caffeine

Posted on Cardiovascular disease, Diet, Vitamins

Caffeine is a heart-healthy habit

Coffee doesn't raise your risk for heart rhythm problems

A new paper “In Rheumatology, published by Oxford University Press,” finds that consuming more caffeine may improve heart health.

Vascular disease, which involves damage to blood vessels and can lead to serious consequences like heart attacks and strokes, is one of the main causes of death in the general population. For individuals with inflammatory rheumatic diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, the risks are even greater. This is partly because of the diseases themselves and also due to certain treatments, especially cortisone derivatives.

Until now, doctors’ recommendations to reduce these vascular risks focused on avoiding risk factors, such as addressing inflammation, discontinuing cortisone medications, quitting smoking, lowering cholesterol, and managing high blood pressure.

The researchers from Sapienza University of Rome in Italy believe that patients may be able to improve their vascular health by doing something enjoyable. According to their study, caffeine, which is found in coffee, tea, and cocoa, may actively help endothelial progenitor cells. These cells play a role in regenerating the lining of blood vessels and are involved in vascular growth.

It is widely known that a diet rich in vitamin D (found in oily fish and eggs) and vitamin A (found in many fruits), as well as polyunsaturated fatty acids and low in sodium, seems to play a role in decreasing the inflammatory burden. Scientists have also been interested in the potential impact of caffeine. In addition to its well-known stimulant effect, caffeine also has an anti-inflammatory effect because it binds to receptors expressed on the surface of immune cells. The impact of caffeine consumption on cardiovascular health has been extensively studied, but the results have been conflicting.

Researchers conducted a study on 31 lupus patients who did not have traditional cardiovascular risk factors. They used a seven-day food questionnaire to assess the patient’s diet. After a week, the investigators took the patients’ blood to measure the health of their blood vessels. The study found that patients who consumed caffeine had better vascular health, as measured by the health of their endothelial cells, which are an important component of the inner layer of blood vessels.

“The present study aims to provide patients with information about the potential role of diet in managing the disease,” stated Fulvia Ceccarelli, the paper’s lead author. “It will be important to validate these findings through a longitudinal study to assess the actual impact of coffee consumption on the progression of the disease.”

Leave a comment Posted on Fatigue

Self-help tips to fight fatigue


Self-help tips to fight fatiguee

Self-help tips to fight fatigue

Many cases of unexplained tiredness are due to stress, not enough sleep, poor diet and other lifestyle factors. Use these self-help tips to restore your energy levels.

Eat often to beat tiredness

A good way to keep up your energy through the day is to eat regular meals and healthy snacks every three to four hours, rather than a large meal less often.




Read more about healthy eating.

Perk up with exercise

You might feel too tired to exercise, but regular exercise will make you feel less tired in the long run, and you’ll have more energy. Even a single 15-minute walk can give you an energy boost, and the benefits increase with more frequent physical activity.

Start with a small amount of exercise. Build up your physical activity gradually over weeks and months until you reach the recommended goal of two-and-a-half hours of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as cycling or fast walking, every week.

Read more about starting exercise.

Find out the physical activity guidelines for adults.

Lose weight to gain energy

If your body is carrying excess weight, it can be exhausting. It also puts extra strain on your heart, which can make you tired. Lose weight and you’ll feel much more energetic. Apart from eating healthily, the best way to lose weight is to be more active and do more exercise.

Read more about how to lose weight.

Sleep well

It sounds obvious, but two-thirds of us suffer from sleep problems, and many people don’t get the sleep they need to stay alert through the day. The Royal College of Psychiatrists advises going to bed and getting up in the morning at the same time every day; avoid naps through the day, and have a hot bath before bed (as hot as you can bear without scalding you) for at least 20 minutes.




Read more about how to get a good night’s sleep.

Try these NHS-approved sleep apps to help you sleep well.

Reduce stress to boost energy

Stress uses up a lot of energy. Try to introduce relaxing activities into your day. This could be working out at the gym, or a gentler option, such as listening to music, reading or spending time with friends. Whatever relaxes you will improve your energy.

Read more about how to relieve stress.

Talking therapy beats fatigue

There’s some evidence that talking therapies such as counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) might help to fight fatigue. See your GP for a referral for talking treatment on the NHS or for advice on seeing a private therapist.

Read more about counselling.

Cut out caffeine

The Royal College of Psychiatrists recommends that anyone feeling tired should cut out caffeine. It says the best way to do this is to gradually stop having all caffeine drinks (this includes coffee, tea and cola drinks) over a three-week period. Try to stay off caffeine completely for a month to see if you feel less tired without it.

You may find that not consuming caffeine gives you headaches. If this happens, cut down more slowly on the amount of caffeine that you drink.

