Caffeine Consumption

As you are drinking your daily cup of coffee in the morning you may be thinking “am I doing a bad thing?” The truth is that there are many good and bad aspects of drinking caffeine. Today I would like to help you sort through some of the many myths and misconceptions.





• Caffeine is addictive.
o Caffeine is a stimulant and if introduced to the body in a regular manner it may produce a minor dependence. This, however, should not be confused with other drug addictions. Caffeine does not and should not affect your social, physical, or economic health! Stopping that normal intake of caffeine may even give minor withdrawal symptoms such as headache, fatigue, and minor irritability. These again are not on par with symptoms from “drug addictions”.

• Caffeine may dehydrate you.
o Caffeine may make you urinate, but the amount of fluid normally taken with the caffeine seems to offset the fluid that you lose.

• There are no health benefits from caffeine
o Although high concentrations may be harmful to your health. There are some positive aspects of caffeine such as an increase in alertness, concentration, and energy. This may not be the case if you drink in excess, but in moderation it is possible to enjoy the benefits. Also some limited evidence has been shown that it may reduce the risk of some diseases such as diabetes type 2 and Parkinson’s disease.

Although a lot of the research being done is limited there may be some benefit of Caffeine. It is important to keep in mind that anything in excess can be a hazard to your health and to contact your doctor if you are having adverse effects or if you are on any medication where you should restrict caffeine intake. For more myths and misconception please refer to http://www.webmd.com/balance/caffeine-myths-and-facts?page=3 for more information on caffeine intake.

For more information on healthy living, or to schedule a consultation for physical therapy, feel free to contact us at 518-690-4406 or visit our website at www.empirehwc.com or email us at ehwc7@nycap.rr.com.

William Milhizer, DPT, PT