In my humble opinion, there is nothing like a warm mug of coffee on a chilly winter morning. The taste, aroma and warmth cannot be beat. Generally felt to be one of the safest habit-forming indulgences, it does carry some health risks. Caffeinated coffee increases heart rate, blood pressure and can precipitate abnormal heart rhythms felt often as skipped or extra beats known as palpitations. Rarely, it can cause a fast and potentially dangerous rhythm that can lead in susceptible patients to heart attack and/or stroke. Coffee can cause tremor (shaking), anxiety and insomnia, and also increases the risk of ulcer and acid reflux disease. Irritable bowel syndrome, or spastic colon, is frequently aggravated by coffee, and coffee can precipitate a migraine headache.
Despite these and other less frequent side effects, I am willing to assume some risk to enjoy a cup (or two) of my favorite all-American beverage…coffee…..Richard R Samuel, MD Family Practice and Urgent Care Hayden, ID USA
