Caffeine Deconstructed

Yuri Elkaim, BPHE, CK, RHN
www.TotalWellnessCleanse.com

Caffeine Trends

Caffeine is a worldwide ubiquitous drug. Used originally in most cultures for ceremonies, it has become an overused energy stimulant in the Western world. In fact, the United States is among the leaders in coffee and and caffeine consumption.

Europeans are also drinking more coffee than ever. For instance, Germans consume over 16 lbs of coffee per person each year, and the Swedes lead in consumption with 30 lbs per person per year.

Physiological Effects of Caffeine

Physiologically, caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. It is a member of the class of methylxanthine drugs. Xanthines (and specifically theophylline) are commonly used in medicine to aid in breathing.

A dosage of 50-100 mg of caffeine, the amount in 1 cup of coffee, will produce a temporary increase in mental clarity and alertness. But don't let this initial kick fool you. The rebound effect can be hard to overcome. Because caffeine is a drug, it acts like any other drug. As soon as you remove it from your diet, your body will begin to crave it and go into withdrawal. This is why, for heavy coffee drinkers, cleansing their body of caffeine is highly beneficial and recommended, yet challenging.

Since caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, it also stimulates the cardiovascular system, raising blood pressure and heart rate. It generally speeds up your body by increasing your basal metabolic rate, which can assist in burning calories. For this reason, many fat burning supplements have incorporated caffeine into their formulation. But beware that these supplements should be avoided at all costs as these "concoctions" have been shown to be dangerous. In some cases where ephedra and caffeine are used together, heart attacks have been known to arise.

So if you want to burn fat, you're better off following a healthy cleansing diet and getting regular intense exercise!

Because caffeine is an addictive drug, the amount needed to produce stimulation increases with regular use. Thus, larger and more frequent doses are needed to achieve the original effect, and symptoms can develop is you do not get your "fix". Eventually, you need the drug to function; without it, fatigue, depression, and headaches can occur. Caffeine withdrawal produces tension headaches in almost everyone for 1 to 2 days.

Some Negative Effects of Caffeine

It's no surprise that caffeine affects the human body in many undesirable ways. Let's have a look at some of them, shall we?

Caffeine is known to cause:

• excess nervousness, anxiety, irritability, dizziness, "restless legs", and subsequent fatigue.

• headaches

• hyperactivity and bed-wetting in children who consume caffeine

• increased heartburn from stomach hydrochloric acid production

• loss of minerals such as potassium, magnesium, and zinc

• reduced absorption of iron and calcium

• diarrhea

• bone loss and osteoporosis

• increase cholesterol and triglyceride levels

• and much more!

Do I really need to go on. I'll probably write another article on coffee and caffeine in the future but for now just realize that in order to get over your "need" for caffeine, you need to get it out of your system. Thankfully, our Total Wellness Cleanse can help you do so.

--> Click here to get started with the Total Wellness Cleanse and finally become caffeine-free!