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Health Benefits of Coffee

Sipping on coffee throughout the day has helped people maintain their energy levels and prevent grogginess. It's also considered to be one of the best ways to get rid of that "sleepy" feeling when you first wake up. One thing to be aware of is not to add too much sugar due to the possibility of developing a "sugar high" and then crashing.

The other one of the benefits of coffee is it helps many people think clearer. It's easy to focus on everyday tasks and complete them when the thinking capabilities are sharp.

All these may be due to the caffeine content. Caffeine provides stimulant to the central nervous system. Other than caffeine, coffee contains certain proteins and amino acids, choline, folate, niacin, vitamin K, pantothenic acid, riboflavin and traces of minerals.

Besides the obvious benefits, there is another revelation that many individuals will find extremely surprising. And this is the relation between coffee and the treatment and possible prevention of Alzheimer's disease. The University of South Florida researchers at the Florida Alzheimer's Disease Research Center reported that memory impairment can be reversed with the intake of caffeine. In the researches and studies, it showed that caffeine decreased the abnormal levels of the protein linked to Alzheimer's disease.

This condition is not something that people can simply go to the doctor and get medication for. They can take medicine, but it does not help that much. Alzheimer's is considered a progressive and irreversible disease. Regular everyday activities are almost impossible to perform when one is suffering from this condition. Studies have shown that drinking coffee lowers the levels of beta amyloid, which is an amino acid, found in high levels in people suffering from Alzheimer's.

Right now, it is believed that the health benefits of coffee may potentially prevent the disease from taking place. It has also been suggested that drinking coffee might be an effective treatment for Alzheimer's because it directly affects memory in a positive way. However, to receive the full benefit, caffeinated coffee must be consumed.

While the benefits of drinking coffee are abundant, the side effects are also present and can be very disastrous. It is not recommended to exceed 5 to 6 cups of caffeinated coffee per day. Although rare, there is always the possibility of a caffeine overdose.

Consuming too much caffeine can create nervousness, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, high blood pressure, and it can also interfere with sleep patterns. Other side effects include migraine and/or tension headaches. People who normally suffer from anxiety and panic attacks are not recommended to consume high levels of caffeine due to the possibility of it worsening their current condition.

Overall, drinking coffee is considered save as long as too much isn't consumed. Although some people may disagree, the health benefits of coffee outweigh the risks. It's recommended that everyone drink at least 1 to 2 cups per day for maximum mental performance. Drinking the recommended daily amount now can potentially prevent future disasters from occurring and obviously, help the day go by a lot smoother.