Drink less alcohol

Although a few glasses of wine in the evening helps you fall asleep, you sleep less deeply after drinking alcohol. The next day you’ll be tired, even if you sleep a full eight hours.

Cut down on alcohol before bedtime. You’ll get a better night’s rest and have more energy. The NHS recommends that men and women should not regularly drink more than 14 units a week, which is equivalent to six pints of average strength beer or 10 small glasses of low strength wine.

Read more about how to cut down on alcohol.

Drink more water for better energy

Sometimes you feel tired simply because you’re mildly dehydrated. A glass of water will do the trick, especially after exercise.

Read about healthy drinks.

Leave a comment Posted on Diet

How coffee might improve sports performance. Find out more here!


Sports Performance and Coffee

Sports Performance and Coffee

From enhancing endurance to aiding quick recovery, caffeine can play a role in improving sports performance, as explained by experts in the field of sports science and nutrition during a roundtable on coffee, caffeine and sports performance held by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee.



Professor Greg Whyte OBE, a former Olympian and Professor in Applied Sport & Exercise Science at Liverpool John Moores University, UK, Dr Javier Gonzalez, a lecturer in Human and Applied Physiology at the University of Bath, UK, and Dr Sophie Killer, a performance nutritionist at British Athletics came together to present a wide variety of research which covered all aspects of coffee, caffeine and sports performance from fluid balance and intake levels, to what is currently understood about caffeine’s mechanisms.

Key highlights from the roundtable include:

• Caffeine is most effective during endurance sports (e.g. running, cycling, rowing) lasting more than five minutes
• Caffeine can improve short term high-intensity performance
• Caffeine has been shown to reduce muscle pain during endurance exercise, reduce muscle soreness after strength exercises, and assist in the recovery process
• Coffee can contribute to fluid balance and the suggestion that caffeinated beverages should be avoid prior to and during exercise is unfounded

Professor Greg Whyte commented: “Caffeine has the potential to improve sports performance across the board from marathon runners to Saturday sports teams. Both elite and recreational athletes are physiologically similar meaning relatively low doses can have an effect, including improved endurance and high-intensity performance, and muscle pain relief.”

It is widely accepted that any effect of coffee consumption on sports performance is linked to the caffeine in coffee. Although caffeine has been suggested to cause dehydration, research has concluded that moderate consumption of 3-5 cups of caffeinated coffee per day contributes to overall fluid balance and does not cause dehydration.

Research into caffeine’s mechanisms has shown that endurance performance is improved through its role as an adenosine antagonist, leading to an increased production of adrenaline, which stimulates blood flow and increases a feeling of being energised. Caffeine may also reduce the perception of pain, through a role in the central nervous system, further enhancing endurance during sporting activities.

1 Comment Posted on Diet

Anxiety and Coffee – is there a relationship?


Coffee and Anxiety

Coffee and Anxiety

A very old friend of mine from university had to give up coffee when he was in his mid twenties. Much to his disgust, I might add, as he loved the stuff.

The reason he explained to me over a cup of green tea that a couple of cups of coffee would first make him anxious , then bad tempered and finally what he called a “brown study”. Nothing to worry about (he did mention it to his doctor at his next wish and was told that he was indeed correct).

The conversation came back to me this afternoon as I read a very interesting report from the The Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee on the relationship between coffee and anxiety. They define anxiety as “a feeling of nervousness, dread, apprehension, and worry. Mild anxiety is vague and unsettling, while severe anxiety can be extremely debilitating and considered a disorder”.

They say “… the body of scientific evidence to date suggests that caffeine may be associated with an increase in anxiety at moderate levels of intake (150mg caffeine – approximately two cups of coffee) in individuals who are predisposed to this effect, and that symptoms of anxiety are less likely to be seen at lower levels of caffeine intake. It is thought that the adenosine receptor system, which mediates the psychoactive effects of caffeine, is involved in the regulation of anxiety, although the precise mechanism is unknown at present”



In the report they point out that “caffeine seems to have no effect on anxiety in some individuals whilst in others, particularly at moderate (150mg caffeine) levels of intake, caffeine may increase anxiety” and “in high and low anxiety sensitive individuals, similar alertness and symptom reports were shown following caffeine ingestion. Respiratory symptoms were more marked when caffeine was expected and administered in the low anxiety sensitive group and when caffeine was unexpectedly administered in the high anxiety sensitive group”

They conclude “research suggests that there may be a genetic component to this sensitivity, explaining why only some individuals appear to experience an effect, however further research is required to confirm these effects.3 It is worth noting that with frequent consumption, substantial tolerance develops to the anxiety-inducing effect of caffeine, even in genetically susceptible individuals, and therefore the association does not tend to affect levels of coffee consumption”.

Which all seems pretty reasonable to me. What do you think? What impact does coffee have upon you? Please share in the comments section below.

Thanks in advance.