How much coffee is too much?

Well, for Mormons, any amount of coffee is supposed to be too much.

From USA Today: “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has issued a warning to members that coffee is prohibited no matter how fancy the name . . .”

Thankfully, such a ban on coffee applies only to Mormons.

Still, is there such a thing as too much coffee?

That is the topic of the USA Today story “Is coffee healthy or not? Here’s how much you should drink — and how much is too much”

Here is the good news from the story.

“As long as you limit cream and sugar, coffee isn’t fattening like other caffeine-based substances such as energy drinks and soda. The calorie content in a plain cup of brewed coffee is next to nothing, and there’s no fat either.”

. . . and . . .

“Multiple studies have found that a daily coffee intake of four cups is a safe amount. Even federal dietary guidelines suggest three to five eight-ounce cups of coffee per day (providing up to 400 milligrams of caffeine) can be a part of a healthy diet.”

Instead of asking how much coffee is too much, the better question is, “How much caffeine is too much?” That is because the caffeine in coffee is the reason that coffee became popular in the first place.

The Harvard Medical School reports, “Caffeine is a natural stimulant. Its main effect is on the central nervous system, where it can increase alertness and provide a needed boost when you are tired. Caffeine’s effect peaks within an hour after consumption, and the body eliminates half of it within about four to six hours. Yet, how people react to caffeine varies depending on their sensitivity and how quickly it is digested.”

A science study published by Current Neuropharmacology indicates that caffeine can have health benefits. The study states, “Caffeine is studied in relation to the possible treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. In epidemiological reports, caffeine consumption was associated with a significantly lower risk of developing them.”

Caffeine is also associated with pain relief, as explained by WebMD:

When your head hurts, you want relief fast. Whether it’s a run-of-the-mill tension headache or a migraine, caffeine can help. That’s why it’s an ingredient in a lot of popular pain relievers. It can make them as much as 40% more effective. Sometimes you can stop the pain in its tracks just by having caffeine alone.

Caffeine helps reduce inflammation, and that can bring relief. It also gives a boost to common headache remedies. Whether you use aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen, they work faster and better and keep the pain away for longer when combined with caffeine.

A very rare condition called hypnic headaches responds especially well to caffeine. These strike older people, waking them in the middle of the night with severe pain. Doctors typically tell people who get these to have a cup of coffee before bed.

Edward Wolpow, M.D. explains how caffeine reduces pain from migraines:

The simple notion that migraines are caused by the expansion of blood vessels (vasodilation) on the surface of the brain is, well, too simple. Migraines are complicated. Abnormal brain activity may precede vasodilation, but I think vasodilation is probably responsible for the painful part of the migraine attack. Caffeine tends to constrict blood vessels, which would seem to cause pain by cutting off blood flow. But mid-migraine, caffeine may relieve pain by returning enlarged and painfully distorted arteries back to their pain-free state. Perhaps there’s another explanation for caffeine’s effect, but it’s clear from experience that caffeine, especially in the form of coffee, helps many people with migraines.

So, unless you believe that Lucifer originated as the brother of Jesus, there is no harm in you drinking a cup of coffee when you wake up each day.

Featured Image by Mark Sweep.
Featured Image in Public Domain.

David Robertson

The “Wanted” posters say the following about David: “Wanted: A refugee from planet Melmac masquerading as a human. Loves cats. If seen, contact the Alien Task Force.”

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