What about caffeine poisoning?

[dietitian online]

Relying on coffee to cheer you up when you are tired may be counterproductive

On April 17, actress Cao Ying posted on Weibo that she had just experienced the rest of her life. It turned out that she had palpitations and shortness of breath on the highway and nearly crashed. Finally, she insisted on getting off the highway and was sent to the hospital for emergency treatment. According to her, it is because drinking espresso refreshed after staying up late at work. The news also made caffeine poisoning a buzzword on the Internet. What is caffeine poisoning all about? Is it really effective to refresh yourself by drinking coffee when you are physically tired? We interviewed dietitian Yang Juan about this.

Q: what is caffeine poisoning?

A: caffeine poisoning is caused by excessive consumption of caffeine-containing drinks or the use of caffeine-containing drugs. Poisoning includes addiction and a range of physical and psychological side effects, such as nervousness, irritability, anxiety, tremors, muscle convulsions (hyperreflexia), insomnia and palpitations. Everyone has different sensitivity to caffeine, and people who have a slow metabolism of caffeine can show "caffeine poisoning" even if they drink a small amount of coffee, which is related to a gene in our bodies called PDSS2. People who carry the gene have slower caffeine metabolism, less tolerance and less coffee, drinking an average of one or more cups of coffee a day compared to others.

Q: in the case of physical fatigue, is it really effective to refresh yourself by drinking coffee?

Answer: physical fatigue may be counterproductive by relying on coffee to pick you up. Although caffeine is refreshing, it can only be maintained for a short time, and it will consume B vitamins related to nerve and muscle coordination in the body, while people who lack B vitamins are easier to get tired and are more likely to form a vicious circle to develop the habit of relying on coffee. More and more quantities are needed, but the effect is getting worse. In addition, the diuretic effect of caffeine will cause lack of water in the human body, and insufficient water in the body will also produce fatigue and drowsiness.

Q: what should we pay attention to when drinking coffee every day?

Answer: some special groups such as pregnant women, gastric ulcers, menstrual women, people who drink less water should not drink coffee, in addition, the right amount of caffeine can reduce muscle fatigue and promote digestive juice secretion. But eating too much can easily lead to addiction, insomnia, tension and elevated blood pressure. Therefore, coffee consumption mainly depends on intake, and it is generally believed that no more than 300 milligrams of caffeine per day is safe for most people. In other words, drinking about 4 cups of coffee is beneficial (about 150 milliliters per cup). Drinking 4 cups of coffee a day will have a negative impact on health.