Many people drink coffee, but few people know how useful it actually is. Caffeine not only invigorates and improves mood, it affects the condition of the skin, breaks down fats, relieves swelling. What else does caffeine do and is it possible to overdo it?
The debate about whether coffee is harmful to health has been serious and far from the first decade. The stimulating properties of the drink have been known for a long time, but the culprit of this effect – caffeine – was discovered only two centuries ago by the German chemist Friedlieb Runge. It was he who isolated the crystallizing substance from coffee beans and gave it the appropriate name.
Claims about caffeine are surprisingly based on the same thing as praise. It stimulates the cardiovascular, digestive and nervous systems – this makes it a real natural energy and a good help for digestion.
In addition to a burst of vigor, a cup of coffee brings other beneficial results – for example, it increases the level of dopamine, which improves mood and increases efficiency. This explains the popularity of coffee among office workers, and the indispensable picture of a happy start to the day in the advertising of coffee manufacturers.
However, here, as in many things in life, the dosage is important – it’s worth overdoing it, and instead of feeling great, we get an overload: sweating, tachycardia, and even shortness of breath and tinnitus. In general, not pleasant.
Coffee is rich in antioxidants that neutralize free radicals that cause aging in the body.
It also contains a lot of important trace elements: B vitamins, potassium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium and calcium, plus essential fatty acids. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and is believed by some researchers to help combat the effects of stress.
But the possible carcinogenicity of coffee has not been proven, so the accusations that this drink contributes to the development of cancerous tumors were dropped.
The main effect of caffeine is the effect on the amount of the “conductor” substance, which activates stimulating processes in cells. And for this property, he is also loved in the cosmetic industry. When a product with caffeine is applied to the skin, all processes are activated in the cells, especially those that were previously slowed down.
Caffeine also shows itself very effectively in anti-cellulite products and to combat flabbiness and lethargy of the skin.
The caffeine molecule is quite small, so it is able to penetrate relatively deeply into the skin – for this, caffeine-containing extracts (for example, green tea or matte) are loved to be added to the formula of cosmetics against puffiness, cellulite, dull complexion and age-related changes.
This ingredient can often be found in products for the eye area, because it not only helps to remove swelling that has already appeared, but also prevents it in the future. Caffeine is also very effective in anti-cellulite products and for combating sagging and lethargic skin.
It enhances the process of splitting fat, has a lymphatic drainage effect and strengthens cell membranes, which leads to an increase in skin elasticity in general. In medical gels and creams, it also often acts as a venotonic – restores the quality of blood vessels, prevents their fragility.
For the ability to stimulate the synthesis of cholesterol, caffeine is sometimes added to cosmetics for dry skin – so its protective layer is restored faster and more efficiently. For the same reason, it is also added to the means to combat age-related changes, among which dryness is far from the last.
Despite the many benefits of caffeine, using it too hard is not a good idea. In large quantities, it can irritate the skin, especially sensitive. If this trouble happened, it is worth putting the product aside for a while and switching to soft, soothing and restoring cosmetics.
As soon as the skin comes to its senses, you can again gradually return caffeine to care, paying attention to the reaction from the epidermis.