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A microscopic view of caffeine crystals and why the world’s favorite stimulant is anything but harmless to the physiology of those who consume it.
Take a close look at the picture above.
Does this look friendly to you? Think with your gut – literally.
Is this something that you think your body would welcome if you consumed it frequently and in large quantities?
Do you think this would be health-promoting in any way?
Caffeine is a Plant Pesticide
Even without knowing a single thing about caffeine, it is abundantly clear by simply looking at this astonishing electron micrograph of caffeine crystals that this substance is very likely a toxin to the body. These insidious crystals are found in varying quantities in the leaves, seeds, and even the fruit of some plants and guess for what purpose?
To stun, paralyze, and even kill insects that feed on the plant for food.
In short, caffeine is a natural pesticide. It is certainly not on the toxic magnitude, of say, Monsanto’s Roundup, but it is a pesticide just the same.
If insects are instinctively smart enough to avoid plants containing caffeine to ensure their own survival, don’t you think you probably should avoid it too?
Caffeine Increases Stomach Acid Levels
Let’s think about what happens when you consume caffeine.
Caffeine increases stomach acid production. While this is not necessarily a bad thing if you just ate, it can cause problems over time if excessive stomach acid becomes a constant feature of your personal biochemistry.
Acid reflux (GERD) is one symptom of imbalanced stomach acid levels and Prilosec, the over the counter medication for this condition is one of the most popular drugs stolen by organized retail crime (ORC) rings – indirect but telling evidence of the widespread nature of reflux problems today.
Could the reflux epidemic be associated with all those Starbucks and Red Bulls folks are consuming? Remember the gal who recently put herself in the ER by drinking too many 5 Hour Energy Shots?
The high demand and dependence on PPI drugs (proton pump inhibitors) like Prilosec or a 24-hour drug like Nexium do not come without a heavy price!
Undesired weight gain is one of the associative side effects of long term treatment with PPI drugs as reported and published in the peer-reviewed World Journal of Gastroenterology.
Once on the purple pill for reflux, always on the purple pill. The outlook is bleak and a ballooning backside is on the horizon unless you take charge and make some changes – losing the caffeine being Job #1.
Caffeine Whacks the Adrenals
Even folks who are seriously health-conscious seem to have trouble shaking the caffeine habit which never ceases to surprise me.
Those who eat low carb, keto or paleo seem to have a particularly difficult time managing caffeine intake perhaps because caffeine stimulates the liver to release sugar into the bloodstream, in essence, a way to get carbs without actually eating them!
Don’t forget about the 5 Hour Energy Shot junkie who ended up in the ER. Let the lesson ring clear. Her liver started to shut down from all that caffeine because she was drinking about 10 of those suckers per day for 2 weeks straight!
I know several people on a first name basis who are not far behind that insane level of caffeine consumption and I’m sure you do too. Just because it doesn’t put you in the ER doesn’t mean it’s not hurting you badly.
One thing’s for sure. If your diet is making you so tired that you need caffeine to indirectly boost your blood sugar and artificially stimulate your adrenals, you’ve got a problem and the diet you’re following is clearly not optimal for you. Time to do some tweaking my health-conscious friends!
C’mon. You know a big plate of sprouted waffles would be totally, rockin’ AWESOME.
There’s no doubt a plate of sprouted waffles – YES – even every single morning would be a more healthful habit than that coffee addiction. Don’t fool yourself and rob Peter to pay Paul.
Frequent stimulation of the adrenal glands from caffeine eventually leads to adrenal exhaustion whether this be at age 20 or age 60. If you’ve been drinking coffee for years and think you are “just fine thank you”, think again. Feeling bone tired and not being able to get off the couch to do much of anything could be just around the corner as hormonal problems can strike suddenly and seemingly out of the blue (just ask any menopausal woman). It is the sleeping giant you best not ignore.
Other symptoms of adrenal exhaustion include lack of physical endurance and stamina, weight gain, reduced ability to handle stress, impairment of calcium absorption, and depression of immunity.
Probably most worrisome is the blood sugar issues caffeine exacerbates as mentioned earlier. Caffeine stimulates the liver to release stored sugars into the bloodstream which then has an effect on the body’s overall ability to regulate blood sugar levels.
The hormonal system requires such a delicate balance that caffeine’s negative effect on the adrenals can’t help but create hormonal challenges in the body over time. Dr. Bruce Rind MD, a holistic endocrinologist notes that the health of the thyroid gland and the adrenal glands are inextricably linked. If one goes south, the other one probably will too.
So the next time you reach for that cup of joe, chocolate bar, espresso, or energy drink, think about the picture above with all the spikes and points and imagine what this plant pesticide is really doing to your insides.
Ouch!
I had severe adrenal fatigue for years. I had coffee recently and it took me days to recover. It sent me into an episode of adrenal fatigue. When I drink coffee, my heart palpitates and I get an overdrive feeling inside that is so uncomfortable for me. I am very sensitive to caffeine and know I should not have it. Now, to break the dark chocolate habit….
