Caffeine: Pros and Cons

Caffeine is one of the most widely studied beverages in the world and research has deiscovered a lot about its benefits and why some people should stay away from it. Being a college student, I know that sleep is the last thing I squeeze into my daily agenda. Some students choose to skip it and not to sleep for a whole day, depending on their upcoming exams. These students wake up in the morning and immediately think "I need some caffeine!" This is why I decided to do some research on the pros and cons of consuming caffeine. I know this doesn't have a lot to do with diets in general but caffeine has some effects on your overrall health and I'm pretty sure most of you consume it daily.
First, let me explain to you what caffeine does internally. The healthy living webiste explained this pretty well, it said: "Caffeine revs you up by stimulating the central nervous system and increasing blood pressure. It changes the brain's chemistry by blocking the action of a neurochemical called adenosine. When adenosine can't do its job, more neurons fire in the brain, which in turn tells the pituitary gland to release more adrenaline. Within about 15 minutes after you've consumed caffeine, your heart beat increases, your lung capacity increases, and the liver releases sugar into the bloodstream to boost your energy."
Now here are some pros:
-According fitwise.com , "injesting caffeine 30 minutes to an hour before workouts results in longer endurance, faster times, less exertion, less fatigue, and more rapid recovery." (This is true of tablet forms of caffeine, not coffee.)
-Caffeine speeds up metabolism, which is something that all people should strive for.
-Caffeine breaks down(bad)fat,this frees fatty acids that are immediately burned.
-"While the fat is being burned, the glycogen, glucose, and amino acids (blood sugars) are being reserved -- so blood sugar levels remain higher for longer. Low blood sugar = hunger; high glucose staves starving. This is why coffee is popular among students and think-tankers. The brain functions exclusively on glucose, and higher blood sugar levels facilitate thinking." (fitwise.com)
-Caffeine increases alertness and short-term memory.
-"Studies have shown that coffee may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Researchers at Harvard studied 120,000 people over an 18-year span and have found that drinking 1-3 cups of coffee each day can reduce the risk of diabetes by several percentage points, compared with not drinking coffee at all." (healingdaily.com)
-"At least 6 studies indicate that people who drink coffee on a regular basis have up to 80% lower risks of developing Parkinson's disease, with 3 of those studies indicating that the more coffee they drink, the lower the risk. Other studies indicate that, compared to not drinking coffee, drinking at least 2 cups per day can lead to a 25% lower risk of colon cancer, an 80% drop in the risk of liver cirrhosis, and nearly 50% the risk of gallstones." (healingdaily.com)
-Caffeine increases alertness and short term memory.
-Coffee is loaded with antioxidants. These are substances that protect your cells from molecules that can cause cell damage and some cancers from forming.
-Coffee has an antioxidant called quinine which can increase insulin sensitivity. This is a plus at reducing diabetes risks.
-Coffee contains a compound called trigonelle which serves the purpose of making coffee an anti-adhesive and antibacterial for cavaties.
-A little side not...The recommended amount of caffeine intake is no more than 300mg per day. Drink coffee instead of soda! Also, diet soda IS more harmful than regular soda!
The Cons:
-"A cup taken one hour before bed can be enough to trigger insomnia." (knet.com)
- Caffeine also has a diuretic effect which causes unwanted fluid loss along with loss of potassium and chloride.
-"Dr David Kerr of the Royal Bourmouth Hospital in England has been looking at the effects of coffee on mental alertness, and disputes some of the more positive findings. 'Within half an hour of drinking one or two cups, the flow of the blood to the brain is reduced by 10 to 20%,' he says. 'Combine that with the low blood sugar; either in diabetics or in those who haven't eaten for a while, and they can start having pulpitations, feelings of anxiety or blurred vision.'(knet.com)"
-You can become addicted to caffeine and withdrawal will cause headaches or sickness.
-Unwanted consequences of caffeine are: anxiousness, restlessness, dizziness, irritableness, being unable to concentrate, and GI (stomach) aches.
-Here is a list of other harmful things caffeine can cause but aren't researched enough yet to be 100% certain: "osteoporosis, birth defects, miscarraiges, infertility, cancers, high blood pressure, PMS increase, ulcers, heartburn, and heart disease." (http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/1485.html)

A little of my own research:
I drink a cup of coffee before dinner about twice a week and I've found that on the nights that I do drink coffee before I eat, I don't eat as much and don't have a want for midnight snacks. I found that on the nights that I didn't drink coffee, I ate like a cow and had the "munchies" a couple of hours later. This probably isn't true for every single person, it's just a suggestion so try it and see if it works for you.