Many of us know the feeling of not wanting to be talked to until we have our first cup of coffee of the day.  I have to admit without my wake up cup of espresso the morning would be bleak indeed.

But it is worth asking the question is caffeine, one of the active ingredients of coffee and tea, actually good for you?

The answer is of course both.  Like many thing caffeine has good and bad effects on the body.  The aim of this blog is to share a few key findings from our research.

Looking first at the positive effects (it makes me feel better) of caffeine we can see:-

• Diabetes.  Long term caffeine usage can lower the risk of diabetes.
• It can reduces the risks of contracting Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease
• Small amounts of caffeine can help you combat fatigue.
• Some studies suggest that it has also reduced the risk of developing certain types of cancer.  These include liver cancers.
• It has been argued that caffeine can work as an antioxidant.  For more information on antioxidants please go to https://patienttalk.org/?p=252

Sadly there can be negative effects of caffeine they can include:-

• Caffeine can increase blood pressure.
• Overuse can cause insomnia.  For ways of tackling insomnia please have a look at our blog here https://patienttalk.org/?p=246
• It can make a person jittery and possibly cause some anxiety.

There is a level of addiction associated with caffeine so of course there is the possibility of withdrawal symptoms if you stop drinking coffee.

So is caffeine good for you?  Well on balance, and in moderation, it seems that it is.  But what do you think?

Please share your thoughts and opinions by using the comments box below.

Many thanks in advance