By Previnex®
Caffeine: the thing America runs on. Oh wait, that’s Dunkin’. You get our point. We like our coffee strong, our brains alert, and our energy high. But there are actually a lot of nuances when it comes to caffeine, and there are things you thought were true about it, but they’re not. So here are five caffeine myths (and the truth about them):
Myth #1: Coffee Has Less Caffeine Than Energy Drinks
Contrary to popular belief, energy drinks like Red Bull and Monster have less caffeine than one cup of coffee. For example, Monster only has 86 mg of caffeine and Red Bulls have 111 mg. One 12-ounce cup of coffee, however, has 136 mg of caffeine. Not to mention, energy drinks are chock-full of nasty chemicals. So if you’re really looking for a jolt, go for a cup of black coffee instead!
Myth #2: Caffeine Causes Dehydration
The largest misconception with this is that people believe coffee itself causes dehydration. However, it’s actually the fact that coffee is a mild diuretic that may lead to dehydration since it can cause our kidneys to flush excess water and salt. Even still, when we drink coffee we’re still intaking more fluid than we’re letting go of—so coffee itself does not cause dehydration. But regardless of what you drink throughout the day, make sure you’re drinking lots of water to keep your body replenished and hydrated.
Myth #3: Caffeine is Unhealthy
In reality, coffee has quite a few health benefits! Studies have shown a link between coffee intake and lower risk of Alzheimers and Parkinsons diseases, as well as decreased risk of Type 2 Diabetes. Additionally, coffee and tea are both high in antioxidants, which have a wide range of benefits. (And as a bonus: you can still get the antioxidants even if you drink decaf).
Myth #4: Coffee Can Help You Sober Up
It’s the age-old movie remedy: get drunk and drink a ton of black coffee to help you sober up. However, drinking coffee actually does not reverse the effects of alcohol, no matter how much you chug. The only way to truly sober up is to give enough time for the alcohol to leave your system. This myth most likely came about, however, because drinking coffee can help fight the sedating effect of alcohol. Even still, don’t drink alcohol, chug a bunch of coffee, and think you’re sober enough to get behind the wheel. It’ll just give you a jolt of energy—so you’ll be energetically wasted, but not sober.
Myth #5: Caffeine is Addictive
You can’t be addicted to caffeine in the traditional sense of the word, but you can be dependent on it. Over time, your body will continually increase its tolerance for caffeine, so you’ll need more to get the effects. Caffeine also gives your brain a hit of dopamine—happy chemicals—but the level is small enough that it does not cause an addiction. It’s not like meth or ecstacy, where it actually recircuits your brain. If you’ve become too dependent on it, you can experience withdrawal symptoms such as headaches or fatigue, but nothing compared to withdrawing from an actual drug or illegal substance.
Get Your Jolt
So basically, drinking caffeine won’t kill you, it doesn’t dehydrate you, and you’re not addicted to it. Having coffee won’t cause you to never sleep again, and your health will not be ruined by consuming caffeine. So if you’re working, you didn’t sleep well, and you need a little jolt to concentrate, it’s okay to have a cup of coffee. We’d recommend avoiding the chemicals in energy drinks, but caffeine will most likely not cause you any long-term harm. So get your jolt and get after it!
