Potential side effects and contraindications of coffee, do you really understand coffee?

Although coffee can refresh the mind, it has potential side effects and contraindications. Excessive drinking may cause insomnia, palpitations, stomach pain and other problems. Pregnant women, patients with hypertension, heart disease and children should use it with caution. Taking it with certain medications may cause adverse reactions. While enjoying coffee, you should understand your own physical condition and drink it in moderation to avoid potential risks.

Coffee, a seemingly indispensable drink in daily life, is actually a double-edged sword. Drinking it in moderation can indeed refresh the mind and improve work and study efficiency. Do you really know everything about it? How much do you know about the side effects and contraindications of coffee?

Let’s first talk about the side effects of coffee.

1. Affecting sleep quality

Caffeine is the core ingredient of coffee and the main reason for people's excitement. Caffeine stays in the body for several hours to several days, which means that drinking coffee at night may cause insomnia or reduce the quality of sleep. If this continues for a long time, it may lead to accumulated fatigue and affect daily life and work efficiency.

2. Stimulate the gastrointestinal tract

The caffeine and other substances in coffee can irritate the gastrointestinal tract and cause stomach discomfort, such as stomach pain, excessive stomach acid, etc. Drinking coffee on an empty stomach will aggravate this situation. Long-term and excessive drinking may cause gastritis, gastric ulcers and other diseases.

3. Affecting Calcium Absorption

Certain ingredients in coffee will combine with calcium in the body and affect calcium absorption. Long-term and excessive drinking, especially in the elderly, may increase the risk of osteoporosis.

4. Increased risk of cardiovascular disease

Drinking too much coffee may increase heart rate and increase the burden on the heart. For patients with cardiovascular disease, it may aggravate the condition. Long-term and excessive drinking of sugary coffee may also increase the risk of diabetes and obesity.

Let’s talk about the taboos of coffee.

1. Pregnant women should drink with caution

Caffeine may enter the placenta through the mother's blood and have adverse effects on the fetus, so pregnant women are best to avoid drinking it.

2. Patients with hypertension should drink with caution

Because coffee can increase heart rate and blood pressure, people with high blood pressure need to be especially cautious when drinking coffee, and it’s best to avoid it.

3. People with calcium deficiency should drink with caution

As mentioned earlier, coffee will affect the absorption of calcium. For people who are already calcium deficient or need calcium supplements, they should try to reduce their coffee drinking.

4. Avoid drinking while taking certain medications

The caffeine in coffee may affect the absorption and metabolism of drugs. Therefore, you should avoid drinking coffee while taking certain medications, such as sedatives, anti-allergic drugs, etc.

5. Avoid drinking with alcohol

The stimulation of caffeine and alcohol may put a greater burden on the heart and blood vessels, so it should be avoided to drink it with alcohol.

Coffee is not suitable for everyone, nor is it a perfect drink that can be consumed at any time. We should drink it in moderation according to our physical condition and understand our body's reaction to coffee so as to make the most suitable choice for ourselves. Only by enjoying coffee correctly and reasonably can we truly experience the charm of coffee. But please remember that everything is a double-edged sword. The key lies in how we control it. I hope that every coffee lover can enjoy this wonderful drink in a healthy way.