“Managing your Coffee Consumption: Understanding the Benefits and Risks for Asians with Slow Caffeine Metabolism”

Drinking coffee has 3 major benefits, but Asians have difficulty metabolizing caffeine, so be careful

The journal “Food and Chemical Toxicology” has published that drinking coffee may help prevent diabetes and promote fat burning. The researchers found that gallic acid and protocatechuic acid, found in ground coffee, can enhance insulin sensitivity, improve the ability of cells to absorb glucose, and reduce inflammation caused by fat. They also produce “brown fat cells” that increase metabolic rate.

In addition, a study published at the 71st Annual Meeting of the American College of Cardiology showed that drinking two to three cups of coffee a day may be beneficial to the heart. The study found that drinking coffee in moderation was associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease and stroke. Additionally, the study found that coffee consumption was not associated with an increased risk of cardiac arrhythmia, heart failure or sudden death.

But a study published in the journal Pharmacogenetics and Genomics found that Asians were more likely than Europeans to carry a genotype called CYP1A2*1F, which metabolizes caffeine more slowly. Therefore, Asians need to pay attention to the right amount of coffee to avoid adverse reactions.

Another study published in “Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics” found that Japanese and Chinese metabolize caffeine more slowly than Europeans and Africans. Among them, the time required for Japanese to metabolize 50% caffeine is 4.5 hours, while that of Europeans is 2.6 hours.

How Much Coffee Should You Drink Every Day? Such high-risk groups should not exceed 1 cup a day!

Drinking coffee in moderation every day may be beneficial to health, but the specific drinking amount varies from person to person, depending on the individual’s physical condition, age, gender, weight, caffeine metabolism and other factors. Generally speaking, it is recommended that Asians drink no more than 300ml (about 2 cups) of coffee per day.

For people with high blood pressure, it is not recommended to exceed 1 cup of coffee per day. A study published in the “Journal of the American Heart Association” pointed out that if the group with blood pressure higher than 160/100mmHg drinks more than two cups of coffee a day, the risk of cardiovascular death will double. People with normal blood pressure (less than 130/85) to primary hypertension (140-159/90-99) were not affected.

Negative effects of excessive coffee consumption

Huang Xuan, Physician of Chest Medicine and Critical Care Medicine, reminds people not to rely on coffee alone to lose weight. After all, just drinking coffee to lose weight, or reduce the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, is less effective than exercise. Coffee is only a supplementary effect. If you want to be healthy, you must maintain good living habits.

When drinking coffee, also pay attention to the overall calorie content of the beverage. Although caffeine can also promote fat burning, many people are used to adding sugar and milk to enhance the flavor of coffee. In this case, it may not necessarily lead to weight loss, but may lead to weight gain.

Here are some disadvantages of excessive caffeine intake:

1 Increased risk of hypertension/kidney disease

Studies have pointed out that those who metabolize caffeine slowly, who drink more than 3 cups of coffee a day, may suffer from renal dysfunction 2.7 times that of the average person, and those who drink more than 3 cups of coffee a day have a higher risk of developing high blood pressure. increased by 2.8 times.

2 heart palpitations

May cause heart palpitations and irregular heartbeat in some people. Especially people with poor caffeine metabolism.

3 insomnia

Consuming too much caffeine may cause insomnia and affect sleep quality.

4 Stomach pain and indigestion

Consuming too much caffeine may stimulate stomach acid production, leading to stomach pain and indigestion.

5 Anxiety and restlessness

Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, leading to feelings of anxiety and restlessness.

6 Osteoporosis

Excessive coffee consumption may affect calcium absorption and increase the risk of osteoporosis.

7 Dehydration

Caffeine has a diuretic effect, and drinking too much, without adequate hydration, can lead to dehydration.

8 addicted

Caffeine is addictive, and excessive drinking may lead to addiction and dependence that cannot be quit.

How to Test Your Caffeine Metabolism Ability

You can watch how you react after drinking coffee. If you are prone to anxiety, heart palpitations, insomnia and other symptoms, it may mean that your ability to metabolize caffeine is low, and it is recommended to reduce your coffee intake. Conversely, if you can drink a cup of coffee at night without affecting sleep, it may mean that your caffeine metabolism is higher.