Hey there, fellow caffeine addicts! Guess what? Us, humans, yep, we are straight-up junkies for stimulants. Did you realize that two out of the top three drinks we guzzle down like there’s no tomorrow are loaded with stimulants? Yup, I’m talking about our old pals, coffee and tea. Question is, are these pick-me-ups our friends or frenemies? Spoiler alert: It’s a solid mix of both!!
Let me drop some truth bombs on ya, folks! Did you know that a plain cup of brewed coffee has only 2 calories? Yep, you heard it right, only two! But, hold on to your mugs, that number goes through the roof when you start adding all the fun stuff (cream, sugar, flavored sweeteners, whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles – you get the picture).
What are some of the other benefits of coffee?
So, the go with coffee? It amps up your energy, sharpens your focus, and puts the kibosh on those sneaky snack cravings. Praise be to the cup of joe that gives us the gusto for get-up-and-go, right?
Coffee Increases Energy & Focus
You betcha, that lovable little molecule called caffeine, found in our daily cup of joe, is a real game changer. It cranks up hormones and neurotransmitters like they’re going out of fashion, pumping up our energy levels or dialling down our sense of effort. So even when life’s got us by the short and curlies, with all its stress, dodgy diet decisions, or just plain ol’ exhaustion, a single sip brings us back to life – kind of like a liquid Super Mario power-up, right?
Coffee Can Boost Your Metabolism
Pop the cork and pour the champagne, my friends! A cleverly-conducted research project back in 2004 gave us some promising news. In oversized folks, they found a fat-burning increase of 10%. But it’s the lean green machines that really cleaned up, boasting a stellar 29% up-tick in lipid oxidation. How’s them apples?
Coffee Can Suppress Your Appetite
So here’s the real tea, my friend. Those neurotransmitters aren’t just sitting around for looks. Oh no, they’re helping to curb your appetite, aiding you to consume fewer calories. And with that extra pep in your step from the energy boost, you might just witness the miracle of fat burning. How’s that for a weight loss sidekick?
Coffee Enhances Your Mood
Just picture this: caffeine is like the life of the party in your bloodstream. And I’m not just talking about a couple of uptight guests—we got the real deal here. Epinephrine (your body’s adrenaline)? Check. Norepinephrine? Oh, it’s invited too. And dopamine—our body’s personal mood-lifter and pep rally leader—is definitely in on the shindig. This dopamine boost is what puts that pep in your step and the smile on your face. Got it? Good!
Coffee Can Enhance Performance
Hands up if you’ve seen caffeine in most pre-workout supplements! Why, you ask? Well, the answer’s simple, my friend. Our pal caffeine here has a habit of tickling the Central Nervous System (CNS for the nerdy ones), freeing up those fatty acids for a dose of energy. So, what’s the big deal? Hold on to your protein shake; studies show performance booms by 11-12%! Who wouldn’t want a piece of that action?
So here’s the rundown, we’re chatting increased energy, mood upgrades, a decreased hunger, sharpened concentration, faster fat torching, and a boost in how you perform physically. All good things, right? But like any late-night infomercial, there’s a catch. Do these wins keep up or is it just a fly-by-night affair? Some stick while others, well, they’re about as consistent as your Wi-Fi at 2 a.m.! Now, we’ve got to ask ourselves, what’s sending this balance off-kilter? Does something sneak up on you in that cup of caffeine that packs on the pounds, or have we just grown resistant to all the goodness it has to offer?
What are the negative effects of coffee?
All right, here’s the skinny on coffee, buddies! It definitely gives you that adrenaline rush, right? But did you know it also blesses you with another adrenal hormone known as cortisol? Yeah! And let me tell ya, too much of this lil’ bugger can make you feel stressed, pack on those stubborn pounds, and even break down those hard-earned muscles.
Now, you’re probably asking yourself, “How the heck do I know if I have too much cortisol or if this fussy hormone is dancing to the right rhythm (you know, rising and shining in the morning and saying nighty-night in the late hours)?” Well, my friends, there are many signposts along this winding hormonal highway…
Fatigue Or Poor Sleep
Ever had days when you wake up feeling like a run-down old jalopy, yet come nightfall, your brain suddenly transforms into a high-speed bullet train refusing to hit the brakes? Yeah, sistah, that’s the jazzy (not) dance of cortisol dysfunction for ya!
Lowered Sex Hormones
So, here’s the deal: when stress hormones like cortisol start throwing their weight around, they hog all the pregnenolone—our body’s master hormone, if you will. This crafty little move is called the “pregnenolone steal.” (Talk about drama, right?) And with pregnenolone in short supply, our sex hormone production tanks. We’re talking muscle loss, uptick in body fat, mojo on the fritz, and a mood that’s about as radiant as a rainy Monday. Not cool, cortisol, not cool at all.
Anxiety
You know how it goes – stress and anxiety start pumping that cortisol up, which then fuels more stress and anxiety. It’s like you’re a hamster stuck in an ever-spinning wheel. Great for a workout, not so much for your stress levels, huh?
Weight Gain
Ever notice how that stubborn belly fat just seems to cling on for dear life? Uh-huh, you know what I’m talkin’ about.
