(audio test tone sounds) – Caffeine: is it secretly
good for your health? Can it stunt your growth,
or worse yet, kill you? Today we are breaking
down eight shocking myths about caffeine that might
just change your life. Thank you so much to Lifeboost Coffee for sponsoring this video. Number one caffeine myth:
caffeine can kill you? Don't freak out about what
I'm about to tell you, but yes, technically this is true. It can. It can affect your body if you consume way too much of it. That's why it's important
that you know the difference between a healthy amount
and how much is too much. The US Food and Drug
Administration considers up to 400 milligrams, a
safe amount of caffeine for healthy adults to consume daily. That's equivalent to
about four cups of coffee, or 10 cans of soda, or two energy shot types
of drinks in a day. But please keep in mind
different products out there have different amounts of caffeine and other added ingredients
like loads of sugar.
The limit and health impact can really vary from product to product. Back to the question at hand. Could too much caffeine kill someone? In rare instances when
caffeine is consumed in very high doses, at say
excess of five grams in adults, yes, it could be lethal. Higher levels of caffeine consumption is usually found more with
products like powdered caffeine or caffeine pills like
with weight loss pills.
In a concentrated potent product
the dangers increase a lot. For instance some concentrated
products out there contain the same amount of caffeine as 20 to 30 regular coffees. So please be safe. Don't
go buck wild on it. And know what ingredients are in the type of products you are consuming. Myth number two: it stunts your growth. We've all heard this
one, but it's not true. Where did the rumor start? Decades ago, some research studies found the association between
high caffeine intake and reduced calcium
absorption in the body.
We all know that calcium is
good for bone density in health so the thought was that any
lack of calcium in the body could be contributing
factors to osteoporosis. Here's the issue with this. The studies also concluded that reduction in calcium absorption associated with caffeine
intake was very little and the calcium loss could even be offset by adding one to two tablespoons of milk to your cup of coffee that you drink.
So flat out saying, "Caffeine
stunts your growth," is a bit of a stretch. Speaking of stunting your growth, myth number three: caffeine
causing erectile dysfunction? – Penile softie-osis. – I'm happy to report,
this one is also false. Caffeine has many effects on the body. It gives you a burst of energy, – (high speed voice repeats
frantically) Awesome, awesome! – that can be great for
athletic performance but it can also narrow blood
vessels throughout the body. So with less room for blood to flow it can temporarily raise
blood pressure a bit which is a reason why
researchers initially suspected that there could be a potential link between caffeine and erectile dysfunction.
But according to one study caffeine intake is actually linked to reduced odds of having
erectile dysfunction in men who drink the equivalent of two to three cups of coffee per day. Next myth up: caffeine can make you live longer. What?! Dr. Wagner, didn't you just say that too much caffeine
could possibly kill me? Here's the deal. Caffeine by way of coffee can actually be very
beneficial to your health. Besides feeling more alert
and giving one energy, (sped-up voice repeats indistinct phrase) drinking coffee has been linked to lowering the risk of all
sorts of health problems: diseases like Parkinson's disease liver disease, type II diabetes, and dementia, are just the beginning.
For instance, one
scientific study revealed that drinking three to five
cups per day was associated with a decreased risk of
dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Other evidence suggests
that normal consumption of caffeine can reduce the risk
of colorectal cancer by 26%. I can go on and on about
all sorts of health benefits from caffeine, and caffeine
related products like coffee, especially one of my favorite
coffee brands, Lifeboost. I actually drink this coffee in my house for a number of reasons. It's low acid for starters. Studies say low acid coffees potentially have higher
levels of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Plus they do a ton of third party testing for microtoxins, heavy metals, pesticides, and 450 plus other chemicals,
including glyphosate which is an herbicide that other coffee plantations
often use to control weeds. They pride themselves on being the healthiest
coffee on the planet. I made Lifeboost give me an exclusive 50% off deal for you guys. So check it out. The link's down below in the description. Let me know what you think. All right. Caffeine sobers you up. Ah, no, not exactly.
We all know that alcohol can have
sedative effects on the body. In other words, in addition
to making one impaired it can also make a person feel sleepy and it usually hits a
person two to six hours after alcohol consumption. Here's where the myth comes into play. One would think that because
caffeine does the opposite of alcohol, or in general
makes people more alert, it could kind of counteract the buzz but it's just not the case.
Although it might make a person
feel a little bit more alert after a night-long chug
fest, it unfortunately cannot remove the feelings
or state of drunkenness or cognitive deficits
that alcohol can cause. The reason is we have to
metabolize the alcohol we drink in order to diminish its effects. The body processes it in several ways but it's mostly broken down in the liver and eventually excreted. Caffeine's good for asthma? This one is in fact, true. Caffeine does appear to
improve airway function for up to four hours in people with asthma after consumption. In fact, it is a weak bronchodilator and it also reduces
respiratory muscle fatigue. And caffeine is also chemically related to the prescription drug Theophylline which has been used over the
years for treating wheezing, shortness of breath,
asthma, chronic bronchitis, and other lung diseases. Now is this a substitute for
your quick-relief inhaler or other asthma action plan
prescribed by your doctor? No.
If not treated properly asthma attacks could be life threatening, but caffeine has been suggested to have some protective
effects against asthma and reduce asthma symptoms. For instance, in a study out of Korea their findings show that
caffeinated coffee consumption lowered the frequency of asthma. Number seven caffeine
myth:caffeine causes insomnia. Eh? Not usually, but it
could disrupt your sleep. It really all comes down to
your body's sensitivity to it. Like for instance, one factor
could be your metabolism, or how much fiber you have, or how frequently you
consume coffee or caffeine. Processed mainly through the liver, some caffeine can stick around in the body for several hours, but for most people, a cup of coffee or two in the morning won't interfere with your sleep at night. Your sensitivity may vary though. People who are more sensitive may not only experience insomnia-like effects but also have caffeine side effects of, say nervousness or
gastrointestinal upset, et cetera. And women who take birth
control pills may keep caffeine in their system for up
to four hours longer than compared to those
who are not on the pill.
So, the moral the story here? If your body is sensitive or
impacted by caffeine's effects try not to consume any caffeine products at least six hours before going to bed. Last myth: caffeine can provide
relief for a headache. This is a caffeine truth during a headache blood vessels swell or go through other changes causing more blood flow around the brain. Now this increase of
blood to the brain area puts pressure on surrounding nerves which sends pain messages to your brain, AKA, what you experience as the headache. Caffeine has vasoconstrictive properties, meaning it could actually cause your blood vessels to
narrow, restricting blood flow which might relieve a little bit of that pain that you're
experiencing from your headache. Caffeine taken with other common headache medications could also
increase the absorption and strengthen the medication
to provide even faster relief. Keep in mind also that consuming too much
caffeine can trigger headaches and caffeine withdrawal can sometimes also have the same blood vessel
enlarging type qualities and trigger a headache as well. Adjusting to the right amount of caffeine in your system is key here. All right, bottom line:
caffeine seems to have a lot of potential health benefits.
So as long as you aren't going beyond the recommended daily amount. Use common sense and moderation and let me know if you want me to debunk
more caffeine myths. Also please make sure you subscribe and turn your bell notifications on. Thank you so much for watching and stay healthy my friends. (audio test tone beeps) (peppy music plays)
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