Drinking coffee could improve your reaction to moving targets , according to a study to explore the effects of ingesting caffeine on dynamic visual acuity conducted by researchers from the University of Granada (Spain) and the University of Waterloo (Canada).
The researchers concluded that caffeine increases alertness and the moving target detection accuracy . Caffeine also improved the reaction times of the study participants.
Visual acuity, also known as clarity of vision or acuity of vision, refers to the ability of a person to detect and recognize small details . Visual acuity provides information on how we interact with our surroundings.
There are actions that we pay attention to the detailed information of moving objects when making decisions. Daily tasks such as driving, cycling or playing sports.
“Much of what happens in our environment is moving, as try to cross a busy intersection as a pedestrian or find something on a shelf while walking through the aisles of a grocery store, ”said Dr. Dalton of the School of Optometry and Science Waterloo.
In the study, half of the study participants ingested a caffeine capsule (4 mg per kg of weight) while the other half ingested a capsule of placebo. Dynamic visual acuity skills of each participant were measured before and 60 minutes after ingestion of caffeine .
“Our findings show that caffeine consumption may actually be helpful for a person’s visual function by improving alertness and sense of wakefulness,” said the Dra. Dalton.
Previous research has found that low doses to moderate caffeine (50 – 300 mg) may increase alertness, energy and ability to concentrate , while higher doses may have negative effects such as anxiety, restlessness, insomnia and increased heart rate, as shared by the Harvard School of Public Health.
Moderate coffee consumption not only increases the state of alert, can also offer various health benefits.
Moderate coffee consumption is considered between three and five cups per day . The suggested caffeine intake for a healthy adult is up to 400 mg of caffeine. An 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee contains approximately 95 mg of caffeine. Pregnant women should consume less than 200 mg of caffeine per day, the amount in 2 cups of coffee.
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