Caffeine Consumption Essay

Coffee is the most common source of caffeine for people worldwide; consequently, overconsumption of coffee has become a concern (Gonzalez de Mejia and Ramirez-Mares 489). Because there is so much confusion about the effect of caffeine on the body, people generally assume that they should limit their consumption. However, recently, extensive research indicates that “coffee consumption may be beneficial” as it reduces the risk of certain cancers, type 2 diabetes, and liver disease (489-90). There is evidence from experiments on mice that high caffeine intake may even reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease (Arendash and Cao 117; Hu et al. 2242). While these claims seem promising, many factors such as how diseases are caused, which aspects of coffee benefit health, and whether the evidence displays correlation or causation, remain unknown (Hu et al. 2242; Gonzalez de Mejia and Ramirez-Mares 491-92). Based on a summary and evaluation of the evidence, caffeine consumption is beneficial to our health because it can reduce …show more content…
2242). Parkinson’s disease is a disorder in the central nervous system which causes symptoms such as “bradykinesia [slow movement], resting tremor, muscular rigidity, gait disturbances, and postural reflex impairment” (Lang and Lozano, cited by Hu et al. 2242). The causes of Parkinson’s disease are not known; researchers are debating whether the disease is mainly influenced by genetic or environmental factors (2242). A study was done by Hu et al. which summarized the results of past studies and “found a reduced risk of incident PD [Parkinson’s disease] among habitual coffee drinkers” (2245). They discussed the results of a study done in Finland where a population was surveyed about their coffee consumption and medical history, and those who had developed Parkinson’s disease about 13 years later were examined in a follow-up study