By the way, Dr. Rind was my doctor for many years! He treated my adrenal/thyroid issues successfully.
Good luck for those trying to break the coffee habit!
By the way, I have never been a coffee drinker, just a cup a few times a year.
Regardless of what one thinks about caffeine, saying “Does this look friendly to you? Think with your gut — literally” undermines your credibility because it’s based on assumption, opinion, and emotion. Nothing else. Stick to the facts lest you stoop to the Big Pharma sheeple strategies. It’s the same as another statement that if the name is long, it must be bad. Yeah right. I enjoy your newsletter. Let’s keep it credible. By the way, the picture, to me is quite artistic as an abstract and could easily be presented as a sculpture. Stick to the facts.
Agreed, Kerry!!!
I’ll read this after I have my caffeinated beverage 😉
I agree that coffee is bad news. It is an artificial stimulant and it messes with your metabolism and appetite. Thank you Sarah for being brave and tackling this taboo issue, even in the health world!
@Victoria Althouse, thanks for the article on Green Tea. There are just as many publications on green tea promoting estrogen as there are discussing it’s “potential” benefits. There are beneficial properties in anything, especially when nutrients, etc.. are studied and viewed uni-dimensionally.
If you look at physiology, especially at the cell level, where everything happens and begins, you can develop a different understanding on how food, environment, etc..impacts our physiology, synergistically!
Every time I think I’ve quit coffee, I end up drinking it again! I’m on GAPS and I know I need to quit caffeine.
Do you think you could do a post on how to quit? (I know you said you never got into drinking coffee, but maybe you have some tips for those of us who can’t seem to shake it.)
Thank you for all of your blogging awesomeness.
I think the key is not to try and “quit”. I think the key is to learn to use it in moderation. Perhaps you could treat yourself to a cup of coffee on Sunday morning or after a dinner out (which I’m guessing would be occasional for most who eat healthy as cooking at home is the best way to eat on a regular basis).
I’ve never tried to stop eating chocolate as I do enjoy it. I just allow myself to eat it on a nonhabitual, nonfrequent basis.
Sarah, I only use raw cacao powder and make chocolate drinks (shakes, hot cocoa, etc). You can even add to coconut oil and make homemade candy with some stevia added.
I try not to use cacao everyday, but I do use it several times a week. Is this damaging?
Clicked through some links on your page to the article about your adrenal glands…
Wow. It’s like looking in a mirror at my very own sad reflection. I recently cut out my afternoon cup of coffee, and have started making my morning cup very weak. Even then, I don’t seem to finish more than 1/2 of the cup. Maybe my body is telling me something here.. 🙂
“Caffeine increases stomach acid production. While this is not necessarily a bad thing if you just ate, it can cause problems over time if excessive stomach acid becomes a constant feature of your personal biochemistry.
Acid reflux (GERD) is one symptom of imbalanced stomach acid levels and Prilosec, the over the counter medication for this condition is one of the most popular drugs….”
Since acid reflux is actually a symptom of lower stomach acid levels (from bacterial overgrowth, etc.), and not excessively high levels, coffee could actually help by increasing stomach acid like you say…
I’m surprised at the lack of research for this post.
I was one of those that kept drinking my coffee while my diet was otherwise very healthy. I finally stopped in February and I feel so much better without the coffee. I could not imagine going back to drinking coffee or use any other caffeine drinks..
Jo, thank you for sharing. Women especially need to watch that caffeine. We have so many assaults on our hormone health nowadays … caffeine is one of those that negatively affects us that we can easily control by eliminating it. An occasional cup of coffee if you just love it is certainly no problem, as it is the everyday habit/can’t function until I have my joe every am that is the problem.
The part of your article that people seem to not be talking about is the GERD or reflux epidemic that is affecting this population. I drink coffee, but in moderation, and listen to my body when I do- and don’t drink it from sources that I don’t know and trust (ie: no Starbucks!).
I see so many people in my daily work as a nurse, even as young as teenagers with GERD- probably all because of their consumption of those horrible energy drinks that are readily available in school vending machines. But also, adults hooked on sodas and coffee. It’s pretty amazing to listen to people constantly clearing their throats which is an indicator of untreated GERD. The amount of patients I have who take acid blockers seem overwhelming! If the way to health is through the gut, and they are blocking the body’s ability to function normally, what will happen as people get older? I am truly frightened of the the health conditions I am seeing, that I believe are a result of the horrible diet people consume out there, including too much coffee, soda, and energy drinks. And while I may be bit obsessive about my own diet, I am proud to say at the age of 47, I’ve never had one bout of reflux!
Tina, I hear your sentiments echoed by other nurses who have knowledge of the impact of food on health and who see the staggering levels of health problems mounting all the time.