Coffee. Does it actually do anything?

[Parson]

she refuses to call any of the coffee water--I however argue that only half strength some of that has to count as water; anyway I'm not dehydrated.

This idea is often quoted as fact, and there is research to back it up. The research was done before the First World War and sample had (wait for it) 3 people in it. But it is now known that coffee counts toward hydration just as much as water does. Caffein does not alter that fact.

But I can tell you that it does stimulate me. About 10 years ago I spent 3 years without any coffee or soda, so my caffein input was very minor. Then I had a cup of caffeinated coffee and within 5 min I could feel my heart pounding and it felt like my eyelids were glued open. I drink coffee now. Generally not much more than a cup of caffeinated, and a varying amount of decaf. I always get a bit of a jolt from the regular coffee. It's particularly useful after lunch when my body starts thinking about a nap.

 

[Cthulhu.Science]

Is it all a Placebo? Here is a short list of some claimed coffee benefits - Personal results may vary.
2018.07.02 Coffee Drinkers Are More Likely To Live Longer. Decaf May Do The Trick, Too
2018.12.26 COFFEE AND ALCOHOL COULD HELP YOU LIVE PAST 90, STUDY SAYS
2021.04.20 People who drink 3-5 cups of coffee a day are more alert, have better memory
2021.03.23 Drinking strong coffee before an afternoon workout can increase fat-burning
2021.02.09 Drinking 3 cups of coffee daily slashes heart attack, stroke risk by a third — but don’t switch to decaf
2021.06.25 Drinking coffee of any type cuts risk for liver problems, study says
2021.08.10 Caffeine, the World’s Most Popular Psychoactive Drug
2021.10.29 Drinking coffee ‘helps to improve mood’ as days get shorter
2021.12.01 Caffeine’s Effects: That Morning Coffee Might Be Even More Helpful Than You Think
2022.10.31 Science Update: Caffeine consumption during pregnancy may lead to slightly shorter child height

 

[BAYLOR]

If coffee were to suddenly become scare , there would be a massive world wide caffeine withdrawal epidemic and complete chaos . It might even mean total collapse of global civilization in the form of a Md Max Apocalyptic scenario.

 

[nixie]

Wouldn't happen us level headed tea drinkers would take over.

 

[Wayne Mack]

 

[Alex The G and T]

I voted with the majority, back then, in agreement that drinking the same amount every day leads to a tolerance where no particular effects are felt.
I drink the same amount every morning, and seldom any later than 10:30 AM. I only get a noticeable buzz on the rare occasions when I have an extra cup or two.

Monday I had an even rarer occasion to abstain. My innards were getting their picture taken and I was prohibited from any food nor drink at all, whatsoever.

I can't say that I noticed any chemical deficiency...any delay in wakefulness; but I sorely missed the ritual. Browsing the morning newspaper and clicking through the accustomed internet venues seemed a hollower venture without the accompanying elbow bending and sipping of aromatic hot liquid.

And then things began to get much weirder. At 11 AM I had to start sipping on a Barium Frappe. Continually sipping on a liter of Pureed Yuck for more than two hours.

I was finally allowed to pose for my photo shoot at half past one. When that was over I was excreting something that hadn't changed appearance from one end to the other, and ravenously hungry; so I hied myself down to the nearest brewpub and ordered up a pint and a bacon burger with deep fried onion rings.

It's okay to drink Ale for breakfast if it's mid afternoon, isn't it?

This story only goes to illustrate the dangers of not having the morning coffee: Skip the coffee once and before you know it, you're drinking alcohol for breakfast. It's a slippery slope, cascading to utter depravity.

(And the results of the CT scan show my innards to be the picture of health. Sela.)

 

[Steve Harrison]

I once gave up coffee (habit of 2 - 3 cups per day) cold turkey (should that be cold Türkiye?) and had a headache for two weeks. I won't make that mistake again!

 

[mosaix]

Some interesting info.

