The wrong amount of coffee could kill you

poledriver

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The wrong amount of coffee could kill you

DRINKING five coffees a day – even when decaffeinated – has been linked to obesity and chronic disease by WA researchers.

It is the first study in the world to look at higher doses of coffee, rather than the equivalent of one or two cups, and it found that five coffees doubled the fat around organs in the abdomen - a type of fat that causes deadly conditions.

A compound in coffee known as Chlorogenic Acid (CGA) was thought to have health benefits, such as preventing diabetes, but a new study has found too much may cause a build up of fat and other problems.

Researchers from the WA Institute for Medical Research and the University of Western Australia were hoping to prove the cardiovascular benefits of coffee, but instead discovered it can worsen obesity and its related diseases.

The researchers found that mice given an equivalent dose of five cups of coffee for a human developed twice the amount of visceral fat - the most dangerous form of fat that collects around the organs in the abdomen.

University of WA professor Kevin Croft said that previous studies had only tested small amounts of coffee equivalent to one cup of coffee a day.

“Studies have shown that coffee consumption lowers the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes,” Prof Croft said.

“With this in mind, we studied the effects of CGAs, which are very rich in coffee but also found in tea and some fruits including plums.

“The CGAs were previously known for their health benefits - increasing insulin sensitivity and reducing blood pressure and body fat accumulation,” he said.

But the study proved the opposite when dosages given to mice were equivalent to five cups of coffee for a human per day, said WAIMR Assistant Professor Vance Matthews.

“We found that the equivalent of five cups of coffee a day had a tendency to increase weight gain, particularly in regards to visceral fat,” Prof Matthews said.

“There was also increasing insulin resistance (which can lead to diabetes) and glucose intolerance in mice having high levels of CGA.”

Prof Matthews also warned people against weight loss products containing green coffee beans, which could have high levels of CGA and thus cause weight gain.

“When you have lower doses of CGA there is promotion of beneficial pathways that can break down fat, but with high levels you actually have pathways that are disregulated and you start seeing bad effects,” Prof Matthews said.

“The real message is that we need to have coffee in moderation.”

And Prof Matthews said even people who don’t look fat could have dangerous amounts of fat around their abdominal organs, which causes diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other health problems.

“There’s a lot of people who look quite lean but they have accumulation of fat in certain cells around the organs and in the liver,” Prof Matthews said. “This could be worsened by drinking too much coffee.”

“It seems that the health effects are dose-dependent. A moderate intake of coffee, up to three to four cups a day still seems to decrease the risk of developing diseases such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes,” he said.

Read more: http://www.perthnow.com.au/national...at/story-fnii5thn-1226650453552#ixzz2UL0ldFPB
 
I thought that this article would be about overdosing on coffee and actually dying, not just becoming less healthy.
5 cups of coffee = 1250 ml, and a Starfucks trenta is 31 oz = 916 ml, so even that one drink could be too much and be doing damage.

“It seems that the health effects are dose-dependent."
Wow, Doc, thanks for that tidbit of wisdom! :\
The health effects of EVERYTHING IN THE UNIVERSE are dose-dependent. Too much water, or not enough can kill you. Same with salt.
Not enough hot dogs won't kill you, but too many certainly will.

“The real message is that we need to have coffee in moderation.”
All things in moderation. This message is at least 2500 years old, as the Buddha taught it in his time.
 
Terrible headline. I think some readers will stop reading this piece when they realize that.

What's wrong with, "Too much coffee may lead to belly fat"? That's supported by the article and far more surprising than the current headline.

BTW I was taught in Anatomy class that adult diabetes is directly caused by abdominal fat. I don't remember why.

I reiterate my suggestion that amphetamine should be over-the-counter. This article presents yet another reason for that.
 
A compound in coffee known as Chlorogenic Acid (CGA) was thought to have health benefits, such as preventing diabetes, but a new study has found too much may cause a build up of fat and other problems.

Oh interesting.

I don't drink coffee, won't be starting again any time soon.
 
