Caffeine addict!

     Seems like every American needs their coffee!! According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the American Medical Association, an estimated intake of caffeine among Americans is said to be around 280mg/daily. While a 20%-30% of them consume far more than 600mg/daily. 600mg! 6 cups of coffee is a lot! I get intense energy by 200mg alone and feel like running into walls due to so much energy. Now those mg of caffeine is not ingested by coffee alone. It is a combination of coffee, tea, and soda; however, the drink of choice appears to be the coffee as it makes up 70% of the equation. 
     
     Now there are drawbacks to using caffeine on a daily basis. Anyone who has gone off of caffeine knows the effects that comes along with it: headaches and fatigue, just to name a few. It can become quite addicting, and the longer the addiction is fed, the more it will continue to become a problem. The best solution is to cut back every so often. So for example, if you drink about 600mg of caffeine daily, (including sodas and tea) then cut back 200mg for a week until you are at 100mg. Then from there, cut it out completely to lessen the effects of the withdrawal symptoms.


      Lots of people use caffeine as a energy enhancer, but it can also be a valuable tool in weight loss. Now compared to tea, caffeine had a higher rate of thermogenesis as well as a higher rate of fat oxidation. What does that mean? Well you are able to elevate your bodies metabolism by expending more calories at rest. Also more fat will be liberated from fat cells due to caffeine's affect on the bodies fat burning machinery. There are other various studies conducted that concluded caffeine has the opposite effect. This effect involves increasing the bodies stress hormones. Not an ideal environment in the body for fat burning purposes. Each person should take both cases and determine if caffeine is useful in their quest for weight loss.


     To drink it or not to drink it? That is a question that should be entirely based on you. If you love it for its energy craze or merely a tool for weight loss, then you really can't wrong with having a cup coffee for an energy boost. With its antioxidant content, energy enhancer, and weight loss support, it is no wonder caffeine is so addicting! Come to think of it, I need to head to Starbucks right now!