As a recovered Caffinee addict I can tell you that live is better WITHOUT it. The lift it gives is short lived and afterwards leaves you on an longer DOWN when its effects wear off.

Once you have waited long enough, the headaches come. That's your addicted brain screaming for more caffine. This screaming distracts you, making you unproductive and ruins your usually perky caffine hyped mood.

It's not an evil thing but the effects you like of caffine may be the natural you.... when you are not on a caffine withdrawl.

fourte3n

fourte3n

um... are we forgetting that speed is bad for your heart?

i drank several cups of coffee a day for years, and as a result have heart palpitations, which require me to take meds for the rest of my life.

the acids in coffee are also very bad for your throat.

any more reasons you can think of to point out why this article is stupid?

glass

Pshaw. I once gave it up for a couple of months, didn't feel significantly different, and eventually realized that there was no point in continuing, since I did actually used to enjoy it.

"The acids are very bad for your throat." That's rich.

Marc

I drink way too much. Love it, but it wreaks havoc on the stomach.

Tara-PassPack

Nobody has ever asked me to stop drinking coffee: my family, my friends, my colleagues, my business associates or my health care practitioners.

And the people at work don't want me to stop making coffee: I excel at brewing coffee. The ability to brew a delicious cup of coffee is a priceless hospitality skill.

Plus coffee tastes good. Like almost anything else, moderation is key. For me, I care about quality, not quantity. A perfect single espresso is so much more worthwhile than five cups of brown water.

Deprong Mori

@Marc: I agree with you. I give it up occasionally and don't really feel like I am all that dependent on it. So I just keep on drinking it because I love the way it tastes and the feeling of a warm beverage. Plus I do enjoy the pick me up.

I have a heart beat that verges on beating too slow. My doctor actually recommended that I drink more coffee. I can give you his number if interested!

gpzbc

@normanm4: The two are often times very closely linked!

gpzbc

defending the enjoyment of coffee is much like defending the use of toilet paper.

normanm4

If drinking coffee is your only vice in life, you aren't in that bad of shape.

Captain_Apathy

@glass: That's awful the outcome of drinking coffee was you ending up on medication, but given the -massive- scale of consumption (millions and millions of people drink coffee very day in the US alone) ending up with a heart condition is a pretty rare side effect of coffee consumption.

@Tara-PassPack: Buy better coffee. Seriously. The crappy coffee they make at my office feels like it is trying to rip my ass out with a hook, I don't even attempt to drink it anymore. The coffee I buy for use at home has never given me even the slightest tummy ache. Cheap coffee will tear you up.

Jason Fitzpatrick

Everything in moderation.

Yes, some people may experience a negative health impact due to coffee. If you do, then don't drink it. But they would be in the minority. The vast majority of people will have no negative side effect from a cup (or two) of coffee a day.

The key is everything in moderation. Anything taken to extreme can be negative.

Besides, I enjoy my morning cup o' joe. I like the taste.

Shana

It takes 6 months or more, on average, for your body to eliminate caffeine and its effects from your body; giving it up for several weeks or months won't have any positive effects. Medical research has also proven that the longer you consume caffeine, the less "beneficial" effects it has (just like all other addictive drugs)--there goes that "alertness" you crave. One cup a day is OK for almost everyone; as much as 2 shouldn't adversely affect most coffee drinkers, but beyond that... well, good luck with that addiction! Be sure to eat more healthy foods and drink more water--caffeine is a diuretic, after all. :D

GlennA

Everything in moderation.

Yes, some people may have negative results from drinking coffee. If you do, then don't do it. They are, however, in the minority. The vast majority of people have no negative side effects from a cup of coffee (or two) a day.

Again, it comes down to everything in moderation.

Besides, it tastes good. I enjoy my morning cup o' joe.

Shana

Defend My Coffee?... You're Damned right I will! With a stick or a rock if it comes down to it. For all the other reasons Alertness,concentration.... I just plain like the taste of a good cup of coffee. I'll give up sex before I give up coffee. You can buy it anywhere,share it with all your friends and noone laughs it you have some alone.

IMAGINE WHIRLED PEAS

hippykidz

@Jason Fitzpatrick: @Jason Fitzpatrick:
I would rather think that the rise in heart condition patients is due to them consuming lots of beverages with high levels of caffeine i.e. Soda, energy drinks mixed with the wonders of junk food rather than their consumption of the morning or afternoon coffee.

dronnac

I haven't had a single drop of coffee in my entire 28 years on this earth. To hint that I'm less productive than my coffee drinking coworkers is absurd. I arrive to work much earlier than anyone in the office (5:30am) and have no problem staying awake and being engaged at work.

