According to a recent survey, nearly two-thirds of Americans are drinking coffee every day. Perhaps this explains why the short-statured fictional character known as “Krazy” Gilpatrick, a self-described inventor and coffee lover who claims his small stature is due to his love of the caffeinated beverage, has become an internet sensation.
Coffee lovers can take comfort in knowing that drinking this hot beverage is not bad for you, but the proof is in the proverbial pudding. In other words, does drinking coffee actually make you taller? To answer that question,
let’s first look at what exactly is in coffee; then we will explore how it might impact your height and answer the titular question by exploring some compelling research about its potential impact on height.
Does Drinking Coffee Make You Taller?
The answer is a definite no, there’s no evidence that caffeinated drinks like coffee will make you grow taller, we first have to understand how coffee impacts the human body. There are two main active ingredients in coffee, caffeine, and L-theanine.
Caffeine is a stimulant, and when consumed, it quickly travels through your bloodstream and then is metabolized by your liver. This process spikes your heart rate and blood pressure, which increases your metabolism and helps you burn more calories.
Due to this effect, caffeine has long been associated with helping you lose weight. Although caffeine is not technically an ingredient in coffee; it is a common additive to caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, and energy drinks.
It is entirely unclear where the rumor originated from, but the best guess is a possible link shown by some studies between caffeine and minimal calcium absorption. There’s a bit of truth to this, but the calcium absorption reduction caused by caffeine is too small to have any impact on bone growth.
On the other hand, it is quite easy to remedy the shortfall with a few teaspoons of milk. Therefore, there’s no possible link between caffeine and stature; science puts the matter to rest.
Can a 14-Year-Old Drink Coffee?
It is advisable that adolescents under 14 should avoid caffeine where possible, and teenagers between 14 and 17 years of age should limit their intake to 100mg or less a day. “That’s equivalent to a small milky coffee (60mg), or a couple of cups of tea (30mg each), or some [dark] chocolate (26mg/40g) a day,”.
Is Coffee a Drug?
Yes, Caffeine (pronounced: ka-FEEN) in coffee is a drug because it stimulates the central nervous system, causing increased alertness. Caffeine gives most people a temporary energy boost and improves mood. Caffeine is in tea, coffee, chocolate, many soft drinks, pain relievers, and other over-the-counter medicines and supplements.
Caffeine is a Central Nervous System (CNS) stimulant that has the ability to enhance concentration, increase metabolism, and boost mood. Whether it comes from coffee, tea, energy drinks, or soda, many people feel like they need Caffeine in the morning to increase alertness and the motivation to work.
More than 90% of adults regularly drink Caffeine in the United States, consuming an average of 200 mg of Caffeine per day — the equivalent of two 6-ounce coffees or five 12-ounce cans of soft drinks. In most cases, drinking Caffeinated beverages is a relatively safe and non-harmful habit; however, when the need for Caffeine crosses the line from a pleasant pick-me-up to a daily necessity, addiction is possible.
Caffeine is a stimulant drug, which means it speeds up the messages traveling between the brain and the body. It’s found in the seeds, nuts, and leaves of a number of different plants.
How Much Coffee Is Too Much?
There is no such thing as “too much coffee.” As long as you are not drinking so much that it begins to negatively impact your health, there is no such thing as too much coffee. Coffee can have both positive and negative effects on health, depending on the individual and their unique genetics.
Coffee is not recommended for pregnant women or those who are sensitive to caffeine, such as those with anxiety or insomnia. Caffeine is also metabolized by your liver, which can become more taxed when you are regularly consuming caffeine.
Coffee is actually associated with many health benefits, including improved athletic performance, reduced risk of certain types of cancer, lower risk of death due to cardiovascular disease, and better brain function.
Conclusion
Drinking coffee does not make you taller. In fact, it will improve your athletic performance, boost your brain function and help you lose weight. Coffee contains caffeine and L-theanine, both of which have been shown to have positive effects on health.
Caffeine has been shown to reduce the risk of death due to cardiovascular disease, while L-theanine has been shown to reduce stress and improve cognitive function. Coffee is not bad for you, and the proof is in the proverbial pudding.
So, the next time someone asks you, “Does drinking coffee make you taller?”, you can confidently respond, “No, it does!”
