Is that extra cup of coffee really dangerous?

That heavenly cup of Joe is without question one of the most popular drinks on the planet. As I sit down to write this at 7:16pm I enjoy my second cup of the day. My brewing preference? The French press (amazon affiliate). Roast? Always the dark! Grab some Starbucks or upgrade to some Black Rifle Coffee. To a regular consumer, even the smell of the grinds can engage a psycho-physiological response that may stimulate brain activity and send shivers down your spine. It is known that the olfactory sense has significant ties to emotional cognition and memory. For example, just a whiff of that sweet aroma may remind you of that man (or woman) you used to meet for coffee all those years ago (hopefully that’s a good thing). That being said, it may be easy for people to underestimate the power of this ancient brew.

I was never a big coffee drinker. As a kid I would sip my dad’s cup just because I wanted to be like a grown up. Fast forward 20 years and I find myself in grad school rooming with a retired Marine. He and the others would make a pot every morning, and eventually I succumbed to join the guys over a cup and a good conversation. I noticed an increase of brain activity and I was definitely talking faster and more often. This I liked. I especially enjoyed this boost in energy in the early mornings when teaching elementary school. However, this energy boost would not last forever.

I would always drink mine black to avoid detrimental effects of another dangerous drug (sugar). Like with many drugs, habitual use of caffeine will lead the body to build up a tolerance to it. As the months went by, I found myself needing more and more of this full bodied elixir just to feel the same effects. I never had to travel far if I ran out because I could find a Starbucks vending machine right outside my place. In fact, there were at least four coffee shops on my half mile walk to class. Next thing I knew, I was drinking two cups before work, and at least one cup before my evening grad school classes. During finals week I was up to about five cups per day. Even when I took a trip to Japan, I would seek out bottles (hot or cold) in the street vending machines in order to fight off the jet lag.

Withdrawal from caffeine does not appear to be deadly or even significantly dangerous. According to WebMD, withdrawal symptoms include headache, fatigue, anxiety, irritability, depressed mood, and difficulty concentrating. If I were to skip my morning fix, I would be plagued in the evening by migraines and even once left class early to go get a Coca-cola and stick an ice pack on my head. I also had severe difficulty concentrating (at least more than normal).  I had become overdependent upon this teeth browning debauchery to get me through the day.

After graduation, when all the hard work was done, I decided that enough was enough. I quit drinking coffee all together and my body re-acclimated it’s homeostasis to that of a non-coffee drinker within the week. For a few months, I have been happy getting up every morning with light exercise and breath control as my new clean energy source. But as a new school year approaches I have jumped back on that caffeinated convoy because I know it will lead to a substantial increase of productivity while teaching. I’m currently keeping it under control with two cups in the morning, and I do at least one detox day every few months to reset.

In the end, is an extra cup-a-day going to kill you? No, but be wary of the fact that one cup may very well turn into three or four; and you may want to save your future self from some headaches by setting a daily limit and sticking to it. As for me, only time will tell.

Caffeine Myths and Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved July 29, 2017, from http://www.webmd.com/diet/caffeine-myths-and-facts#1

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