5 Vitamins and Minerals Caffeine Affects

Many of us are on comprehensive, complicated vitamin and mineral regimes to maximize our health and flood our organs with beneficial nutrients. You've done your research, discovered what you should be taking, and are feeling a little better than you were before. Maybe you've still got some symptoms that just won't leave, or a fatigue that hits you like clockwork at mid-afternoon. What gives? Why aren't the supplements giving you the vibrance and energy that everyone else seems to have?
You may be sabotaging your own results. How?

Caffeine. Coffee, tea, chocolate, energy drinks, and even medications contain caffeine. We love it, no doubt: more than 45 million pounds of the odorless powder is taken by Americans per year. It gets us going, lifts our mood, lowers blood pressure, and may even boost a workout by lending our bodies extra energy. However, numerous studies are illustrating that caffeine robs our body of the nutrients within the food and supplements we consume. Imagine taking 4 vitamin capsules per cup of drip coffee you drink to put your health in perspective: this only ensures you receive half of the vitamin content that is stated on the label.
It is imperative to not only recognize which nutrients you need most to maintain a healthy mind and body, but to also be aware of how these nutrients are being used after you take them. Are they simply flushed out with your morning latte, or are they absorbed with your dinner? Should you take your vitamins at night, in the morning, or during lunch? Which vitamins are affected by caffeine, and which ones are not?

Here are the 5 most common vitamins and minerals that are negatively impacted by caffeine:

B Vitamins
All B vitamins contain mood lifting and metabolism boosting benefits for your body. Unfortunately, they are used up quickly and are water-soluble. This means that they travel through the water in your cells, which is why they are so efficient and give you noticeable results rapidly. Caffeine is a diuretic, and it flushes out water in your body much faster than what you normally operate on. Many people who take B complex supplements like Tri-B-100 notice that they have brightly colored urine. The bright color is due to the presence of B vitamins. Naturally, the caffeine inhibits your maximum absorption of B vitamins, so it is important to recognize if your B complex supplements are just being flushed down the toilet (literally).

Iron
Iron contributes to blood health and is one of the most important minerals for circulatory health and wellness. Many anemia sufferers do not even realize that their coffee and tea consumption is hindering any iron absorption. Vegetarians understand the importance of iron intake as well and supplement through outside sources or liquid supplements. Caffeine latches onto iron and prevents the body from utilizing it. If your coffee and tea habits are preventing mineral absorption, then it is imperative that supplements like Energizing Iron are taken an hour before or after consuming caffeine.

Zinc
Just like iron, zinc is another mineral that is negatively impacted by the presence of caffeine in the body. When caffeine is floating through the bloodstream, it latches onto zinc (just like it does with iron) and makes it much more difficult for the body to use it. The polyphenols, tannins, in caffeine are the culprit here. They are promoted as an antioxidant, which eliminates the effects of free radicals and stress on the body. This is great for protection against disease and degenerative issues, however it may prevent you from utilizing important minerals like zinc for necessary biochemical processes.

Vitamin D
Caffeine intake and bone loss are related: because caffeine robs the body of beneficial minerals, the bones are unable to use them. Over time, daily caffeine consumption can lead to brittle and weak bones. Osteoporosis, osteomalacia, and fractures have been medically linked with caffeine consumption and inadequate mineral intake. Taking an abundance of vitamin D supplements to proactively diminish the effects of caffeine on the skeleton is a smart idea. Jarrow's D3 5000 contains a high amount of the bone-strengthening vitamin.

Calcium
Calcium acts as the sidekick to vitamin D and bone production. Caffeine limits and negates any calcium you consume by rapidly excreting it through urine. Just like vitamin D and bone disease are connected, calcium is another aspect of this issue. Caffeine consumption has been associated with low calcium in the diet, so it is important to monitor calcium intake to prevent losses that develop into bone disease.

What can I do to prevent vitamin and mineral loss?
Take vitamins with a meal: Many people can easily remedy their vitamin loss by taking supplements with a larger meal like lunch or dinner. Since coffee and other caffeine-containing beverages are most commonly drank before 3 P.M., keeping your vitamins in a pill case to take with lunch will ensure that all of the benefits you're paying for are available for your body to use efficiently.

Limit caffeine consumption or add replacements: Being without adequate nutrients can place your body under high stress to produce enough energy each and every day. One of the best ways to immediately repair any losses your body may have been operating under is to lower your caffeine intake. If you drink 3 cups of coffee before noon, try to drink just one and see how you feel. It's just as warm and comforting to steep a rich and spicy herbal tea, such as chai tea, which contains no caffeine and still boasts the rich depth and earthy flavor coffee has. Reducing the amount of caffeine you take in each day is easy. Over time, your body will naturally produce energy from the vitamins and minerals it is able to utilize that can get you through any day!

Drink, eat, repeat: If you just can't kick the cup of joe, take a supplement that requires 2 or 3 capsules daily to ensure that you're absorbing throughout your day. Even if your first supplement is significantly hindered, the second or third capsule will likely be taken with a meal and more contents will be absorbed in the bloodstream. By taking a vitamin or mineral that is needed a few times a day, you are actually changing how often your body receives nutrients. This ends up giving the body more to work with at once, and nourishes internal systems. Just like you need an intake of food throughout the day to keep you going, your organs need the same kind of attention as well.

By becoming aware of what may be impacting your wellness journey and taking the right steps to avoid these issues, you take charge of your health. These tips are only one aspect of your nutrient knowledge; learn more and explore what vitamins and minerals you may be missing out on-- caffeine or not!