What Are the Health Effects of Drinking Coffee Daily?

Here are a few responses from people in the industry.

A. On "Can't function without coffee—no coffee, no brain"

That line has been around for years, and you are far from alone in the habit.

I've laid out the pros and cons of coffee many times before, but these days I mostly avoid the question of how many benefits or harms it has. All I really want to say is that coffee is an ordinary beverage, no different from tea. Humans have been drinking both for how long now? Whatever side effects may or may not exist, these two remain the world's two leading drinks after plain water.

Smoking is harmful to health—that much is settled—and yet we don't see everyone quitting.

Don't spend your time on this. If you enjoy it, drink it. I'd suggest keeping it under 3 cups a day, though in my view, as long as you don't drink to the point of physical discomfort, you haven't really overdone it.

B. Side Effects

One is emotional; the other two are physiological.

1. Making anxiety worse

Caffeine sharpens alertness, sensitivity, memory, and concentration. Drink more than you are used to, however, and it can act like the same dose of a stimulant, leaving you jittery. For people prone to anxiety, caffeine can worsen symptoms such as sweaty palms, heart palpitations, and ringing in the ears.

2. Worsening high blood pressure

Because caffeine itself has a pain-relieving effect, it is often combined with simple analgesics in compound formulations. But long-term overconsumption—especially if you already have high blood pressure—will only make the condition worse. Caffeine alone can raise blood pressure; pair it with emotional stress and the effect multiplies dangerously. People at high risk of hypertension should be especially careful about caffeinated drinks during periods of heavy work stress. Some long-time coffee drinkers assume they have become immune to caffeine's effects, but that isn't so: one study found that blood pressure elevation after a single cup can last up to 12 hours.

3. Contributing to osteoporosis

Caffeine is a good diuretic. Drink coffee heavily over the long term and it can readily cause bone loss, which works against preserving bone mass and, for women, may raise the threat of osteoporosis. The caveat is that this depends on your baseline: it matters if your everyday diet already lacks calcium, if you are not physically active, and if you are a post-menopausal woman losing calcium for lack of estrogen. Only when those conditions combine with large amounts of caffeine might bones be at risk. Enjoy coffee in reasonable amounts and you can avoid throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

C. My Own Experience with Coffee Side Effects

As for what side effects coffee has—I haven't researched it, so I can't really say, and I don't want to search online for a standard answer just to placate you. So let me just describe what it does to me personally, by way of a case study.

One afternoon I was drowsy, but I had a meeting in 40 minutes. Left as it was, I would certainly have fallen asleep at my desk during the meeting. So I drank a cup of coffee, and sure enough, 5 minutes later I was refreshed and full of energy, bouncing around as if struck by lightning, smiling at everyone I passed. Then that evening, sitting with friends, I drank another large cup. The result was that I could not sleep at all that night. Even with my eyes closed I couldn't drift off, so eventually I got up and watched a movie until after 3 AM, then finally dozed for a bit. The next day I went to work with dark circles, eye bags, and a face full of acne.

It's the kind of story that belongs on an embarrassing-stories website. But although caffeine affects me easily, I genuinely love coffee—especially sweet coffee, which is truly irresistible. Lately I haven't dared drink it, and only have a little when the craving becomes unbearable.

FrontStreet Coffee: http://www.gafei.com

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If you are moderating your intake, choosing a gentler, lower-acid cup makes the habit easier to keep. These three entry-level specialty beans from FrontStreet Coffee are all easy on the palate.

FrontStreet Brazil Cerrado Red Bourbon is an entry-level single origin from Brazil's well-known Cerrado region, priced to be an everyday bean. Brazil's sun-exposed growing style ripens the fruit quickly, which makes for a softer bean, gentle fruit acidity, and pleasant sweetness—fine, smooth, and balanced in the cup. Expect the classic creamy, peanut, and cocoa notes on the brew.

FrontStreet Yunnan Small-Bean Coffee comes from Baoshan in Yunnan and is washed and medium-roasted. It delivers the traditional nutty and chocolate flavors, with a soft, balanced body. China's specialty coffee is concentrated in Yunnan, and this is the approachable introduction to it.

FrontStreet Colombia Huila is one of the few single origins sold under its country's name. Colombia's mild, humid climate means something is always ripening, so different regions and varieties come ready in turn. FrontStreet's everyday Colombian comes from Huila province, the country's best-known specialty region, ringed by mountains at altitudes above 1,500 meters where the nation's most important rivers converge, bringing abundant moisture and water. Colombian coffee tends toward gentle floral aromas and soft fruit acidity—an easy, rounded cup.