What Are The Health Hazards Associated With Drinking Coffee?

Ah, that first cup of coffee in the morning. For many people, coffee is a favorite beverage, and some continue to drink it all through the day. Coffee, according to National Geographic magazine, was first used in Ethiopia, possibly by goatherds who noticed their goats behaved differently after eating the leaves of the plant. By about A.D. 1000, coffee beans were being roasted in Arabia, and the beverage became an integral part of Muslim culture. In the 1600s, beans were grown outside of Arabia for the first time, and soon the drink became readily available throughout Europe and, eventually, in the Americas. Almost everyone is aware that coffee in excess can leave you with the jitters or cause problems with sleep, but there are other health issues related to coffee.

Coffee -- It's a Drug

Many people drink coffee without any problems, but some develop symptoms that have a negative effect on health. Coffee is addictive: According to the Food and Drug Administration, people who regularly drink coffee for its stimulant properties find they develop a tolerance to the effect and must drink increasing amounts to obtain the same impact. If they stop suddenly, they will actually go into withdrawal, as the brain reacts to the decreased caffeine level in the bloodstream. Withdrawal can take the form of headaches, irritability, muscle aches and temporary depression.

Coffee and Insomnia

Caffeine, probably the best-known active substance in coffee, is really a drug rather than just a food or food additive, and like all drugs it has side effects. The most common negative result of coffee ingestion is trouble sleeping. Insomnia, says the Mayo Clinic, results in sleep deprivation; when chronic, it is cumulative and can disrupt daytime alertness and performance. Using coffee to help keep yourself awake results in a cycle of more insomnia --- since the coffee continues to disrupt the sleep cycle --- and a tendency to drink more coffee.

Coffee and Other Health Issues

Dr. Rob van Dam, assistant professor in the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, was quoted in an interview for "The Nutrition Source," stating that people who have difficulty controlling their blood pressure or blood sugar should be cautious about drinking coffee. According to van Dam, a person who doesn't normally use caffeine experiences a substantial rise in blood pressure if she starts to use caffeine. After a while, this effect is less pronounced, but there is still a slight overall increase. He suggests that a person who is having trouble getting her blood pressure under control might want to switch to decaf coffee. While high coffee consumption is associated with a lower risk of developing diabetes, says van Dam, there is evidence that if a person drinks coffee and then eats something high in sugar, her blood sugar levels go up. Again, he recommends a switch to decaf for the diabetic who is having trouble getting blood sugar under control. Negative health impacts of coffee also include an increased risk of miscarriage. Reporting in the "American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology," Xiaoping Weng, Ph.D., leader of a study that looked at coffee consumption in pregnant women, noted that more than 200 mg of caffeine increased the risk of miscarriage, particularly for women who had a history of this problem. Two, five-ounce cups of coffee adds about 200 mg.

Considerations and Warnings

Your morning cup may not be doing you any harm, but if you have symptoms that might be related to too much coffee, such as insomnia; or if you are pregnant, you should discuss any concerns with a health care professional.