Excessive coffee consumption can pose long-term health risks. Courtesy | Facebook
College students should not jeopardize their mental state, sleep, and long-term health by drinking coffee.
“Caffeine is the most consumed psychoactive drug in the world,” Dr. Sergey Ferey of the National Institute on Drug Abuse wrote in an article about caffeine research. “It displays all the pharmacological properties of classic psychostimulants, such as cocaine and amphetamines.”
The idea that psychotropic drugs are difficult to remove has been ingrained in students’ minds. People should not praise something that also produces strong withdrawal symptoms.
Roland Griffith, a professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University, advocates listing caffeine withdrawal as a disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
“When people don’t get their usual dose of coffee, they may experience a range of withdrawal symptoms, including headaches, fatigue and difficulty concentrating,” Griffith said. “They may even feel like they have the flu, with nausea and muscle aches.”
Princeton University says common short-term effects, such as increased breathing rate and blood pressure, are because the caffeine in coffee is a stimulant that artificially increases the body’s alertness. This prolonged alertness can also lead to stress, highlighting the body’s dependence on caffeine.
A 2022 study in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that drinking coffee can increase mortality from cardiovascular disease.
Princeton University Health says long-term effects of coffee include nervousness, insomnia, dehydration, stomach irritation and fatigue.
In general, caffeine is also a diuretic, which is one of the reasons why long-term or large amounts of coffee can lead to dehydration.
Dr. Astrid Nehling, director of research at the Institute of Disease Research in Strasbourg, France, wrote in a 2022 study that coffee increases the risk of indigestion, esophageal burns, gastritis or ulcers, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Additionally, a study published by the National Institutes of Health stated that caffeine can cause anxiety and is associated with depression.
There is evidence that limited amounts of coffee can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of liver fibrosis, but it is not worth the risk of other complications. Moderation of everything is wise, but even small doses of coffee can affect your mental state. Not worth the risk.
