Drinking coffee every day allows the body to gradually absorb caffeine, ultimately leading to caffeine poisoning. What a recipe for disaster! In fact, many foods and beverages contain caffeine, including tea, coffee beans, cocoa beans, and products made from them such as coffee, green tea, black tea, chocolate, and cocoa drinks. Caffeine is also found in some medications and food additives.
Drinking coffee doesn't necessarily lead to caffeine poisoning, but drinking it daily significantly increases the risk. For healthy individuals, a total daily caffeine intake of under 250mg is not harmful to health. Moderate intake of caffeinated beverages can relieve fatigue and stimulate the nervous system. However, if you consume an excessive amount of caffeine, its energizing effects are negated, replaced by symptoms like a racing heart, mental confusion, an unsteady gait, which in turn affects sleep and irritates the stomach.
Furthermore, taking caffeine with traditional Chinese medicine can have a synergistic effect. For instance, Chinese herbs like ephedra contain ephedrine. When this ingredient and caffeine are consumed together, their effects are multiplied, causing symptoms such as increased blood pressure, a rapid heartbeat, and palpitations. Therefore, when taking medications containing ephedrine, it is necessary to control the intake of caffeinated beverages to avoid discomfort.
Coffee has a rich and mellow aroma. For the general public, we advise against drinking it daily or in large quantities. However, there are a few groups of people who should be absolutely "insulated" from coffee. Which groups should avoid caffeine?
The first group: Pregnant women
Pregnant women are not suited to drinking coffee because a large intake of caffeine can cause nausea, vomiting, headaches, and an increased heart rate. Moreover, caffeine can cross the placenta and affect the fetus's development. Although some experts believe that drinking one or two cups of coffee a day will not seriously harm the fetus, for the sake of caution, it is still recommended that pregnant women avoid foods containing caffeine.
The second group: Patients with stomach ulcers
A stomach ulcer is caused by excessive gastric acid damaging the gastric mucosa. Since caffeine further stimulates gastric acid secretion, people with stomach ulcers should avoid caffeine to prevent excessive acid production and worsening of their condition.
The third group: Women during their menstrual period
For some women, consuming irritating foods during their period can worsen menstrual cramps, and caffeine is one such irritant. To be on the safe side, it's best to avoid it during this "special time" and not harm your body for the sake of a momentary taste.
The fourth group: People who drink little water
Caffeine has a diuretic effect, and excessive intake can easily lead to dehydration in the body. In principle, individuals who consume caffeine should drink more water to maintain normal body fluid concentration and support normal metabolism. Therefore, it is better for those who drink little water to avoid caffeine intake.