Coffee is the backbone of the American workforce, fueling over 100 million people every week.
Seven out of ten Americans are addicted to the drug, and many of them could not live without it. Yet, most of us rarely think about when we drink it, instead reaching for the drink as a refreshment when we feel tired.
But studies show that there is a science to how and when we should take the stimulant.
Most drink their first cup of joe within minutes of waking up or as soon as they get to their desk. But the best time to drink coffee for most people is actually between 9.30am and 11am.
Studies show that cortisol levels – the main stress hormone – are high when we wake up, and that drinking coffee that early raises them even more, putting us at risk of feeling unnecessarily nervous.
Former US President George W. Bush drank about 10 glasses to get him through the day, while Virgin tycoon Richard Branson once said he would drink twenty glasses.
Many people know that this is already too much, but according to a recent study involving 500,000 people, three glasses seems to be the sweet spot for getting the best benefits.
Another study from 2015 showed that consuming five cups was optimal for a longer life, while one from March this year suggested that two cups was best. Somewhere in the middle is probably best for reaping the rewards.
Multiple studies have shown that coffee enhances exercise, with effects so strong that high doses of caffeine were previously banned from all sporting events, including the Olympics. The drink is now under surveillance.
But drinking coffee daily leads to tolerance, with people now missing out on the benefits of coffee. To counteract this, some suggest going “cold turkey” for one week a month.
Above is a graph from a 2009 article about how cortisol levels change throughout the day. Cortisol is the stress and anxiety chemical in the body that helps us wake up when it comes to high levels. As the release of the hormone is also triggered by caffeine, many experts recommend drinking coffee only when levels are lower – for example between 9.30am and 11am
First cup from 9.30am
Many people reach for coffee as soon as they get out of bed or the moment they walk into the office.
But experts recommend delaying that morning joe until 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. to reap the best energizing benefits and avoid jitters.
In the early morning, levels of cortisol—the main stress hormone—are highest to induce awakening, and then gradually decline throughout the day.
The caffeine in coffee causes more of this hormone to be released, making people feel more awake and alert.
But drinking it when levels are already high can cause stress and anxiety, and it also doesn’t stop it from falling later by limiting coffee’s energizing effects.
Just HALF a cup of coffee a day during pregnancy can take almost a centimeter off a child’s height
Drinking just half a cup of coffee a day during pregnancy can reduce a child’s height by almost a centimeter, an official study showed last month.
Juveniles born to women who consumed 50 mg of caffeine each day were 2 cm (0.8 in) shorter than their peers by age eight.
The finding remained even after adjusting for other factors that affect a child’s height — including their mother’s age, smoking status and income.
Researchers say the results — based on an analysis of 2,500 boys and girls in the U.S. — suggest expectant mothers should avoid coffee altogether.
Current US guidelines recommend that pregnant women limit their daily intake to about 200 mg. The average 8-ounce cup of coffee contains about 100 mg of caffeine.
Caffeine is thought to constrict blood vessels in the womb and placenta, which can reduce blood supply to the fetus and slow growth.
The study is the first of its kind to use blood tests to measure caffeine intake by pregnant women, rather than studies that are less reliable.
The results are published in the journal JAMA Network Open.
Studies dating back to 2009 show that cortisol levels are highest in the morning and fall throughout the day, with two major dips between 9.30am and 11am and 1pm to 5pm.
Amanda Mossere, a sports nutritionist in Florida, previously told the health website Well and Good: “Although there hasn’t been a lot of research in humans on the interaction between coffee, cortisol and the circadian rhythm, we know enough about each individually to suggest , that it’s a good idea to wait a bit before drinking your first cup of coffee in the morning.
She added: “While helpful for ‘waking up’, elevated cortisol levels also appear to be harmful during times of stress.
“So if you combine already elevated cortisol with an extra spike from coffee, you create an unnecessary stress response in the body.
“This response will be mitigated if you wait an hour or so before enjoying your morning cup of joe.”
Another 2011 paper suggests that drinking coffee early in the morning can also alter the body’s hormonal system.