I think a lot of people are using coffee as a substitute for getting a full night of sleep. Get those elusive 8 hours of sleep and you'll see all the benefits of coffee without any of the negative side effects.

ReknapS

I am in retail sales.
Coffee is a performance enhancing drug.

Espresso doubly so. :)

strider_mt2k

To comment on this - "Drinking coffee improves your concentration, alertness and staves off a tired mind. For me, work comes to a halt when I'm missing any of the above, especially concentration or alertness. Ten or twenty minutes after a cup of coffee, I can be back to work for a few more hours."

I don't know if one can even use this to defend the coffee habit. If you can't be alert and cannot concentrate, doesn't that just mean you need to get some more sleep?

Eli Luong

I roast my own coffee at home, so I don't think I'll be giving it up. I keep it at a very moderate one, ever-so-rarely two cups a day. Myself and a few coworkers all roast our own beans at home and enjoy coming in to work every morning to socialize over fresh roasts in a variety of brewing methods (espresso, drip, pour-over, French press, or AeroPress). It's a fascinating hobby to see how different roasts taste in different brews. It brings us closer together and challenges our senses (and creativity!).

However, I was having a problem with a very sensitive stomach a few months back, and my doctor suggested that I cut out caffeine and coffee. The acids in the coffee do agitate the throat and stomach to a degree. I managed without coffee for a couple of months, but still roasted at home to keep up with the guys at work. Now that things have cleared back up, I'm back to my usual cup-a-day habit.

PhragMunkee

Coffee makes me poop. Almost immediately.

Diet sodas for my fix.

mgy

Coffee is not bad for you. Numerous studies have shown that. I love coffee and will not give it up. Whats the point?

fleetwood

The problem with caffeine is that tolerance eventually kicks in, so while it is helpful, I try to use it only when I know I'm overworked and won't get the sleep, breaks, and exercise that I need. Caffeine is a good way to push through a tough week or two, but if I am using it in increasingly larger doses for a month or two, I'm probably taking on more work or stress than caffeine can compensate for in a healthy way.

floatinglist

@Eli Luong: In and ideal world, we would all get 8+ hours of sleep, eat healthy, exercise, and got to church every week. But it just doesn't always happen that way. So drink up!

gpzbc

I have cut down to 8-10 cups a day for those who want more see my previous response to less Internet time when will you people learn obsessive compulsive.....get it know leave me alone what are you obsessed?.

rtipping

@ReknapS: You get to work at 5:30am after eight hours of sleep? And you've never even TASTED coffee?

Sorry, but I don't take advice from people who go to bed at 8pm and avoid mild experiences on principle.

longbourne

Because coffee is sooo damn tasty.

Wubbytoes

I have a tea addiction. Is that better or worse? At least I'm not spending 3-4 bucks a cup at Starbucks.

B

I drink about 2-3 cups a day. I don't think that's too much. I mainly drink it because I enjoy the taste. Senseo, mmmmmmm.

mardigan71

The latest Men's Health issue had an article that detailed numerous benefits of drinking coffee. These included: less likely to suffer heart attacks, less likely to get Parkinson's, and less likely to get Alzheimer's.

After reading the articles, I've started drinking coffee :)

4Blades

OK OK, I'll admit it! Coffee is destroying my life. Only had my first sip a few months ago. I didn't think it could get me on the first try, but I tried it a second time, and then I couldn't stop! All the relationships in my life have started to fall apart and even my dental hygiene is declining. I'm angry when I'm on it and I'm even angrier when I'm off. I'm hurting all the people I love, but I can't stop. It's TOO DELICIOUS!

tcolberg

I don't drink instant any more, and if I do to be polite I don't feel good. Keep it to 1 or 2 good quality cups of the real stuff each day and you should be fine.

antman70

Coffee doesn't help me at all; if I need the perk I go for milk tea instead.

But I still drink coffee for its taste and aroma - you don't need any other reason, do you? =)

kureshii

I need my morning coffee.
But just to have it on the records, caffeine also reduces your bone density. (Makes your bones weaker - the opposite of calcium?)

yitzle

I work third shift, and I used to drink about a gallon to a gallon and a half of coffee a night -- mostly crappy drive-thru Dunkin Donuts. After thinking to myself that this didn't seem right, I cut back (for the cost, mainly) to bringing one 16 oz cup, made correctly, at home, and tasting oh-so-good. I drive all night, so the benefits of less coffee is that I stop to pee waaaaaay less, and water/tea keep me going after that initial cup.

