Several research and trials have shown that caffeine can have an effect on a person’s alertness and performance efficiency on tasks that require attention, energy, and better mood. Since caffeine is a natural stimulant, it acts as a catalyst that energizes the brain and the central nervous system. As a result, your alert level increases and the feeling of tiredness may be prevented or delayed.
It’s no wonder people rely on coffee to stay awake and be more attentive. As such, more and more products utilize caffeine in their formula and composition. A quick scan at grocery aisles will make you find various caffeinated foods and drinks such as coffee, green tea, energy drinks, sodas, and dark chocolate.
Caffeine gum, for example, is consumed mainly by athletes to boost their performance. But, of course, non-athletes also enjoy this gum simply because it’s easy to carry around and they can eat it any time of the day.
Benefits of Caffeine Gum
If you’re one of those people who consume caffeine gums, you’d be surprised to know that it actually has several health benefits. Some of these surprising health benefits are:
- May Improve Brain Function
Research shows that caffeine is capable of blocking adenosine, a signaling molecule that changes how the brain functions. Given the effect that caffeine has on the brain, it can affect memory, cognition, sleep, and learning. Additionally, research about caffeine gum shows that even doses as little as 40 mg per intake can already produce altering effects on various brain functions.
Suppose you’d take the time to look into some of the most popular caffeine gum brands in the market. In that case, you’ll see that a piece would usually contain at least 50-200 mg of caffeine, which means that chewing a piece of gum may already produce desirable results, especially if you’re consuming the candy for similar reasons.
- May Increase Energy Levels
Caffeinated gum was initially intended for military use. Soldiers used to chew the gum to keep them alert and awake in the field. Over the years, the health benefits of caffeine gum made their way to the sports scene. Higher doses were seen as more effective to improve the energy levels of athletes, like cyclists, endurance runners, and rugby players.
Moreover, if your favorite caffeine gum has Vitamin B, you won’t only get increased energy levels but also a boost in metabolism. Research shows that B-Vitamins are the ones responsible for ensuring that the bodily cells are well functioning. If you have healthy cells, the body will efficiently convert food into energy, boosting metabolism. Brain cells are also maintained to improve mental functioning and decrease fatigue, ensuring that you have maximum energy level at all times.
So, if you need a quick energy booster but don’t want to grab a bottle or can of energy drinks, you can simply keep a few pieces of caffeine gum in your pocket.
- May Boost Physical Performance Faster
When you consume caffeine products, the adrenaline or epinephrine levels in the blood increase, preparing the body for vigorous physical exertion. However, that’ll typically take a certain amount of time before the caffeine levels peak after ingestion. In capsules, for example, the spike of energy or alertness could take anywhere from 45-60 minutes after taking them.
Whereas if you’re to chew caffeine gums, quicker absorption is expected because the chemical no longer needs to pass through the liver to get filtered out from the blood. Hence, the desired results could only take 5-10 minutes after ingestion.
Aside from boosting physical performance, caffeine gum may also exercise tolerance, which means that athletes and other physically active individuals can increase exhaustion time when doing rigid activities or working out.
- Protects The Teeth
This may be another surprising health benefit of chewing caffeine gum. Provided that the brand you choose is sugar-free, caffeine gum can protect the teeth from cavities. Additionally, the ingredient xylitol, which is a chemical compound usually found in sugar-free gums, helps prevent bacterial growth that’s known to cause bad breath and tooth decay.
Furthermore, chewing any kind of gum, especially after a meal, can increase saliva flow. The increased saliva helps wash away food debris and harmful sugars from the food you eat. Although chewing gum won’t substitute for flossing and regular brushing, it’s one good way to keep the mouth clean and fresh.
Final Thoughts
Caffeine intake is a part of most people’s lives as they wake up in the morning and do any other activities throughout the day. It’s popular as a drink, but, nowadays, it evolved to reach out to more consumers. That’s why you can see different kinds of caffeine-based products in the market, one of which is caffeine gum. It’s not just created for chewing alone since it has several surprising health benefits that you can take advantage of.
