HEALTH EFFECT OF DECAFFEINATED COFFEE...

  According to "Nutritional Sciences," many studies show that
decaffeinated coffee is not entirely caffeine-free, although most
brands have at least 90 percent less compared with their
caffeinated counterparts. Decaffeination is often done with
chemicals that leach the caffeine out of coffee beans, although the
process is never 100 percent efficient. As such, drinking large
amounts of decaf coffee each day can lead to caffeine side effects.

  According to "Biochemical, Physiological and Molecular Aspects
of Human Nutrition," caffeine affects your brain, cardiovascular
system, sleep cycle, metabolism and a variety of glands and
organs by disrupting neurotransmitters of the brain and adrenal
hormones. Further, caffeine has addictive properties that lead to
physical dependence and withdrawal symptoms, and it has a
diuretic effect on your body, which can cause dehydration.
  Your blood and most of your tissues are alkaline, or basic,
because they operate most efficiently in a nonacidic environment.
  Further, alkalinity deters the growth and proliferation of many
pathogenic microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and
parasites, according to "Fungal Infection." Both decaf and regular
coffee are highly acidic beverages, especially if you use lots of
sugar or artificial sweetener. Chronic consumption of both types of
coffee puts your body into an acidity crisis, which forces it to
liberate alkalizing minerals from your bones to maintain the proper
pH balance. Over-acidity is an important cause of osteoporosis,
arthritis and calcification of blood vessels and tissues, according
to "Human Biochemistry and Disease." Many commercial coffee
manufacturers use Robusta beans to make their decaf blends,
which is a highly acidic type of bean. As such, decaf coffee
consumption is associated with heartburn, stomach ulcers and
digestive problems.
  In addition to the acidity side effects, both decaf and regular
blends of coffee raise your risk for certain diseases, such as heart
disease, atherosclerosis, high blood cholesterol, rheumatoid
arthritis, glaucoma and possibly even cancer, according to
"Nutrition and Public Health." Robusta beans contain a much
higher content of diterpenes, which are fats that increase
triglycerides in your bloodstream and elevate circulating liver
enzymes. Chlorogenic acid is found in both caffeinated and decaf
coffee and is believed to raise plasma levels of homocysteine,
which damages blood vessels and eventually leads to
atherosclerosis, or hardening of your arteries.
  The decaffeination process uses the solvent methylene chloride,
which often leaves residues within the coffee beans. Methylene
chloride is a known carcinogenic that is toxic to your lungs,
nervous system, liver and mucous membranes, as cited in the
"PDR Guide to Drug Interactions, Side Effects, and Indications."
Repeated or prolonged exposure to methylene chloride can
increase your risk of cancer. Even "natural" decaffeination
methods use ethyl acetate, another solvent that can have serious
health consequences in large amounts. Ethyl acetate is found in
trace amounts in some fruit, which is why companies can claim
their coffee is naturally decaffeinated coffee.