain work better. The explanation can still be found in the anti-inflammatory properties of polyphenols, but also simply in the psychostimulating action of caffeine. It blocks adenosine, a neurotransmitter that inhibits nerve and brain activity, and increases the production of adrenaline.
With a coffee, you will feel more energetic, more alive! In addition, the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) explains that “regular consumption of caffeine can permanently change the molecular function of cells in the hippocampus, the seat of memory in the brain. This results in greater neuronal plasticity, likely to facilitate learning and improve memory “. In fact, coffee may protect against Alzheimer’s disease.
A dose story
“I’ve convinced you, I’ll go back to the coffee!” Without him, I feel like a wreck,” Jade told me. Good idea, but in moderation! Jade explained to me that she sometimes consumes up to 5 mugs of coffee during the day. It’s too much.
Because coffee is beneficial for health, but on the condition that it does not exceed 400 mg of caffeine per day for adults, according to the recommendations of the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA). This is equivalent to approximately 5 espressos. But be careful, caffeine is also found elsewhere, in energy drinks, tea, chocolate for example. So they should also be taken into account in the calculation. While 2 or 3 coffees per day protect against hypertension, more than 6 coffees can be harmful and cause tachycardia.
2 or 3 coffees per day can protect against hypertension
While coffee for breakfast and dinner can improve our alertness, repeatedly stopping the coffee machine, especially after 5 pm, can disrupt sleep and make you “lost”. Also be careful with dangerous ingredients, especially with alcohol and caffeine or with some diseases that increase the effect of caffeine (ulcers, liver disease, poorly controlled hypertension, etc.). Finally, if there is a fast travel, it is better to limit the consumption of coffee.
Jade who has a pregnancy plan, I also informed her of the recommendations during this period and in the case of breastfeeding. It is recommended to reduce the consumption of caffeine to avoid any risk of damage to the brain pathways of the fetus or child, which may result in behavioral problems years later. The baby’s birth weight may also be lower.
A slight weight effect
“Speaking of weight, I feel like I was able to maintain it more when I drank coffee,” Jade explained to me, “is it just my imagination or does it have an effect? »
Some studies report a positive effect of coffee on weight loss, with a possible action on fat loss. The favorable action of the microbiota may also be an explanation. But don’t expect miracles from coffee either! Especially since studies have biases. One of them says that the biggest coffee consumers are also more physically active. In fact, coffee seems to promote sports performance (11).
Finally, we must remember that drinking coffee is generally favorable, in appropriate doses. And if I haven’t convinced you yet, I’ll take one last meta-analysis for the road (crazy how coffee motivates scientists!): a review of 40 studies concluded that drinking two up to 4 cups of coffee per day is associated with a lower risk of mortality from all causes!