So, I've cut back and increased quality over quantity, and I'm much happier for it. But oh, dear God, do I need that first cup in the morning.

space race ace

I enjoy my daily cup in the morning and sometimes another one in the afternoon. My mood is better after. It's true it makes you feel good in your mind too and not only in your body.

Emerick

Oh, yeah, the funniest thing about why coffee drinkers "need" that cup of java in the morning to "get going" is that the reason they need that caffeine fix every morning is because they're already into the early stages of caffeine withdrawal, where you need it just to feel "normal" again. If they didn't consume caffeine at all, then they'd never need it to feel "good". (You know, some studies have shown that just the smell of coffee brewing can give you the same effects.)

...well, I think it's funny. :D

GlennA

I stopped drinking coffee over a year ago. Mainly thanks to the advice from my doctor, after I started getting heart palpitations and a very bad chest infection.

Nowadays I just drink green tea, much healthier and really nice to drink, it contains less caffeine as coffee though, but it's just enough to wake me up in the morning.

djhworld

As long as you only drinking a reasonable amount and do not have another underlying cardiovascular condition coffee consumption won't hurt the ticker. It does appear to have other health benefits (such as limited anti-cancer potential), so enjoy!

Also, some of us think it tastes good (as long as you're not drinking the $4 per 2 lbs. stuff).

jb008

I drink coffee for one reason, primarily: because it is a small pleasure. I enjoy drinking it, and love the taste. I enjoy appreciating the varietal differences among beans from different regions (I tend to favor Central/South American beans). It is the same reason I enjoy wine tasting.

My coffee consumption generally runs 16-18 ounces per day - hardly "habitual." As for the concentration and alertness, these are generally more impacted by the quality and quantity of my sleep. As for the affects of caffeine, I drink more than a gallon of water daily, and aside from brewed hot tea on occasional evenings, I generally drink no other caffeinated beverages.

Oh, and one other benefit: among the other beans I order, I know that the money I spend for my beans from Oaxaca goes directly to the people who grow it, thereby supporting a sustainable industry in one of Mexico's poorest regions.

chipbennett

I don't drink coffee that often, I can't do with waiting for the cool-down. I drink about 6 cans of diet coke or dr pepper a day :(

Maurik

I went from an 8 cup a day habit ( and poor quality ) to one or two cups of Ethiopian Harrar. The frequent and random anxiety attacks were becoming scary and annoying.

[flickr.com]

khurtwilliams

Everyone seems to be forgetting about the adrenaline... coffee stimulates the adrenals. Not that I mind suffering from adrenal exhaustion. I truly love the taste of coffee.

PS Native Americans called it "Black Medicine"

Jasontrainer

I drink it because I'm a bona-fide ADDICT. I've gone cold turkey twice, and both times it was a horrible withdrawal. For several days I had a vicious migraine, which felt like someone was driving a nail in my right temple. The migraine was accompanied by nausea and overwhelming sleepiness. After about a full week feeling lousy, finally the symptoms were abated. My reward? Life just seemed so BORING without the caffeine. So now I'm just resigned to the idea that the ole brain has been rewired to require caffeine.

Sal-Monella

Honestly, I'm a non-coffee drinker who would like to be a coffee drinker (though, probably not an addict)! All the nifty gadgets and flavors and skills required to brew a cup o' joe really fascinate me. Plus, if you drink coffee then you're considered "cool" right?! :)

LastVigilante

I don't feel so bad about my coffee addiction because it's really the only vice I have. Plus I actually like the taste of coffee because I grew up in a family that only took breaks for two reasons: to sleep or to sit down for a quick chat and quality cuppa joe.

lmath

I average about 2 cups a day of very strong coffee.

And my doctor's advice after my annual physical last week was, "Keep doing what you are doing".

devnull

I enjoy a good cup of coffee now and then but was never a JOEhead. I actually drink green tea where others drink coffee. Although coffee is great when constipated.

frappe987

Yup, coffee is addictive; quite highly in fact. Yet I find it is related to work mostly. I have no problem not drinking a single cup for 3 weeks when I'm on a holiday. But while in office I gotta get coffee.

Could it be that it helps communicating with others who are on the same "drug"?

