A scientist has warned that drinking your coffee first thing in the morning could result in one problem.
According to researcher Dr Nina Rzechorzek, from the University of Cambridge, drinking your coffee too soon can be “unhelpful”. The body naturally produces cortisol, a stress hormone that is designed to wake us up in the morning.
Dr Rzechorzek says coffee can spike the levels of cortisol in the body. This can in turn create an “unhelpful spike in alertness”, which she says can increase your tolerance to coffee and ultimately lead to a dependence on caffeine.
READ MORE:I quit ultra-processed food 15 months ago — 3 foods I can't live without and 5 I'll never eat again
READ MORE:Eating one fruit could 'extend life by up to five years' and ward off dementia
According to Dr Rzechorzek, the best time to drink coffee is slightly after you wake up. Although, studies into the best time to drink coffee have yielded inconclusive results.
Speaking to The Times, Dr Rzechorzek said: “Some evidence suggests that waiting just a little bit after you've woken up? Maybe an hour before your first cup might be advantageous."
Sleep expert Rex Isap, from Happy Beds, previously told BristolLive that waiting before having your morning coffee can help you feel the benefits more. He also says waiting an hour before your first brew is beneficial.
He explained: “When it comes to the ideal time to have your first coffee, we might tend to reach for the kettle as soon as we wake up. Ideally, however, you want to wait an hour before waking to truly reap the benefits.
"When we wake, our cortisol levels are at their peak. Cortisol, often associated with stress, enhances your alertness levels. So, drinking caffeine while your cortisol levels are already high can work against this or even help with gaining a tolerance for caffeine."
A 2008 study found that consuming caffeine on a daily basis meant healthy young men and women saw a reduced cortisol response. Recent studies have suggested that drinking coffee in the morning could also have anti-inflammatory effects.
Research from the European Heart Journal found that people who drink coffee in the morning, as opposed to at intervals throughout the day, could live longer. It concluded: “We found that coffee drinking timing was associated with all-cause mortality risk and cardiovascular-specific mortality risk independent of the amounts of coffee intake.”
However, a study from the British Journal of Nutrition found that drinking a large black coffee first thing in the morning can also have a negative impact on your blood sugar levels throughout the day. It said: “Following a night of disrupted sleep, individuals should balance the potential stimulating benefits of caffeinated coffee consumption with the potential to increase postprandial glucose excursions.”
What does the NHS say about caffeine consumption
According to the NHS , we should drink caffeine “in moderation”. It says: “Some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others, depending on how much they drink and how often. Check the label for drinks that are high in caffeine.”
However, the health service says pregnant women should consume no more than 200mg of caffeine a day. It adds: “This could increase the risk of miscarriage or low birth weight.”
