Coffee May Give You a Boost In Productivity

Coffee May Increase Your Productivity

Coffee is loved by many and hated by others. There are studies saying that it is not good for you, and your dentist tells you that it stains your teeth. Unfortunately, we do not hear enough about the positive effects that coffee can have on our lives. Increasing productivity is one of the most common effects. 

What is productivity? What we can get done over a period of time? Most of us have  had days where we are thinking, "Wow, normally I would have so much more done by now." Sometimes we just don't have the motivation or willpower to achieve higher levels of productivity. This is where a stimulant like caffeine (found in coffee) can help us. Coffee does so much more than just act as a stimulant however. 

Improved Energy Levels

As mentioned above, drinking coffee often helps us feel less tired and more energized. This is because of caffeine, the most widely used stimulant in the world. When the caffeine reaches your blood stream, it is carried to your brain. It blocks the neurotransmitter adenosine. When this happens, other neurotransmitters increase such as norepinephrine and dopamine. This affects our mood, energy, reaction times, and cognitive functions.

Boost Metabolism

What is the best way to burn fat? It begins by increasing your metabolic rate. Caffeine can boost your metabolic rate by as much as 3-11% according to some studies. Caffeine can boost fat burning specifically by as much as 25% in come people. This explains why almost every supplement for burning fat contains caffeine. Drinking coffee consistently for a longer term can also reduce the fat-burning effects. 

Improved Physical Performance

This stems from combining what we learned in the previous two points. For starters, when your body fat begins to break down, this creates free fatty acids. These fatty acids act as fuel for the body. The caffeine also releases epinephrine in the body. This is also known as adrenaline, which gets your  body ready for physical exertion. With the fatty acids available as fuel to feed this physical exertion, you end up with an increased capability of physical performance. So maybe drinking that cup of coffee before going to the gym is not such a bad idea.

Contains Nutrients

There is a surprising amount of nutrients in just a single cup of coffee. One cup contains around 11% of the daily recommended intake of Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2. You also get 6% of you daily recommended Vitamin B5, known as Pantothenic Acid. It also provides you with 3% of your recommended Manganese and Potassium, as well as 2% of Magnesium and Niacin. These might not seem like a lot, but if you drink several cups a day, then they add up pretty quick. 

May Reduce Your Risk Of Ailments

There are a number of studies that show a link between drinking coffee and a reduced chance of getting certain diseases or ailments. One such example is that studies show a 23%-50% lower risk of getting type 2 diabetes for coffee drinkers. Another study shows a 65% lower chance of getting Alzheimer's disease. Parkinson's disease is caused by the death of dopamine-generating neurons. Caffeine is proven to help reduce the risk of Parkinson's because of the stimulation of the dopamine neurotransmitters. Other studies show that coffee may help protect your liver, make you happier and fight depression, as well as potentially lowering your risk for certain types of cancer.

While there are still debates about certain aspects of consuming coffee being unhealthy, there are definitely proved benefits associated with its consumption. How much coffee, if any, do you typically consume on a daily basis? Let us know in the comments. I usually have around 3-4 cups.