Instead of releasing cortisol early, the body relies on caffeine to trigger the release – leading to addiction.
Addiction to coffee can cause migraines and fatigue.
About 30 minutes before training
Mountains of research show that caffeine is a powerful workout supplement that can help you lift heavier weights and run farther and faster.
But what is the best time to consume coffee before going to the gym?
A review of dozens of studies by the US-based International Society of Nutrition found that athletes will reap the most benefits if they drink coffee 30 minutes to an hour before starting a workout.
Numerous smaller papers have also found a link between pre-workout caffeine intake and improved performance.
A 2020 paper that tested caffeine consumption two hours, one hour and 30 minutes before starting exercise. A limit of one hour and 30 minutes was found to produce the best performance.
Another from 2016 involving seven cyclists found that those who drank coffee before exercise were able to last 12% longer than those who did not.
In a third small-scale study, twelve participants who did five consecutive sets of bench presses found that those who consumed caffeine had significantly improved strength and power, a 2020 study found.
Caffeine enhances exercise by increasing levels of adrenaline, the body’s fight-or-flight hormone.
Studies show that the drug also stimulates more nerves and can increase muscle temperature, improving exercise performance.
The diet drug is turning people away from their favorite drink…including coffee
Revolutionary weight loss drug Wegovy makes users hate the taste of their favorite treats.
Americans prescribed the once-a-week injection say they have a sudden aversion to coffee and some candy and fast food.
Wegovy and its related drug Ozempic, which use the active drug semaglutide, work by replicating hormones that tell the brain it’s full.
These hormones are meant to make a person feel full and reduce appetite. But for people like Stacey Rice, 40, of Georgia, they’ve ruined some of life’s simple pleasures.
Ms. Rice drank coffee every day since seventh grade before using Wegovy to lose 50 pounds in six months. Now she can’t hold a glass down.
She told Insider that two of her past favorite treats, a fried chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-A bars and a Kit-Kat, have also become off-putting to her.
Kate Morris, a TikToker with over 6,000 followers, said she can no longer eat a full plate of food and only wants a smoothie after using the drug.
Reddit users on a forum dedicated to discussing the drug also complained that they could no longer eat their favorite snacks, with one even saying that every food now tasted “yum”.
Experts say these taste distortions occur because the drug alters the brain’s ability to recognize what goes into a person’s mouth — causing a taste disorder called dysgeusia.
The condition makes certain foods and drinks seem sweet, sour, bitter or metallic.
Wegovy has become a highly sought-after drug since it first became available in the US last year. It has shown the ability to reduce a person’s body weight by about 15 percent in 68 weeks in clinical trials.
Famous users include Elon Musk, who credited Wegovy with his body transformation on Twitter. Kim Kardashian is also rumored to have used the injections.
Three glasses a day is best
People should drink about three cups of coffee a day to live longer and avoid strokes and heart attacks, major studies suggest.
A 2022 report involving 500,000 Britons aged around 56 found that many glasses was associated with a 12% lower risk of death, a 17% reduction in heart disease and a 21% lower risk of stroke.
By comparison, people who didn’t drink coffee or drank more than three cups a day didn’t reap the same benefits, the researchers said.
Several other studies also suggest this link, including a 2021 paper presented at the European Society of Cardiology congress.
But a 2015 UK government-backed paper found that drinking five cups of coffee a day helped people live longer. Another from March this year suggests that just two cups of coffee a day are needed to reduce the risk of heart disease and early death.
There is no cast-iron consensus on how much coffee to drink per day, but exceeding five cups can lead to insomnia, headaches, dizziness and anxiety.
At the other end of the scale, drinking too little can deprive people of the touted health benefits.
Scientists claim that coffee helps people live longer and avoid heart problems because of the antioxidants contained in the drink.
They reduce inflammation, boost metabolism, block receptors that can cause irregular heartbeats, and suppress fat absorption.
Take one week off a month for best results
Research shows that over time the body builds a tolerance to caffeine, leading some experts to suggest taking a break from the drink.
Some small studies have found that exercise improvements for cyclists disappeared within two weeks of drinking coffee…
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