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Pros and Cons of Coffee and Calm Substitutes
It’s a morning ritual, that first smell of success that wafts from the Keurig, French press, Chemex, or old school Mr. Coffee via the small but mighty bean. Sometimes it’s also the 10 am brain fog buster, the 2 pm pick up, or the after-dinner cup that follows an elegant meal. We put a lot of pressure on that little bean, but it's one of the most popular ways to boost energy levels, improve mood and memory, get our intellectual edge sharpened, and kick-up metabolism. But too much coffee, and by coffee we mean caffeine, can also do harm and like everything else we can get addicted to, becomes less effective over time. Is there an alternative to the Big Gulps of coffee we chug every day or are our aromatic grounds the best bet?
The Pros and Cons of Coffee
Coffee, in moderation, isn’t a bad thing. It’s been shown to do things like give a temporary boost in energy, accelerate fat burning, improve physical/athletic performance, and is even showing to be significant in reducing risk factors for diseases like diabetes and Parkinson’s. However, in our venti mocha-latte-ccino lifestyles where we guzzle shots of espresso like the water we should be drinking more of, there are many reasons why coffee can be harmful to our health. Here are just a few drawbacks to drinking too much coffee:- Too much coffee = higher stress levels. Higher stress levels means excess cortisol production. This can lead to anxiety and restlessness.
- Dehydration. For a society that is already drinking too little water, coffee’s diuretic effects can be substantial.
- Heartburn. Coffee increases acid levels in the stomach when you drink too much.
- Continuous coffee in the body can increase heart rate and overstimulate your central nervous system which when paired with dehydration, can lead to headaches and jitters.
- Caffeine overdose can even lead to hallucinations while sleeping.
Maybe it’s time to consider some new options for energy, focus, and mood.
L-Theanine: Coffee without the
We aren’t saying that you should quit coffee; however, the addictive nature of caffeine and our conditioned response to grabbing a cuppa Joe when we need a burst of energy may not be the best thing. Instead of grabbing coffee for a short burst of energy, consider a supplement with L-Theanine instead. What is L-Theanine? So glad you asked!L-Theanine, a non-protein amino acid found in green tea leaves (Camellia sinensis), has been proposed as a neuroprotective and cognitive-enhancing ingredient with stress-reducing and calming effects. This means it protects nerve cells against damage and disease while keeping your body and emotions chill and amping up the wattage on your brain.
We always want you to understand the science behind it, so here are all the clinical facts as to why L-Theanine works. Because the structure of L-Theanine resembles that of L-glutamic acid, a key amino acid that modulates biochemical processes in the brain, it can bind to the glutamate receptor to block the synthesis of glutamate, an excitotoxin that is responsible for excessive stimulation of the central nervous system (CNS), resulting in damage or death of neuronal cells (Deb et. al., 2019). As a result, L-Theanine may provide neuroprotective effects by decreasing levels of excitotoxins and supporting neuronal cell viability. Additionally, research suggests that L-Theanine increases levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that is well recognized to promote relaxation and modulate stress levels by producing alpha waves within the brain (Alagawany et. al., 2019).
And tada -- L-Theanine not only helps your body and brain but protects it as well.