Prerna

@Captain_Apathy: "If drinking coffee is your only vice in life, you aren't in that bad of shape."

Amen! I could be addicted to nicotine, alcohol, pain killers, Meth, or Heroin, but I choose caffeine instead.

aaron8301

@GlennA: I think it's rather funny as well.

Duane

@ReknapS: I can say the exact same thing as you, 28 years, and no coffee. I've found that I'm more productive than most people who "need" coffee to wakeup, or be alert.

If you need coffee to get going in the morning or to stay alert, than you are not listening to your body. Maybe you need more sleep, or you need to work different hours. The one thing that you do not need is a drug to keep you awake. A good portion of society is addicted to coffee, and that is a symptom of other problems.

Besides, coffee just plain stinks.

Duane

Why haven't I kicked the habit? Because the withdrawl headaches are murder! And I'll probably start sleeping at my desk.

cheesebubble

From my blog (My Favorite Tips):

Effects of Caffeine Consumption Summarized by CSPI
There is an extensive article in the current (March 2008) issue of the "Nutrition Action Health Letter" published by the well-respected Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI, the organization primarily responsible for getting us mandatory nutritional facts printed on food, among many other accolades.)

They summarize the current knowledge about caffeine and its effects--caffeine provides many possible benefits and few side effects (excluding pregnant women.)

The side effects listed were: 1. Sleeplessness if taken within a few hours of bedtime, 2. If at least 300mg/day taken, fertility may cut odds of pregnancy in half, 3. At least 200mg/day may increase risk of miscarriage, and 4. People susceptible to migraines may be at increased risk with daily caffeine exposure.

The benefits of caffeine according to current research are: 1. Decreased risk of Parkinson's disease, 2. Decreased risk of Gallstones, 3. improved mental performance, 4. headache reduction, 5. improved mood, and 6. better athletic performance.

What caffeine does not cause: 1. Caffeine does not counteract alcohol's detrimental effects, 2. There is not enough data to determine if birth defect risk is increased, but the FDA recommends avoiding caffeine-containing foods and drugs if possible. 3. Caffeine does not increase risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis (as long as you increase your calcium intake slightly,) dehydration (it's not a diuretic,) PMS, weight loss, or stunt growth.

Jeff Axelrod

Coffee is a big lie. Coffee drinkers prove that if enough people do something, you can believe believe in it. Examine your mind and your mood very carefully and you will see that it agitates the mind. Don't confuse this with real energy.

philosopher_dog

I don't have to defend anything... If you don't want to drink it, its your loss... But don't be messing with my coffee.

whiskey

A lot of the people here are using circular reasoning to "defend" their addiction.

I continue to drink coffee because I stay awake, can concentrate, and don't get headaches when I drink it. If I didn't drink it, I would't stay awake, I'd get headaches, and not concentrate.

All of these withdrawal symptoms can be cured by simply eating right, exercising, sleeping ~8 hours a night, and by drinking water or non-caffeinated beverages.

Caffeine is a legalized drug, y'all. It's also an expensive drug, too.

Take the advice of PepsiCo, "make your body happy," and drink water. [www.dumblittleman.com] You'll feel better knowing that you are FREE from the bondage of caffeine, and your wallet will be a bit thicker.

outerfringe

Somebody done stoleded my avatar! Whar's mah boomstick!

Johnay

What a load of crap. I'm not some pantywaist who can't make it through the day without my cup of coffee. Those people are sad excuses of human beings. People used to plow fields for 14 hours a day and fetched their own water and didn't whine like wusses because they didn't get their moka java crapa watever.

I drink it because I like it. The rest of the chemical addicts can go swallow something else.

swagv

See, I need an article on how to -sell- my habit. We have a two month old, and boy, my husband could use the lift in the morning. But nooo... has to fall asleep in the shower and look like a zombie.

BTW - Before people laud his superior fortitude for not becoming a coffee-head, he drinks Coke like it's air, and plays MMOs. The man is no stranger to addiction ;\

MrsIrB

Coffee only increases alertness when you don't drink it every day. More than once every three days, and you build up a tolerance, and you do not get any increase in alertness.

Also, coffee has more pesticides in it than almost any crop on Earth besides cotton.

suburbancowboy

i find it amusing that a lot of the "coffee is bad so i don't drink it" types will happily guzzle caffeinated soda and/or tea all day long.

firesign

To repeat: Everything in moderation.

onesix18

For those of us with ADD stimulants are essential to function normally. I've hooked to Diet Pepsi most of all. Not much into Coffee.
When I take my meds (Adderall and Provigil) I really don't crave diet soda for the duration of time the meds work.
Caffeine is a 'dirty' stimulant, hence the peripheral nervous stimulation. Nicotine is in the same category too.

