| Caffeine, like chocolate, often receives bad | | | | Norwegian study also found similar benefits |
| publicity. Whilst in some instances, and in | | | | for coffee with regards liver disease. This |
| excess, these can have negative effects on | | | | study found that drinking 3 cups of coffee a |
| our body, they can also be quite beneficial.I | | | | day could lower the risk of death from liver |
| am not disputing that some people are more | | | | cirrhosis.Even if you're not at risk of liver |
| sensitive to the negative effects of either | | | | disease, caffeine still has some advantages. |
| caffeine or chocolate. For example, excess | | | | Recent research from Austria showed that |
| caffeine can create anxiety, nausea | | | | caffeine may actually enhance short term |
| (particularly of taken on an empty stomach), | | | | memory. Researchers found that there was an |
| an increase in heart rate, and even | | | | increase in brain activity (as measured by |
| depression in some people. And chocolate is | | | | functional magnetic resonance imaging) in the |
| certainly not something that should form the | | | | parts of the brain that were associated with |
| mainstay of one's diet. If struggling with | | | | memory and attention. These parts of the |
| sugar addiction, or wanting to lose weight, | | | | brain were the frontal lobe and the anterior |
| there are more nutritionally complete foods | | | | cingulum. This was a placebo controlled |
| that are available.But scientists have turned | | | | study, meaning that some people were not |
| up some interesting facts on caffeine. For | | | | given any caffeine. Another, earlier study |
| example, caffeine actually blocks the effects | | | | (2004) found that caffeine did support short |
| of a neurotransmitter in the brain | | | | term memory, but only when it was in relation |
| (adenosine) that otherwise makes us feel | | | | to a topic that people were already thinking |
| tired. This is why it works so well to keep | | | | about. This study found that when testing |
| us awake. It also encourages the release of | | | | coffee's effects on unrelated subjects, short |
| another brain chemical, dopamine (as well as | | | | term recall was actually inhibited.Everything |
| adrenaline). Dopamine contributes to a | | | | does have a flip side though. Adenosine, |
| feeling of well being.Two studies, one a | | | | which is blocked by coffee, is also calming. |
| population based study (which are not as | | | | This could be why it can also cause anxiety |
| specific or rigorously defined as other types | | | | in excess, and in some individuals. After |
| of studies, but nonetheless valuable | | | | all, the balance of our brain chemistry is |
| indicators) found that drinking caffeine | | | | unique. And when we are addicted to |
| containing drinks like coffee and tea had a | | | | stimulants like caffeine, we lose the |
| protective effect for those at risk of | | | | sensitivity to our own natural stimulants |
| developing liver disease. Issues that the | | | | (dopamine and adrenaline).References: |
| study participants had that increased their | | | | |
| risk of liver disease included alcoholism, | | | | Australian Healthy Food, February 2006. |
| hepatitis B or C, obesity, or other | | | | |
| complications.And the results indicated that | | | | |
| people who drank more than 2 cups of coffee a | | | | |
| day had a 44% lower chance of showing actual | | | | you want a gentler source of caffeine that |
| liver damage compared to those who drank no | | | | also has antioxidant benefits, try green tea. |
| caffeine. This was not a clinical trial, and | | | | Find out more about the health benefits, |
| the reason why coffee and tea had such an | | | | including about green tea weight loss here. |
| effect is not known. Coffee and tea contain a | | | | And on the subject of weight loss, if you'd |
| range of plant chemicals (phytonutrients) | | | | like to try some natural ways to boost |
| that could be responsible for this. A 2005 | | | | metabolism, check out these herbs. |