Caffeine: benefits, uses, side effects

Moderate and consistent consumption of caffeine is associated with decreased risk of heart disease. According to a study on hypertensive individuals, caffeine intake produces a sudden increase in blood pressure, which lasts for about 3 hrs. However not much can be proved when it comes to the long term effects of caffeine on blood pressure or cardiovascular diseases in hypertensive patients.

Another study showed a non-linear association between coffee consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease(CVD). Moderate coffee intake was found to be inversely associated with CVD risk, with the lowest CVD risk at 3 to 5 cups per day. Despite the popular belief heavy coffee intake was not found to be associated with elevated CVD risk.

(Read more: Good foods for high blood pressure patients)

How many times do you fix yourself a coffee when feeling slow or sleepy? And how quickly a cup of tea refreshes and wakes you up? The stimulating effects of both these hot brews are attributed to caffeine.

It has been scientifically proven that caffeine can easily pass the blood-brain barrier and stay in your system for about 5 hours. More like 5 hours of energy spike?

When present in ample amounts, it inhibits the binding of adenosine (a neurotransmitter that induces sleep) to brain cells, thus preventing drowsiness and helping you stay awake for longer.

Did you know your daily cup of coffee can make you smarter?

Caffeine intake has been shown to enhance memory and cognition at moderate intake levels. In a double-blind study, caffeine consumption, an hour before a match, was found to enhance performance in soccer players. It does this indirectly, through action on arousal, mood and concentration. It has further been suggested that caffeine enhances cognition by inhibiting the overactivation of adenosine in brain.

(Read more: How to increase brain power)

When you think this is it, caffeine is known to be a natural neuroprotective agent. It improves repair and rejuvenation of brain cells thus reducing the risk of age-related neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Preclinical studies indicate that caffeine may act as a promising treatment option in the treatment of Parkinson's disease, due to its restorative effects on both motor (slowness in movements, stiffness, tremors) and nonmotor (mood disorders, sleep problems, depression) functions. Furthermore, by inhibiting the accumulation of adenosine in the brain, it reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s.

So, what are you waiting for?

Caffeine and its breakdown products exhibit powerful antioxidant properties. It helps in removing free radicals from the body thus improving body functioning. Free radicals are highly reactive, negatively charged unstable atoms produced as a result of various metabolic activities in the body. Free radicals deteriorate the normal functioning of body by damaging blood vessel cells, proteins, lipids and DNA. It also leads to premature ageing of the skin.

So, by scavenging these free radicals caffeine not only delays ageing signs but also increases life expectancy.

(Read more: Antioxidant-rich food)

If you are a diabetic or a prediabetic and consume caffeine regularly, it might just be one of the foods helping control your blood sugar levels. Studies have shown that caffeine lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes and its progression in prediabetic patients when taken without sugar and cream. But you must remember it's only one of the many factors that influence diabetes risk.

According to an article published in the journal ‘Current Diabetes Reviews’, individuals who consumed 4 to 6 cups of coffee per day and more than 6 to 7 cups of coffee per day are at lower risk of type 2 diabetes as compared to those who consumed less than 2 cups per day. Though, this relation varies with the brewing process of coffee.

Caffeine is widely used in the cosmetic industry due to its skin penetrating ability and antioxidant potential. In fact, most of the cosmetic preparations available in the market contain about 3% of caffeine. Let us explore what makes this compound so special for your skin.

1. Caffeine helps to protect cells from the harmful rays and slows down the process of photo-aging of the skin. This means, no dark spots or wrinkles.
2. Moreover, caffeine contained in cosmetics increases blood circulation in skin, thus enhancing repairing, healing process and providing an inherent glow to your skin.
3. Along with this, caffeine is an important ingredient in anti-cellulite products, it acts by accelerating the fat breakdown process.
4. Caffeine also stimulates the growth of hair through inhibition of the 5-α-reductase activity thus treating androgenic alopecia. However, this might require a visit to a dermatologist first.

You can easily reap all of these benefits from caffeine by adding just a bit of coffee powder to your face masks or making a hair wash with coffee or green tea. The latter also provides you with the additional benefits of conditioned and well-nourished hair.

Research studies indicate that caffeine helps in reducing the risk of certain types of cancers Consuming only 2 cups of coffee is suggested to reduce the chances of developing liver cancer, endometrial cancer and prostate cancer. An inverse association has also been found between the risk of breast cancer and regular intake of caffeine.

This is because of the antioxidant properties of caffeine, which prevent DNA damage and help promote apoptosis (cell death) in cancer cells. However, more studies are still needed to assess the anticancer potential of this drug.