Things You Didn't Know Caffeine Does To Your Body

Are you the type of person who needs to have their latte, cappuccino or macchiato in the morning? Do you need an energy drink to keep you alert during your work day? One thing these drinks all have in common is caffeine. Caffeine is a natural stimulant that is commonly found in coffee and energy drinks, but is also present in tea, cacao plants and some medications. It is recommended that caffeine intake not exceed 400 milligrams a day, according to Julia Zumpano, a dietitian from Cleveland Clinic. Depending on your tolerance for caffeine, you might not realize the effects it may be having on your body.

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant and binds to adenosine receptors in your central nervous system. Adenosine is what helps you feel drowsy when it's time to go to sleep. Caffeine can interact with the same brain receptors as adenosine and block the hormone, leading you to feel awake and alert.

Be mindful of how much caffeine you ingest because there is a study that shows it may interfere with calcium absorption. Because high consumption of caffeinated beverages have been linked to lower milk intake, it may lead to reduced bone mass and increase your risk of fractures. However, on its own, the negative effect of drinking caffiene is small enough to be fully offset by as little as a few tablespoons of milk. Make sure you take a look at recipes that use milk and try to incorporate them into your diet.

Due to its stimulatory effect on the nervous system, caffeine may temporarily elevate your blood pressure. Though small doses of caffeine aren't harmful, you still may want to be careful of your caffeine intake. But caffiene is far from the only foods and drinks putting your blood pressure through the roof.

There are some properties in caffeine that can relieve tension-type headaches, however, daily exposure to the chemical can cause your brain to develop tolerance to it. This could also lead to dependency on caffeine, and when those needs aren't met, you can experience headaches as a withdrawal syndrome. Not only are headaches a symptom of caffiene withdrawal, they are also one of the signs you don't drink enough water.

There are many foods that are great for weight loss. Caffeine is a natural stimulant that may boost your metabolism and reduce your appetite, lowering the number of calories you eat throughout the day and preventing weight gain. Caffeinated coffee also reduces levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin.

Women who are going through menopause may experience more sensitivity to caffeine. It can trigger anxiety and nervousness. Hot flashes are a known symptom of menopause and caffeine stimulates increased heart rate, which can enhance the body's temperature, increasing the hot flashes.

Caffeine may interfere with your sleep schedule. Because caffeine can interact with brain receptors that help you feel sleepy, people who experience signs of insomnia or have trouble sleeping should reduce their caffeine intake or cut it off by early afternoon to avoid sleep problems.