The truth about caffeine: how coffee really affects our bodies

Every day, around the world, 2bn cups are consumed. But what actually happens after you swallow that first mouthful? Here is everything you need to know

www.theguardian.com

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I have always hated the flavor of coffee. I can't even stand coffee-flavored candies or mocha desserts. So I was never going to find out what sort of effect a cup of coffee might have on me, as even a sip would be too much.

And nowadays, I can't even drink (non-herbal) tea since it upsets my stomach.

 

[The Crawling Chaos]

In agreement with the majority (if I read correctly) that coffee drunk regularly stops having any noticeable effects. Emphasis on "noticeable"?

Anyway I didn't drink coffee for yeeeears. At the time I became interested in creative writing and started spending longer hours at the computer I read multiple interviews of one of my favorite artists who said coffee was basically his creative fuel. Mmm-kay? Even though I wasn't a coffee drinker I had nothing against it and liked the smell, so I decided to give it a go on the off chance it would make me a best-selling author and Oscar-winning screenwriter... and I fell in love with it. Being caffeine-deprived for so long, the buzz was instantaneous. I genuinely felt more creative, faster at typing and more focused. It lasted... maybe a week? I had to increase my intake to keep feeling anything past the two-week point. After that I just kept drinking it as part of my writing routine but I no longer felt any different.

I've since invested in a bean-to-cup machine and I drink at least 6 cups a day, four in the morning and two post-lunch. I don't care about their supposed health benefits and other magical properties, I just find them enjoyable and they allow me to take a break and spend a few minutes browsing stupid websites or reading the news before tuning back in.

Yes, I'm an addict. I could've done a lot worse though.

And funnily enough, I'm an addict who can go without his fix for weeks without problem. I don't feel sleepy or grouchy at all. When I'm away from home and there's no good coffee available, I'd rather not drink any.

Tea (as in "English" tea) is disgusting. Sorry, Brits. The only way to keep this down is if you add seven sugars and half a gallon of milk per cup. I like evening infusions though, especially camomile with a spoonful of lavender honey.

 

[Vladd67]

If coffee were to suddenly become scare , there would be a massive world wide caffeine withdrawal epidemic and complete chaos . It might even mean total collapse of global civilization in the form of a Md Max Apocalyptic scenario.

It has been said that one of the results of climate change is the reduction of land suitable for growing coffee by 50% by 2050.

 

[jd73]

Good coffee does actually perk me up, though I did at one point wonder if the whole thing was a scam to kick off a class war (and still think it might be, and I did wonder the same with food). But there are days when I absolutely struggle to function without a shot of liquid excitement - more so as I get older. Instant coffee though makes me jittery and actually more tired if I push past more than one cup. Mostly I just need proper sleep. Coffee doesn't have the best impact on the environment.

 

[jd73]

one of my favorite artists who said coffee was basically his creative fue

I overdid it on the caffeine once and then later tried to write. Nothing. All I could see was every single pixel of every single letter on the screen and nothing more.

 

[Vince W]

The only way to keep this down is if you add seven sugars and half a gallon of milk per cup.

So, you like builders tea. That's common enough.

 

[The Crawling Chaos]

So, you like builders tea. That's common enough.

I like sweet and veeery mildly flavoured warm milk

 

[Cloudy_Day]

I have a very low tolerance for caffeine, so coffee has a marked effect on me. Not necessarily a stimulant effect, more jittery and my heart feels like it's going to beat out of my chest. I usually go with water throughout the day.

 

[The Big Peat]

Caffeine - at least in non-bring the dead back to life doses - makes me sleepy or mellowed out. I spent a lot of my life utterly bewildered as to why people swore by it as their morning fix.

Then I discovered that's a fairly common report in people with ADHD and things made sense...

I have used a really strong level of caffeine before a workout with big effects though.

 

[LordOfWizards]

I got pretty bad with my coffee consumption at one point. Now it's still 2 or 3 cups, but I had to go from 1/2 a cup of grounds per cup down to a lot less. I was making espresso with my drip maker. At least I never got this bad: