You have a huge report to complete by the morning. After all, your marks are depending on it. But the day-long hassles are making you feel so sleepy that all you can think of is the bed, not the book. What will you do in such situations?
Simple! You’ll grab a cup of hot coffee and get started with the report. Isn’t it what most of us would’ve done? But do you ever think about the question, is coffee bad for your brain, or is it good? I don’t think so as it’s keeping you active as long as you want.
Is Coffee Bad For Your Brain?
But trust me, sometimes, it’s the other way around. Let’s find out what this beverage does to your brain.
Coffee and Brain Functionality
Some people will say that heart is the most complicated mechanism in the human body. But come on! Let’s get real. Indeed the brain is the most complicated one, and I’m sure that you’ll agree with me on that.
From conducting body functionality to circulating emotions, what doesn’t this organ do? But there’s no way to deny that our foods and drinks have kind of a direct influence over its action. Being one of the most consumed beverages, coffee is not beyond that list either.
But what does coffee actually do to our brain? I have a list of that to tell you about. You’re going to be amazed at what a simple cup of coffee you’re taking can literally do once it goes in.
As caffeine is the prime element in coffee, let’s start with what changes it brings on instantly after you drink the beverage. After all, that’s what boosts the brain’s function to an amazing level.
Mood
You may often have to fight with your mood when tons of things are going on around. But come on! Who are you kidding? You’re not a machine or a bot. So, you can’t keep smiling for the whole day.
But when you’re feeling down or stressed, having a cup of coffee can boost it up. You’ll feel more relaxed once the caffeine goes in.
Reaction Time
At times your brain slows itself down under so much pressure. That includes how you’re reacting to an incident or conversation. When you’re drinking a cup of coffee, it literally can boost up your reaction time.
Vigilance
We all have vigilance mode in our brains. But just like the reaction time, not everyone’s that part of the brain is the same. Interestingly, caffeine can get that boosted as well.
Attention
There’s no way to deny that you’re surrounded by things that distract you. Along with that, other factors, like your mood or stress level, influence attention. But the caffeine can improve that within a very short time.
Coffee and Alzheimer’s Disease
Have you ever heard about Alzheimer’s disease? It’s a disease that leads the cells of the brain to waste away and die. Do you know what the number of people suffering from Alzheimer’s is? It’s 44 million! But what it has to do with coffee? Let me give you some interesting information.
Delaying the Onset of Alzheimer’s Disease
Studies show that coffee and its caffeine are capable of delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. They’re even helpful for people who are already suffering from certain forms of mild dementia.
Researchers were amazed at seeing the capacity of caffeine to block the inflammation in the brain. That includes the adenosine receptors that can start a chain reaction, which ultimately triggers the brain’s cognitive decline.
Positive Influence over Key Protein in Alzheimer’s Disease
Scientists have confirmed a link between tau protein and Alzheimer’s disease. The reason for being scared of the tau protein is because its tangles can terminate brain cells, which ultimately results in cognitive decline.
Fortunately, as an adenosine receptor antagonist, caffeine can block some of the receptors in the brain. These receptors are helpful in building and entanglement of tau.
Protection Against Type-2 Diabetes
Type-2 Diabetes is considered to be a reason for Alzheimer’s disease. You might’ve never heard about coffee being helpful in diabetes. It’s time for you to give it a second thought.
The good news for coffee lovers is, having 6 cups of coffee per day can lower the risks of having type 2 diabetes up to 33%. If you increase the consumption of coffee one cup per day, the risk reduces up to 9%. But if you’re more into decaf coffee, then it can do the same thing up to 6%.
Now you can easily assume where 70% (approx.) type 2 diabetes ends up in developing Alzheimer’s disease, what the consumption of coffee can do there?
Coffee vs. Brain Function and Memory
Don’t get confused with the headline; things here are not as you’re thinking. A study at the University of California shows that caffeine is helpful with our memory. They’ve seen that people who consume 200 mg of caffeine have grabbed a good score on a memory test.
In the test, it has been proved that caffeine is amazingly helpful in enhancing long-term memory. One team of the participants on the test consumed 200 mg, and the other team of the participants consumed 300 mg of caffeine. But interestingly, the improved result wasn’t repeated with the other team.
Even some of them have reported that they’ve faced negative side effects, including jittery feelings and having headaches. It makes one thing clear that consuming caffeine is helpful with memory, but only if you take a certain amount. Excessive consumption of caffeine may lead to negative results.
Final Words
Is coffee bad for your brain? Well, I think you’ll have your answer now as I’ve given you the big picture of it. While taking too much coffee can harm your health a bit, you’ll feel the advantages as well when you know how to drink it.
If you have more confusion about coffee, you may try reading more articles on the effects of this beverage on various parts of your body. You’ll find them on our site.
Meta– Is coffee bad for your brain? Well, today’s the day you’re getting all your answers. All you need to do is give this article a read.
Recommended Reading:
Reference
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/coffee-brain#section4
https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/your-brain-on-coffee-the-good-the-bad-the-ugly
