The Science Behind Coffee and Why it's Actually Good for Your Health

Hooray, now I can base my morning coffee addiction on science!

The Science Behind Coffee and Why it's Actually Good for Your Health

Coffee Can Make You Smarter

Coffee doesn't just keep you awake, it may literally make you smarter as well. The active ingredient in coffee is caffeine, which is a stimulant and the most commonly consumed psychoactive substance in the world. Caffeine's primary mechanism in the brain is blocking the effects of an inhibitory neurotransmitter called Adenosine. By blocking the inhibitory effects of Adenosine, caffeine actually increases neuronal firing in the brain and the release of other neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine (1, 2). Many controlled trials have examined the effects of caffeine on the brain, demonstrating that caffeine can improve mood, reaction time, memory, vigilance and general cognitive function (3).
Bottom Line: Caffeine potently blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, leading to a net stimulant effect. Controlled trials show that caffeine improves both mood and brain function.

 I'd hate to think of how dumb I'd be without it.  Ouch.

Epilogue:

Since I first posted this, there's been a couple of additional items of this type. And here's yet another oddball one, including dual theoretical vices, coffee and beer:

A new study suggests that sugary drinks may slightly raise ones risk of kidney stones while caffeinated and alcoholic drinks may help reduce the risk, CBS News reported.
"Our prospective study confirms that some beverages are associated with a lower risk of kidney stone formation, whereas others are associated with a higher risk," study co-author Dr. Pietro Manual Ferraro, a kidney specialist at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart of Rome, said in a statement.

 Of course, it isn't really saying drink beer all day long.

It is interesting to note, however, in this context that John "Pandoro" Taylor once credited the saving of the life of a friend of his to "kraal", some sort of weak African beer.  Having said that, it isn't as if alcohol doesn't have its own risks.