When a headache starts to appear, some people reach for a cup of coffee. The doctor explains whether this really makes sense and what his “ideal solution” is.
When your head hurts and throbs, you want to pull the blanket over your head. Or have a cup of coffee. For many, it is a proven home remedy for headaches.
A doctor reveals whether the caffeine it contains really helps with dizziness.
Can coffee help with headaches?
For tension headaches and migraines, coffee and the caffeine it contains are known to relieve pain. Many headache pills also contain caffeine. What is better for a headache – taking it or drinking a cup of coffee?
“It's a matter of dosage. To relieve a headache, you need 100 to 200 milligrams of caffeine. If you translate that into a cup of coffee, that's 30 to 60 milligrams. To meet your needs, you'd have to drink two to four cups. So the ideal solution is is a combination of classic painkillers, such as paracetamol, ibuprofen or aspirin, and coffee,” says general practitioner Elena Alexandrova especially for MedicForum.
Be careful: taking painkillers too often – that is, more than 10 days per month – can lead to excessive headaches.
Can coffee cause headaches?
The caffeine contained in coffee can cause headaches under certain circumstances. For example, frequent consumption makes caffeine addictive, leading to headaches if you stop drinking it again.
Another possibility is that high caffeine consumption increases urine output and leads to a lack of water in the body. Lack of fluid often causes headaches.
Other beneficial properties of coffee
“Coffee is a beverage rich in chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid and kahweol, bioactive compounds that help fight free radicals. This action may prevent early aging, cancer, depression and diabetes.”
Coffee contains high amounts of caffeine, a compound that stimulates the central nervous system, helps fight depression and improves mood, mental and physical well-being.
Preventing depression
Coffee contains high amounts of polyphenols, which fight free radicals and reduce inflammation in the cells of the central nervous system. It can reduce anxiety and improve your mood, preventing bouts of depression.
Coffee consumption is also related to lifestyle and social habits.
“This can lead to increased contact with other people, which promotes overall well-being.”
Helps with weight loss
Drinking coffee may help with weight loss because it can temporarily control hunger, which reduces the desire to eat.
“Coffee has thermogenic properties that increase energy and fat burning, which may promote weight loss. Drinking 300 mg of caffeine per day burns about 79 calories of energy.”
Earlier, MedicForum wrote about signs of thrombosis in the legs.
Important! Information is provided for reference purposes. Ask a specialist about contraindications and side effects and under no circumstances self-medicate. At the first signs of illness, consult a doctor.