Jeff

JeffinVA

I like my coffee so strong I need a spoon to drink (eat) it. If someone says something about my habit, I threaten to get spider-monkey all over their a**.

z974647

Why exactly do I need to defend that I drink coffee? Everyone has some vice - food, cigarettes, alcohol, sugar, TV, etc. And if they don't, then they're sure as hell not worth emulating.

Colage

How do I defend my (1.5 to 2 pots/day) coffee habit?

"Nothing else goes so well with my cigarettes."

If that doesn't work: violence. Persuade with extreme prejudice.

egosub2

For those of you who drink coffee to ward off headaches. Do you know why you get those headaches in the first place? It's because caffeine has created a physiological dependency in your system that wasn't there in the beginning (i.e. before you started drinking coffee). Listen, in moderation coffee is ok, but it's not necessary at all! Our bodies and minds were built to last only on water and the food we eat. Read the book "Caffeine Blues." You will never look at coffee the same way again!

coffeehtr

Yes there are some positives, but don't forget that it also affects your blood pressure (i.e. the silent killer). Make sure you get your blood pressure taken semi-regularly if you drink a lot of caffeine.

sonstone

For one, I have narcolepsy. Coffee > expensive, experimental drugs, and works almost as well.

For two, I like coffee for its own warm, tasty self. Sure I keep some caffeine pills in my purse for emergencies, but they're only as much caffeine as a coffee. What amuses me is when people down stuff they dislike (like Red Bull) which has less of the good stuff than coffee, or pay more for special "headache" formulations of brand name drugs (secret ingredient = less caffeine than a cup of coffee), or my personal fav, turn down a cup of coffee for a shot of espresso because "they need the extra kick".

sarahlboyd

I make myself skinny lattes when I'm at home; they're my day's indulgence. Having a latte instead of, say, something actually bad for me, has really helped me lose weight. You could say it's been my proxy addiction.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Natnie

At the risk of TMI, I'll just note that coffee can effect the prostate. It doesn't take much coffee before my prostate is spasming. Very unpleasant. And I'm only 36.

Considering that the treatments for prostate problems generally involve surgery on rather sensitive parts, this may be a good thing to keep in mind.

Oddly, diet pepsi doesn't have this effect on me.

(Women of course can ignore this advice, apart from concern for the coffee-drinking males in your lives.)

JHendry

Coffee, I love it. It just doesn't love me.

When I was growing up my mother used one of those clunky percolators (I'm not sure if you can even buy them these days).

Every morning it filled the house with a drolling aroma. But it tasted like cacca.

When I grew up, I went in search for the beans that fit the smell. Then, for years I belonged to a coffee bean club. Heaven.

But now? Hours after, I'm hungry and bitchy. And I mean BITCHY.

So sadly (after many years fighting against taking action), I've switched to green tea. Mostly. There are those occasions when I just HAVE to get something done. Or when I just HAVE to have a taste of coffee. Like now. After reading this post.

But I suffer. And so do others around me.

Off to drink some coffee ...

thecatat

@glass:

I too have had heart palpitations for quite a while. Looking for possible causes, I recently started looking in possible relations with food intake. After some time I stumbled upon the fact that a magnesium deficiency can cause heart palpitations, anxiety, etc.

[www.ctds.info]

I've started taking some supplements (200mg, 67% of daily recommended dosage and freely available) and I must say that a few weeks later I do really feel better. Yesterday I had a palpitation or two.. but those were the first in over a month!

It might be a coincidence, but causes of stress have pretty much remained the same.

I would recommend doing a Google search for 'magnesium deficiency' to discover just how important magnesium is for a well-functioning body.

"After oxygen, water, and basic food, magnesium may be the most important element needed. It is so vitally important, yet hardly known. Magnesium is by far the most important mineral, activating over 300 different biochemical reactions, all necessary for your body to function properly." [1]

What drains the body of magnesium?

"Mental stress, coffee, sugar, high sodium diet, alcohol, cola-type sodas, tobacco, high perspiration, medical drugs of all types, low thyroid, diabetes, chronic pain, diuretics, a high carbohydrate diet and a high calcium diet."

[1] [www.absolutelythepurest.com]
(I've got no affiliation at all with this product!)

