Caffeine health risks

Caffeine health problems

Among the health problems caffeine can cause are some more serious than others. Some caffeine health problems are merely unpleasant and disturbing while others can be a serious risk to your safety and health. In nature, caffeine functions as a paralyzing or killing substance which is used by plants as a defense system. This is of course not how caffeine works in the human body. When the human body is exposed to caffeine, depending on the amount, it will work as a diuretic substance, as well as it will defer tiredness. Some studies show that one of the caffeine health problems is mood swings. This effect belongs to the psychic effects but it isn’t less important just because of that.

Caffeine is not illegal anywhere in the world and it’s considered relatively harmless by most people. But still it causes health problems. I believe that the explanation to this phenomenon is that caffeine itself isn’t harmful, but in combination with other factors, it may cause caffeine health problems. If you’re exposed to stress, which is one of today’s most common health issues, your caffeine intake may prove dangerous to your health. You may experience a bad stomach ache which is a common symptom of both stress and caffeine overdoses. Imagine what the combination of these both categories may cause! If you suffer from stomach ache every day, a lower intake of caffeine may be a solution to your problems, or at least a step in the right direction towards improved health.

Caffeine and exercise

What kind of connections are there between caffeine and exercise? At first there may not seem to be any obvious ones, but there are actually a few things that can be wise to think about when combining caffeine and exercise. Here I’ll explain why that is. When you exercise your body loses much water which you have to replace as soon as possible when you rest after the exercise. Caffeine is a highly diuretic substance which can speed up the dehydration of your body when you exercise, if you drink something containing caffeine before your exercise. Since caffeine is very energizing and will get you alert, if not speeded, you may think it’s a good idea to drink caffeine and exercise afterwards but you’ll soon realize that the effect is too brief to last during your exercise. When it comes to the use of caffeine after exercising, one has to consider other aspects.

Caffeine and exercise as a combination when it comes to your body’s recovery, is by some experts, as well as amateurs, thought of as a good alternative. The alertness which caffeine gives, and which you’re probably aware of, can help the recovery processes in your body. A tired body with exhausted muscles doesn’t have the power or the energy to begin the recovering functions which are so important for your well-being. In this particular case caffeine and exercise can be helpful and serve a good purpose. The conclusion is that caffeine and exercise can sometimes be a good combination and sometimes it’s not. Caffeine should be used with cautiousness since it’s such a strong substance. Caffeine before exercise is normally not too good while caffeine after exercise, for recovery, may be worth considering.

Stomach aches after running

If you exercise a lot you probably experience stomach aches after running from time to time. This type of bad stomach ache can appear anytime during the running, directly after or after some time. The severity can differ and therefore you can feel more or less able to cope with it. Stomach aches after running isn’t unusual but happens a lot among people who exercise and it doesn’t have to be related to the grade of fitness. Alas, stomach aches after running isn’t to be seen as a sign of weakness or bad shape; it can have a lot of different reasons. The reasons for stomach aches after running can be divided into a number of groups or categories.

Stress. Stress is a factor that always affects your body and primarily your stomach. When you exercise you expose your body to a positive kind of stress as you try to run faster, lift heavier and endure more. Though, the wrong kind of stress during exercise can lead to stomach aches after running. Your exercise should be harmonic even if it’s pushing you to do more than you think you can. If you let troubles from, for example, your family, work or other aspects of your life get in the way of your training and distract your thought, this stress is negative. If you can’t concentrate on your exercise and running, you may get stomach aches after running.

Exercise technique. If you run or exercise with a wrong or unsuitable technique, this can cause your abdominal muscles to cramp which in turn can lead to stomach aches after running. For example, when running it’s important to let your arms swing at the sides of your body without tensing them too much. The elbow should be bent at an angle of 90 degrees. If you let your arms swing across the space in front of your body, your torso will be twisted a little with every step. This will lead your abdominal muscles to tense and you may find yourself suffering from stomach aches after running.

Food. Never eat too close before exercising. Most people know this, either by intuition or knowledge. But what if you get hungry right before exercising? A tough call, because you neither want to exercise hungry and powerless, neither eat before you run or what you are about to do. If you feel that you won’t be able to perform without any food, you can eat a fruit or drink a smoothie. Make sure you eat something that is easily digested because that kind of food will reduce the risk of getting stomach aches after running.

Water. To drink water, some sort of energy drink or something else directly before running isn’t a good idea. Sometimes you’ll feel the liquid move in your stomach and that is a first sign that you’ve prepared yourself for your exercise in an inappropriate way. Often you can just listen to your body’s outer and inner sounds to decide how it’s, and of course you’re, doing. To hear an amount of water move and splash around in your stomach while you’re running will probably cause you stomach aches after running. To drink too much can affect your body’s salt balance and in the worst case scenario be very dangerous. On the other hand, to drink too little can be risky too. Here you have to find a balance both to endure the exercise and not get dehydrated, and to avoid stomach aches after running.

Muscle cramps. Muscle cramps in the abdominal area are painful and if they continue after your exercise they will give you stomach aches after running. Many have experienced stomach cramps while running. These cramps often have their reason in bad habits when it comes to drinking and eating before running (you do this too close before the exercise so that your systems doesn’t get enough time to process the substances). To get a side stitch while running is a kind of stomach ache while running. This state is said to be relieved by holding a stone or another hard object in your hand. This probably works because you focus on something else and gradually your muscles around the cramping area can relax and the stitch goes away. To tense the muscles is the goal of most exercise but the wrong kind of tension can sometimes end in stomach aches after running and if this isn’t the wanted soreness that is a sign of your muscles rebuilding themselves, you’ve probably done something wrong before, during or after your exercise.

Nature calls. If you don’t listen to your body and follow its functions before you perform a heavy running pass or other kind of exercise, this lack of attention can cause you stomach aches after running. It’s very important to visit the toilet before running. This reason for stomach aches after running of course has a lot to do with the food and water categories above. It’s recommended by experts that you don’t eat closer than three hours before your exercise. If you don’t eat anything more during this time, you should be able to go to the toilet before you start your running exercise and by doing that you minimize the risk of getting stomach aches after running for a reason that is easily eliminated.