4. Caffeine
Caffeine is a natural stimulant, found in many different foods and drinks like coffee, tea, cocoa, and chocolate. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers caffeine to be both a drug and food additive, and it is likely to be the world’s most popular stimulant. According to the 2013 online survey conducted by the National Coffee Association, over 587 million cups of coffee are drunk per year in the US alone. But even though caffeine is a popular pick-me-up, there can be detrimental side effects.
Because caffeine is a stimulant, it speeds up the central nervous system, making the brain send and receive messages at a faster rate than usual. Excessive amounts can cause an increase in body temperature, high blood pressure, dizziness, headaches, heart palpitations, jitters, restlessness, and insomnia.
Caffeine can be found in many things, from soda beverages to prescription medication, and when ingested, it can cause the kidneys to become dehydrated, in turn making them work harder to pump out more fluids. Caffeine also stimulates blood flow, which places additional stress on the kidneys, and this can also increase blood pressure.
Though caffeine has many health benefits as well, such as weight loss, added alertness, higher brain function and better cognitive thinking, experts say around 200-300 milligrams of caffeine each day is enough. And when tracking your caffeine intake, keep in mind that it applies to all foods and drinks that include caffeine – not just coffee.
Read More: Less Than a Scoop of Pure Caffeine is Pretty Enough to Kill.