Can’t you get up from your bed without drinking your favorite cup of coffee? Although it gives you sudden energy, it is not good for you in the long run. Coffee is one of the most popular beverages around the world as it provides an instant refreshment to start the day. While India consumes an average of 30 cups of coffee per capita annually, the coffee culture is far more established in countries like the UK, where about 95 million cups of coffee are consumed daily, according to the British Coffee Association. But what actually happens to your body when you drink coffee?

According to The Telegraph, the immediate effect you feel after the first sip of coffee is mostly psychological. Thomas Sanders, professor of nutrition and dietetics at King’s College London, explains that this is due to the placebo effect. “To feel effect of coffeeYou have to allow it to be absorbed into the bloodstream. What you are feeling at this stage is likely to be merely psychological effects,” he says.

Reports show that caffeine takes about 20 minutes to be absorbed into your bloodstream. Once absorbed, it begins to produce tangible effects on your body, such as increasing heart rate and boosting adrenaline.

heart rate and adrenaline boost

After about 20 minutes of drinking coffee, you may notice an improvement in your mood and energy levels. This is when your heart rate begins to increase, providing a feeling of alertness and focus. “If you’re in a low state of arousal, it’ll give you a little boost, which is why many people rely on their cup of coffee in the morning,” explains Sanders.

Following an increase in heart rate, there is an adrenaline rush, which peaks about an hour after consumption. This increase in concentration may vary depending on individual factors such as metabolism and genetic makeup.

At the 20-minute mark, caffeine can also cause a brief feeling of euphoria, which explains why many people feel an instant feeling of happiness after their morning coffee. For avid coffee lovers, this rush often becomes an anticipated part of their daily routine.

Coffee as a diuretic

About 30 minutes after your first cup of coffee, you may feel the need to urinate. This is because coffee has diuretic properties, which stimulate the kidneys to produce more urine. For people with bladder or prostate problems, this effect may be more pronounced.

Caffeine also affects the intestines. Research shows that about 60-90 minutes after drinking coffee, caffeine stimulates the colon, increasing its activity by 60 percent compared to water and 23 percent compared to decaf coffee. This speeds up the process of waste removal from the body.

Caffeine Crash While coffee provides an energy boost, it also brings a dangerous side effect: the caffeine crash. According to Sanders, if you drink coffee at 8 a.m., you may start feeling the effects of recession by 11 a.m. This decline is due to the body’s adaptation to caffeine. Regularly consuming coffee creates a dependence, as the brain’s receptors adjust to expecting another caffeine hit.

By noon, the caffeine has typically left your system, often forcing people to reach for another cup to overcome the slump. This cycle of energy peaks and troughs can make a person dependent on caffeine for sustained energy.

reactions to coffee

The effects of caffeine vary from person to person, influenced by factors such as metabolism, genetics, and gender. Sanders says some people metabolize caffeine faster than others, which can affect how long its effects last.

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