Death Wish Coffee is one of the newest turbo-charged caffeinated beverages to hit the market, made from a coffee bean that contains almost 200% more caffeine than the typical brew. Makers of this new super-bean coffee flaunt its high quality processing, fair trade practices and organic certification, lauding it as the ultimate solution to consumers’ most popular demand – “give me your strongest coffee!” And while they cleverly poke fun at themselves for being “a responsible coffee company with an irresponsible product,” it’s vital that the public realize the truth behind the jest – this new drink can cause real harm to your health, and true to its word, can even be deadly.
The Truth Behind the Tongue-in-Cheek Marketing
Studies have linked a moderate intake of caffeine to a variety of health benefits, but too much caffeine can be extremely harmful to your health. Despite this fact, companies concerned more about money than the health of their consumers are selling products that contain dangerously high levels of caffeine. People falsely assume that these products are safe, relying on governing bodies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Health Canada to ban products that are unsafe. But this assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. Caffeine is a drug, and if you value your health, you will avoid highly caffeinated products at all costs.
Studies have linked a moderate intake of caffeine to a variety of health benefits, but too much caffeine can be extremely harmful to your health. Despite this fact, companies concerned more about money than the health of their consumers are selling products that contain dangerously high levels of caffeine. People falsely assume that these products are safe, relying on governing bodies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Health Canada to ban products that are unsafe. But this assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. Caffeine is a drug, and if you value your health, you will avoid highly caffeinated products at all costs.
According to the company, “Death Wish Coffee is the most highly caffeinated premium dark roast organic coffee in the world. This is Extreme Coffee, not for the weak…many sleepless nights will result from this coffee…consider yourself warned.” Most people reading this would pass off the statements as silly marketing gimmicks and not take them seriously; but make no mistake: these statements should be taken literally.
Short-term Consequences of Excessive Caffeine Intake
Too much caffeine often leads to immediate side-effects and can make you feel jittery, shaky, restless and anxious. Symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, headaches, rapid heartbeat, depression, dizziness, irritability, insomnia and mood swings are also common amongst heavy caffeine drinkers. To make matters worse, while caffeine is commonly used to “stay alert” during work time or other stressful situations, it actually causes stress to be physiologically intensified. Finally, too much caffeine ruins your ability to concentrate, so if you’re consuming highly caffeinated beverages to get through your workday, it will likely backfire.
Too much caffeine often leads to immediate side-effects and can make you feel jittery, shaky, restless and anxious. Symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, headaches, rapid heartbeat, depression, dizziness, irritability, insomnia and mood swings are also common amongst heavy caffeine drinkers. To make matters worse, while caffeine is commonly used to “stay alert” during work time or other stressful situations, it actually causes stress to be physiologically intensified. Finally, too much caffeine ruins your ability to concentrate, so if you’re consuming highly caffeinated beverages to get through your workday, it will likely backfire.
Your Body on Caffeine
Caffeine stimulates your central nervous system and the effects can last up to 6 hours. When you consume caffeine, your brain sends out signals to your pituitary gland (a gland responsible for maintaining homeostasis in the body), which are interpreted as an emergency. The pituitary gland then sends a signal to your adrenal glands that there is an emergency, and your adrenal glands respond by pumping out stress hormones. In effect, drinking caffeine makes your body react the same way as it would to an actual threat, like a car accident. Unfortunately, the more caffeine you drink, the more worn-out your adrenal glands get. This leads to escalating fatigue levels, which causes you to consume more caffeine. Ultimately, excessive caffeine intake creates a viscous and addictive cycle that eventually deteriorates your health.
Caffeine stimulates your central nervous system and the effects can last up to 6 hours. When you consume caffeine, your brain sends out signals to your pituitary gland (a gland responsible for maintaining homeostasis in the body), which are interpreted as an emergency. The pituitary gland then sends a signal to your adrenal glands that there is an emergency, and your adrenal glands respond by pumping out stress hormones. In effect, drinking caffeine makes your body react the same way as it would to an actual threat, like a car accident. Unfortunately, the more caffeine you drink, the more worn-out your adrenal glands get. This leads to escalating fatigue levels, which causes you to consume more caffeine. Ultimately, excessive caffeine intake creates a viscous and addictive cycle that eventually deteriorates your health.
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