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Claim: An Instagram user, @theobergmann, posted a video claiming that coffee kills, it is a psychoactive drug, neurotoxic to brain cells, retains heat in the body, and kills the adrenal glands.
Verdict: DUBAWA’s investigation found that two of the three claims lack scientific backing. While caffeine, which is found in coffee, is technically classified as a psychoactive substance, coffee is not neurotoxic, nor does it kill adrenals. Moderate consumption offers several health benefits, including reduced risk of neurodegenerative diseases.
Full Text
An Instagram user, @theobergmann, claimed in a video that coffee is harmful to the brain and body. The video, which has garnered over 8,000 shares, 6,000 comments, and 400 reposts, described coffee as a “psychoactive drug” that is “neurotoxic to brain cells” and “kills adrenals.”
The video drew mixed reactions in the comments. One user, @ricoshetjawnseen, dismissed the claim, saying, “Coffee is good for you. I’m 98 years old, still drinking coffee 3X a day and am still alive.”
Another user, @officialsamirbannout, noted, “That’s if you abuse it. My grandfather lived to 107 and drank coffee daily until he got hit by lightning… so coffee isn’t bad if you drink plenty of water and don’t exceed 400 mg per day.”
Others disagreed with the post’s extreme tone. @anbalkumis commented, “Is there anything in this world healthy to consume? I don’t agree with this guy! Everything in moderation is key.”
Meanwhile, @davinci_medical, who identified as a health professional, countered the misinformation, saying, “Coffee is NOT a neurotoxin and it doesn’t ‘heat up’ your brain. Caffeine simply blocks adenosine receptors (the chemical that makes you feel tired), which boosts alertness and focus. Research even links coffee drinking to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.”
Verification
Claim 1: Coffee is a psychoactive drug
Verdict: True
Coffee contains caffeine, a natural stimulant that affects the brain’s functioning. It blocks a chemical that makes you feel sleepy, so you feel more awake and alert. Because it alters how the brain functions, caffeine is technically classified as a psychoactive substance. The Alcohol and Drug Foundation clarifies that caffeine’s effects are mild and safe for most adults when consumed in moderation.
Supporting this view, Emmanuel Oyebamiji, a dietician and researcher at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, dismissed the claim as false and unscientific.
Emmanuel said, “In coffee, we have caffeine, and caffeine itself is a psychoactive stimulant. It acts on the brain by blocking adenosine receptors, reducing fatigue, and increasing alertness. That’s how caffeine actually works in the body.”
Dietician Shoretire Michael noted that while caffeine, the active compound in coffee, can act as a stimulant and increase alertness, it does not mean coffee is harmful to the brain or adrenal glands. “If he wants to talk about caffeine as a stimulant that generates heat, well, one can agree to an extent, but it must be proven,” Shoretire said. “Coffee can be decaffeinated, which is good. It’s actually a high-scoring antioxidant. It’s not only coffee that contains caffeine; other teas do as well.”
He said only people with certain medical conditions, such as hypertension, should be cautious about caffeine intake. “It is the caffeine-containing coffee that people with hypertension should avoid. If it is a genuine decaffeinated coffee, there’s no problem, it’s good, no cause for alarm,” he explained. “Individuals should work on their psychological status and know their stressors. It is not coffee per se. Except someone is just sensitive to it, which is understandable.”
Claim 2: Coffee is neurotoxic
Verdict: Insufficient Evidence
The term neurotoxic means something that harms brain cells. Research shows that coffee may help protect the brain from diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s when taken in moderate amounts. A 2021 study from the University of South Australia linked heavy coffee intake (over six cups daily) with smaller brain volumes and a higher dementia risk, but researchers emphasised that this shows correlation, not causation.
Similarly, research from the University of Basel found that caffeine can cause temporary, reversible changes in grey matter volume that do not imply brain damage.
Emmanuel said that moderate coffee intake does not cause neurotoxicity or harm brain cells. “When coffee is used under normal circumstances, it does not cause neurotoxicity to brain cells,” he explained.
“Moderate coffee consumption between one and four cups per day is considered safe. Research also shows caffeine might have neuroprotective effects, lowering the risk of Parkinson’s disease and cognitive decline.”
He, however, warned that excessive consumption could lead to temporary side effects such as insomnia, anxiety, or heart palpitations.
“High doses of coffee can cause insomnia, heart palpitations, anxiety, or temporary overstimulation of the nervous system,” he said.
Claim 3: Caffeine in coffee kills the adrenals and retains heat in the brain
Verdict: Misleading
The adrenal glands, located above the kidneys, produce hormones like cortisol and adrenaline that regulate stress and alertness.
Caffeine can temporarily stimulate the adrenal glands, increasing cortisol and ACTH levels, according to studies published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. However, there is no evidence that caffeine harms or “kills” these glands.
A follow-up study confirmed that caffeine increases cortisol secretion during waking hours, demonstrating its short-term stimulatory effect on the body’s stress hormones.
The Endocrine Society clarified that “adrenal fatigue,” a popular explanation for supposed caffeine-related exhaustion, is not a real medical condition and lacks scientific basis.
Addressing the claim that coffee “retains heat” in the brain, Emmanuel explained that caffeine only stimulates metabolism and blood flow, which can make a person feel warm and alert, not overheated.
“Caffeine only increases body metabolism and blood flow, which may make you feel warm and more alert,” he said. “It does not necessarily retain heat in the brain. The heat feeling is more like stimulating the central nervous system, which increases heart rate, not body temperature.”
Conclusion
While it is true that caffeine is a psychoactive compound, there is no scientific evidence that coffee is neurotoxic or damages the adrenal glands. On the contrary, moderate coffee consumption, up to 400 mg of caffeine per day (about 4 cups), is considered safe. It has been linked to several health benefits, including improved cognitive performance and reduced risk of certain diseases.