Disclaimer: although it's pretty harmless stuff which, as far as I have read, is even hard to overdose on: please consult your medical specialists how a suggestion like this would combine with your medicine usage.

@fourte3n:

I completely agree. I stopped drinking coffee cold turkey almost one year ago. The first few things were not easy, but now I just know that I do not need coffee to wake up or something. The addiction is indeed only distracting.. but I've got to admit that I do sometimes miss the taste of a good cappuccino. :)

Why did I quit? Just like glass I did starting getting more and more heart palpitations and an anxious feeling after drinking coffee. I also noticed that, although my mind was racing faster, it was only in a 'tunnel vision' way... like a muscle car that can only go very fast for a small, straight section of road.

I really feel like I've become much more creative and open to seeing alternative ideas now.

Coffee == Fooling yourself.

There's almost no extra energy in the coffee beans themselves... they just trigger your body into a light fight/flight-like reaction.

ethanethan

@dronnac: Yeah, I'd probably be more worried about people sucking down energy drinks. Tried those a couple of times when I was dating someone who lived pretty far away, just to stay awake for the drive, and never again.

drjayphd

@ReknapS: To hint that I'm less productive than my coffee drinking coworkers is absurd.
Agreed! I think coffee drinkers see that they are less productive without coffee and assume that those who never drink it are in the same boat.
I've never had a problem with concentration or alertness, and I've never enjoyed the flavor or coffee--even coffee candies and ice cream--so I see no point in wasting money on it.

kala_way

I think this was discussed on a previous lifehacker post, [lifehacker.com]

BTW, I still stand by yerba mate. Too bad there isn't enough awareness about it in the US. Weird how Americans are so slow to pick up on this stuff (and yes, I'm American)...

AKthe47

@normanm4: lol u win the internets today.

wring

I quit drinking coffee when I got pregnant but when I started living with a coffee drinker, it's downhill from there. I tried quitting but I gave up. I've also moved on from ground prepacked coffee to grinding my own beans. I keep it at 1.5 cups a day though so I should still be good.

wring

Caffeine Does nothing for me. No alertness, no hangover like effects. You could brew me the strongest cup at 3 a.m. . I would go right to sleep. Give me a Cran-Grape Juice, or a cup of water and I'm wide awake. Maybe its because I'm so used to it? but I gave up caffeine for lent, so lets see if it has any adverse effects . ( none yet)

Bilbs

I've been on both sides of the caffeine/coffee fence. I had my first cup of coffee at age 21. I love the taste and find that used in moderation, caffeine can be very helpful. Caffeine is a drug, like aspirin or alcohol, and as with any drug, it should be used responsibly, which is great because it's a free country.

There are times during which unexpected events (a late-night emergency) cause me to get less sleep than my body wants, and when that happens I find that a cup or two of coffee in the morning before work really helps me stay alert and functioning well at the office.

It's a balance, and I love having coffee available to me when I need the boost.

kermit4karate

I'm not big on coffee anymore, we used to be friends, but coffee and my stomach had a disagreement and I got caught in the middle - so we can't hang out anymore.

I am however, still a caffiend... and then some.

Mr Tea pitties the fool who doesn't know his greatness. I drink between 4 and 10 cups of tea a day, a couple of sugar-free red bulls, and usually some a can or two of pepsi max (sugar free, extra caffinated pepsi) - and I keep a bottle of 100mg caffeine supplements in my bag most of the time.

I'd like to cut down - but i've already given up drinking, recreational narcotics and casual sex with backpackers. I need -something- to get me through.

Scootah

Simply put, I really can take or leave coffee (have done so several times in my life) and I like how it tastes. Having quit smoking Dec. 26th after 18 years, I really could less than a frog's fart about what piddly old coffee is doing to me. I've fixed the major threat to my health, thanks.

68newyorker

@longbourne: Maybe you should, unless you aren't tired at all.

OmegaRed59

Drinking coffee may be not a good idea, because caffeine may decrease human growth hormone and testosterone level, resulting in repair and sex functions decline.

SKalitenko

Coffee is basically irrelevant to your health. All this is wasted breath. Coffee is in heavy use and thus gets people reading and writing, so it plays on common fears, misconceptions, etc., and gets an inordinate amount of attention.

But it's laughable that there are so many discussions, posts, research projects on coffee while ignoring the obesity epidemic, the effects of partially hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup that have invaded the human diet, etc.

swagv