Photo: Pexels / cottonbro studio
A warm drink is often considered to provide relief from a cold or flu. But does this also apply to coffee, which is just as much a hot drink?
Previous studies have shown that hot drinks can temporarily relieve symptoms such as a runny nose and sore throat.
Warm nature of coffee
But when it comes to coffee, the warm nature of the drink isn’t enough to make it a good option when you’re sick. And there are a number of reasons for that, shares Huffpost.
“Caffeine is a stimulant and while it is unlikely to affect the clinical course of a cold or flu, the stimulant nature of caffeine may counteract,” says Suan Hassig, associate professor of epidemiology at the School of Public Health at Tulane University in New Orleans .
Caffeine when you’re sick
“When you are dealing with a viral infection, good rest is one of the things you really need to maintain.” Sleep helps your body recover from these viruses, and because coffee is meant to keep you awake, it can make getting the sleep you need more difficult, Hassig explains. “The same goes for energy drinks, which often contain more caffeine than a cup of coffee.”
“Too much caffeine can be bad for you, whether you are sick or not,” says Hassig. But there’s another effect to watch out for: “If it’s more than a mild illness, you want to be careful about consuming caffeine because it can be dehydrating. It has a mild diuretic effect,” says Dr. Daniel Monti, the chairman of the Department of Integrative Medicine and Nutritional Sciences at Jefferson Health in Philadelphia.
‘More important to drink water’
But dehydration caused by caffeine does not apply to everyone. Mild dehydration occurs mainly in people who are not used to caffeine and drink a lot of it at once, according to NPR. “It is more important that you drink water when you have a cold,” says Monti.
Also, if you suffer from stomach upset and have a history of coffee-induced stomach upset, you may want to skip your morning cup. “There’s nothing wrong with a cup of coffee, especially in the first half of the day if it helps you get going,” says Hassig. “But you should moderate your consumption because of the stimulant effects of caffeine, and you should rest when you are sick.”
What is in energy drinks? And what happens to your body when you drink it?
Spotted an error? Mail us. We are grateful to you.
Comments
2023-10-10 16:02:49
#Drinking #coffee #cold #flu #good #hot #cup #tea
