Nowadays, more and more people are falling in love with drinking coffee. Not feeling alert in the morning? Have a cup. Staying up late for overtime? Have a cup. Chatting happily with friends at a gathering? Have a cup. Some people love its mellow taste, some appreciate its energizing effect, and others believe it helps with weight loss and beauty... Coffee certainly has its benefits, but it's not suitable for everyone. Doctors have long reminded us that coffee consumption should vary from person to person and be done in moderation.
Drinking two cups of Americano in a row led to a racing heart, hand tremors, and a headache
A 28-year-old young woman, surnamed Feng, is preparing to open a coffee shop in Xiasha and is currently in the renovation stage. To open on the "auspicious day" of May 20th, she has been working day and night at the renovation site recently, urging the workers to speed up.
On last Thursday evening, furniture was delivered and needed to be assembled. Feng, along with her boyfriend and two renovation workers, worked through the night until 2 AM. To stay alert, Feng drank two large cups of Americano in one go.
At 4 AM that same night, Feng finally finished her work and lay down in bed. She tossed and turned, unable to sleep, and her heart also started pounding rapidly, preventing her from falling asleep.
Not long after, she started sweating all over, feeling a tightness in her chest and palpitations, and the discomfort grew worse. She wanted to get up to drink some water to soothe herself, but as soon as she sat up, her heart raced even faster. She also experienced symptoms like nausea, headache, and hand tremors. She rushed to the hospital's emergency room. After the examination, the doctor told Feng that her symptoms were caused by being overly tired combined with excessive coffee consumption.
Over-consuming coffee while in a sub-health state makes one especially prone to "trouble"
From the outpatient department of the Xiacha Street Community Health Service Center in Hangzhou, reporters learned that recently, patients who experienced heart palpitations and chest tightness from drinking coffee are not uncommon, and the majority are young women.
"Most patients who experience symptoms from drinking coffee are already in a sub-health state, such as fatigue. Consuming large amounts of coffee then stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, causing it to become over-excited," said Xue Han, a general practitioner at the Xiacha Street Community Health Service Center. "For most people, drinking one or two cups of coffee is fine. Coffee itself doesn't cause heart palpitations, but the caffeine in it can make a person's sympathetic nervous system more excited." Dr. Xue told reporters: "When this happens, it's actually a warning sign from your body, indicating that you are in a sub-health state. You could say it's a case of caffeine intolerance."
Looking up information, one can find that caffeine, the substance in coffee, is a xanthine alkaloid compound. It has the effect of stimulating the central nervous system, temporarily driving away drowsiness and restoring energy. When a large amount of coffee is consumed, too much caffeine accumulates in the body, leading to adverse reactions such as heart palpitations, dizziness, weakness, and a trance-like state.
Dr. Xue said: "Excessively busy, high-pressure, and stressful work continuously stimulates a person's sympathetic nervous system. If you are always in a high-stress state, the sympathetic nervous system will be over-excited for a long time, which can lead to an excessive burden on the heart, an increased heart rate, and even arrhythmia. Over time, if not adjusted in time, the heart can be damaged. Some patients with sudden cardiac death do so because of continuous late nights, emotional agitation, and a tense state, which triggers neurological dysfunction, coronary artery spasm, and sudden cardiac death due to ischemia."
Elderly people and those with a history of cardiovascular diseases should avoid drinking coffee
In this regard, doctors remind that if a person is in a very tired, sub-health state, they should put work aside and rest, otherwise more serious consequences like arrhythmia may occur. In addition, coffee and strong tea are not suitable for everyone. Pregnant and postpartum women, infants, and patients with cardiovascular diseases should not drink coffee. This is especially not recommended for patients with severe coronary artery disease, premature beats, arrhythmia, heart insufficiency, stomach problems, or digestive tract ulcers.
"Excessive coffee consumption can cause some people to have flushed faces, a racing heart, and their nervous system to be continuously stimulated, which can easily induce cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, and arrhythmia." Dr. Xue suggests that elderly people and those with a history of cardiovascular diseases should preferably avoid drinking coffee.
But what if some people really love coffee and really want to drink it?
Dr. Xue explained that not everyone will be like Feng. Some young people are already in a sub-health state. Staying up late for overtime and drinking excessive coffee to stay alert, combined with a high sensitivity to caffeine, means that even one cup can affect their sleep. Coupled with excessive fatigue, it triggers various adverse reactions. Because everyone's tolerance is different, doctors cannot give a specific maximum amount; they can only advise drinking less and controlling intake.
Furthermore, if you really have adverse reactions from drinking coffee, in addition to going to the hospital, you can also drink more plain water. Water can dilute the caffeine in the body and help it be excreted through the kidneys. For people with a history of heart disease, when they need to stay alert, it is more appropriate to drink tea of moderate concentration.