Coffee is something I really struggle with.
If I haven't had coffee in a while, I really enjoy the stimulation, and it can give a mental boost, and lead to an increase in productivity for a few hours.
Then I end up feeling a little strung out on the comedown and have mild caffeine-allergy symptoms.
Usually repeat the next few days & = less boost/more side effects, anxiety, possible adrenal exhaustion.
Then I swear it off, and repeat the cycle in a few days lol.

guess i'm a little sensitive to caffeine and shouldn't partake.
 
coffee is what it is.

it's primarily a caffeine delivery system.

Anyone who is too positive about the health benefits is probably a coffee-lover or a scientist paid for by the lobby.
Most of the so called benefits of being a regular drinker can be addressed in healthier ways. (example- Type 2 diabetes --> diet/exercise).
 
Generally I think its wise to view any "groundbreaking study" that makes some sort of determination on the health effects of one thing or another with skepticism.

Im not sure who funded this research and I dont care to do the research to find out, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was somehow connected to an interest group that would benefit from coffee consumption going down. There are plenty of studies that have "definitively proven" that tons of coffee is good for you.

Just do everything in moderation and you'll be fine.
 
Coffee is something I really struggle with.
If I haven't had coffee in a while, I really enjoy the stimulation, and it can give a mental boost, and lead to an increase in productivity for a few hours.
Then I end up feeling a little strung out on the comedown and have mild caffeine-allergy symptoms.
Usually repeat the next few days & = less boost/more side effects, anxiety, possible adrenal exhaustion.
Then I swear it off, and repeat the cycle in a few days lol.

guess i'm a little sensitive to caffeine and shouldn't partake.

Same story with me. It takes me ages to quit once I am hooked, and the hours of pleasure and energy I derived from drinking the coffee is certainly overshadowed by the hours of lethargy I experience from quitting.

Only difference is that I don't have a caffeine allergy. What are the symptoms like?
 
I'm addicted to caffeine/coffee :(. Alcohol, tobacco and caffeine are my only addictions these days, the easy to get drugs. If pot were legal or cheap here, or I could grow it legally I'd probably use that alot as well like I used to ages ago. I used to use speed, lsd, mda/mdma alot for 10-15 yrs or so when I was a raver, and I still use them every now and then (not speed tho) but I can go 6 months or more with having some stashed and not using it.
 
Well, that's it, I'm screwed... 8(

I'm thin but I probably got tons of fat sitting on my heart and other organs!

I too drink a lot of coffee, I'm always tired (partly due to medical condition-partly due to too much to do, not enough time). And its even worse when I don't have my drug of choice. Except when I'm withdrawing, then I can't touch the stuff nor anything else for that matter (food or drink).

So see, the drug that ends up killing me will be a perfectly legal one that's not even on the list of ones that will kill you.
 
That kind of fat is healthy. It's only abdominal fat that causes diabetes and such. I think.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visceral_fat#Abdominal_fat

Actually visceral fat refers to any type of fat that that is around your internal organs as opposed to subcutaneous fat which is fat that deposits under the skin, the kind of fat people have when they complain about, well, being fat.

But yes, "belly fat" is considered more dangerous specifically. If you gain fat and it shows around your middle you are at higher risk for heart disease and such. You can also have excess visceral fat that doesn't show as it stated in the original posters article:

"There's a lot of people who look quite lean but they have accumulation of fat in certain cells around the organs and in the liver," Prof Matthews said. "This could be worsened by drinking too much coffee".

Anyways, I was just referring to internal fat/visceral fat which is the kind that is bad for you as opposed to subcutaneous fat. You are correct that abdominal fat is the worse kind, but any visceral fat buildup is bad (worse) than the kind that actually can make you look fat. You can have lots of it internally and not even look heavy!

Not trying to be smartass just wanted others to be aware ANY type of visceral fat is bad!

But thanks for trying to make me feel better bout it! ;)
 
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Same story with me. It takes me ages to quit once I am hooked, and the hours of pleasure and energy I derived from drinking the coffee is certainly overshadowed by the hours of lethargy I experience from quitting.

Only difference is that I don't have a caffeine allergy. What are the symptoms like?

TBH i have a feeling that many of the symptoms of "caffeine allergy" are probably more just side-effects than allergy.

some i personally experience after over-indulging with coffee = anxiety, heart palpitations, mild vision strain, and just a general feeling of malaise.


random list from google: http://www.energyfiend.com/caffeine-allergy-top-20-symptoms
 
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