If you’ve ever wondered why, you always seem to feel incredible at the end of a hike, no matter how exhausting the hike might be, there is a scientific explanation for it, and it’s not just exercise-related.
At the heart of the matter is how alcohol interacts with our body on a cellular level. When alcohol is metabolized, it's converted into a substance called acetaldehyde, a toxic chemical that can damage DNA and prevent cells from repairing this damage. This is what lays the groundwork for cancer to develop, as acetaldehyde toxicity encourages cells to begin to grow uncontrollably.
When methylation goes wrong, or is unable to occur at all, it's like throwing a wrench into a into the gears of a well-oiled machine. In other words, without methylation, optimal health is impossible to obtain.
Like any loan, there's an interest to be paid. Every surge of alertness you feel after caffeine has borrowed from your body’s bank of energy, needs to be repaid as well. By stimulating the adrenal system, caffeine prompts the release of stress hormones like cortisol[3]. Over time, excessive caffeine consumption can strain the adrenals, leading to symptoms like fatigue and irritability, which coffee lovers might recognize as a "caffeine crash."