Coffee: How it works in your body

Are you curious what happens to your body if you were to stop drinking coffee? I’m sure many of you are coffee drinkers and can’t start your day without a cup. 

For me, I’m not addicted to it, nor do I need it to stay awake at night. But, I do love that satisfying feeling of sipping a warm cup of black coffee while brainstorming. 

There has been plenty of studies on how coffee effects our bodies. Some say coffee is actually great for you, while others say it’s basically the devil. Personally, I feel that coffee, like many things in life, should be taken in moderation. Too much of anything is never a good thing (unless it’s ideas, money, or success). But even then, those things can sometimes get in the way of your ego. 

But, what if you had to all of a sudden stop drinking coffee? What would happen?

You see, caffeine affects our Adenosine receptors, which influence our euphoria. So, if we were to suddenly quit coffee consumption, we might start feeling a bit depressed. Plus, caffeine is a stimulant, so you might feel a bit lethargic while your body is adjusting to these changes.

Surprisingly, caffeine narrows blood vessels, and can help with your migraines if you have minor ones. So, studies have shown that in the beginning, not drinking coffee may cause more headaches, or even more stress.

However, coffee can irritate your stomach, so some would actually feel better if they change their coffee intake habits. Plus, since drinking coffee usually means more visits to the restroom, reducing caffeine intake might help your kidneys. 

Although I can continue to toss medical facts and statistics from research studies, I truly feel that with any change in your lifestyle, it’s normal for your body to react negatively for the first few weeks. However, it is more appropriate to assess the effects something has on your body over a longer period of time, and to take into consideration that it’ll be different for everyone.

If you feel like you’re drinking too much coffee, you might want to consider reducing your intake by drinking one less cup per week. If you normally only drink one cup a day, then I’ll say that’s a fair amount, so unless you feel the caffeine is affecting you negatively, you probably don’t need to change your intake unless you personally want to.

Coffee is one of the few things that I enjoy that are bitter. To me, I drink it for inspiration or during conversations. To others, it is part of their livelihood. But no matter the reason why you are drinking coffee, remember to take it in moderation and to be attentive to how your body responses if you change your consumption.