Pros and Cons of Coffee for Seniors

Coffee in the morning has been a part of many people’s daily routines, and while some may swear by it, others argue that coffee has some adverse effects on aging adults. Let’s take a dive and find the facts behind the mystical bean.

What exactly is coffee?

Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted beans found and farmed in nature. The jolt we get from coffee comes from caffeine, a natural stimulant that invigorates the brain and central nervous system, which helps us stay alert and prevents the onset of tiredness. Historians found that people brewed coffee as far back as 2737 BC!

Pros

• Coffee can improve your cognitive ability, which some researchers say could also help prevent dementia.
• Coffee can increase your energy level, as well as your mood.
• Coffee is a natural diuretic that stimulates movement in the colon.
• In a 2013 study, people who increased their coffee intake by more than one cup per day had an 11% lower chance of developing type 2 diabetes.
• Coffee can reduce inflammation, lessening the likelihood of strokes.

Cons

• The caffeine in coffee causes us to urinate more frequently, which can dehydrate us. Though, drinking more water solves this.
• Coffee can cause heart palpations, usually due to a large amount of caffeine consumption
• While coffee can make you feel alert, it can also negatively affect your circadian rhythm and sleep schedule.

The caffeine in coffee has a lot of different side effects, some positive and negative. Still, overall if you can manage the adverse side effects, there’s no reason aging should stop you from enjoying your cup of joe in the morning.

A fresh cup of coffee at Evergreen in Chillicothe is just a phone call away. Schedule a tour today by calling 309-274-5440 or visiting us online.