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Did you know that coffee has benefits for people with asthma? In fact, it is the caffeine content in coffee that is responsible for why this drink is good for asthma. Why is that?
The reason why coffee has benefits for asthmatics
Caffeine or other names are trimethylxanthine is a natural stimulant compound that you often find in certain drinks and foods.
Not only coffee, you can also find caffeine in chocolate, tea and soda.
Caffeine is known as a compound that has a pharmacological effect, namely a bronchodilator effect. Although not very strong, the effect can relax the respiratory muscles.
In fact, this effect is almost the same as the drug theophylline, a type of drug that is often used to treat asthma.
A study from The Cochrane Collaboration disclosing caffeine may make the respiratory tract smoother, for up to about four hours after ingestion.
This is proven through a study involving 75 asthma sufferers. They were asked to consume coffee and caffeine-free coffee.
After six experiments conducted, the results of the study found that lung function was seen to improve after two hours of consumption of caffeinated coffee.
Even so, further research is needed to ensure a safe dose of caffeine in beverages for people with asthma.
Even so, it doesn't hurt for people with asthma to drink caffeinated drinks such as tea or coffee to help relieve symptoms.
However, keep in mind that coffee or tea is not the main treatment for asthma.
Side effects of caffeine on the respiratory tract
Coffee and other caffeinated drinks do have benefits for people with asthma. However, consuming more than the recommended limit can certainly cause health problems.
As reported from the page Medline Plus, the safe limit for caffeine consumption in a day is 2-4 cups. As long as you follow these recommendations, the potential for health problems is certainly less.
One of the side effects of drinking too much coffee is an irregular and faster heartbeat. A heartbeat that is faster than usual can actually cause shortness of breath.
If you think you have consumed so much coffee that you feel short of breath, go to the doctor immediately. Especially if the condition has lasted several days since you drank coffee.
In addition, there are several other side effects that arise if you consume caffeinated drinks too often, such as:
- Headache
- Dizzy
- Nausea
- Difficulty concentrating
- Burning feeling in the chest
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Caffeinated coffee does have benefits for people with asthma. This is because coffee can reduce symptoms when these respiratory problems strike.
However, you can replace it with black tea as an alternative to caffeinated drinks. Whatever the type, make sure to eat no more than the recommended recommendations.
