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Jul 23, 2006
Health problems relating to caffeine
by SirGan
 Proven fact is that around 90 percent of Americans consume caffeine in some form every single day. And more than half of all American adults consume more than 300 mg of caffeine every day, making it America's most popular drug by far. There are several forms of caffeine and it comes in from things like coffee, tea, cola, chocolate, energy drinks etc… Everyone should know that Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant, having the effect of warding off drowsiness and restoring alertness. Caffeine has been in foods that humans eat and drink for hundreds of years. Beverages containing caffeine enjoy popularity great enough to make caffeine the world's most popular psychoactive drug. It is important to point out that the caffeine can be consumed in several forms, though the highest percent of the drug comes in the form of coffee. Coffee comes in at 54% of total caffeine consumed and tea at 43% with the remainder coming mostly from chocolate products.Different sources of caffeineIt is important to know that caffeine is an alkaloid found in numerous plant varieties. The most commonly used are coffee and tea.
Everyone probably knows that the world's primary source of caffeine is the coffee bean, from which coffee is brewed easily. Although it depends on the variety of coffee bean and the method of preparation used- in general one serving of coffee ranges from about 40 mg for a single shot of Arabica variety espresso to about 100 mg for strong drip coffee. Coffee also contains trace amounts of Theophylline, but no Theobromine.
Tea leaves is also another common source of caffeine in many cultures. It should be pointed out that tea generally contains somewhat less caffeine per serving than coffee, usually about half as much, depending on the strength of the brew, though certain types of tea. Tea contains small amounts of Theobromine and slightly higher levels of Theophylline than coffee.
Everyone also knows that caffeine is also a common ingredient of soft drinks such as cola and that it is originally prepared from kola nuts. Soft drinks typically contain about 10 mg to 50 mg of caffeine per serving. The caffeine in high energy drinks either originates from the ingredients used or is an additive derived from the product of decaffeination or from chemical synthesis.
Not too many people know that chocolate derived from cocoa also contains some amounts of caffeine but it is a weak stimulant, mostly due to its content of Theobromine and Theophylline.
Common caffeine effectsEveryone knows that caffeine can boost energy temporarily, and make a person feel more awake and ready for the day. Chemically- caffeine is:
It is important to remember that consumption of caffeine does not eliminate a need for sleep!
Caffeine as a medicationAlthough not too many people know about this-caffeine is really sometimes used in combination with medicines to increase their effectiveness. Some of those medications are ergotamine in the treatment of migraine and cluster headaches, or with certain pain relievers such as aspirin or acetaminophen.
Not only that- for several years now- it has also been used to overcome the drowsiness caused by antihistamines. Breathing problems in premature infants are sometimes treated with caffeine, which is available only by prescription in many countries.
Caffeine and addictionThere is no doubt- everyone is familiar with the fact that coffee has been heavily criticized for the fact that its caffeine content is addictive and unhealthy. Is this really true- that’s the real question? Most of the experts now believe that it's like many things in life: if you drink coffee with moderation, it can actually be beneficial. Coffee drinkers do not require increasing amounts of caffeine over prolonged periods of time (characteristics of addictive substances) and they can moderate or change their consumption with no difficulty. The caffeine contained in coffee will give you a significant boost of energy, provide you with an increase in performance for more tasks and also help you stay awake during drawn out tasks such as long distance driving… Other group of experts are saying that caffeine is definitely addictive because there are some serious withdrawal symptoms!
Possible side effects of caffeine
Several researches done in the past have came to the data that the minimum lethal dose of caffeine ever reported is 3,200 mg, administered intravenously. Although achieving lethal dose with coffee would be exceptionally difficult, there have been many reported deaths from intentional overdosing on caffeine pills.
There are 4 caffeine-induced psychiatric disorders and they include:
Symptoms of caffeine intoxication include:
In extreme cases:
It isn't difficult to assume that, because caffeine increases the production of stomach acid- high usage over time can lead to peptic ulcers, erosive esophagitis, and gastro-esophageal reflux disease.
Caffeine withdrawal symptomsThe most important proof that caffeine is addictive is presence of caffeine withdrawal symptoms! It is proven that regular caffeine consumption reduces sensitivity to caffeine. Reasonably- when caffeine intake is reduced, the body becomes oversensitive to adenosine- which leads to sensitiveness, blood pressure drop, excess of blood in the head and headache.
This headache, well known among coffee drinkers, usually lasts from one to five days, and can be alleviated with analgesics such as aspirin.
Often, people who are reducing caffeine intake report:
Caffeine and pregnancySeveral researches tried to prove that caffeine is causing some mal-formations in fetus, and that it may reduce fertility rates. Of course- nothing of this was proven and these reports have proved controversial. What is known? It is known that caffeine does causes malformations in rats, when ingested at rates comparable to 70 cups a day for humans. Many other species respond equally to such large amounts of caffeine. It is also important to know that one recent study found a weak link between Sudden-Infant-Death-Syndrome (SIDS) and caffeine consumption by the mother, which reinforces the recommendation for moderation-possibly even abstinence.
Avoiding the jittersAlmost everyone has experienced jitters- the nasty side effects from drinking caffeine which would really interfere with some normal everyday activities! Several experts said that quick tip to avoid the jitters and severe withdrawal symptoms is to keep caffeine intake fairly steady. If you are looking to lower your caffeine intake from coffee, do it gradually over a course of a week or two.
Most experts suggest that, if you haven't started drinking coffee yet, you should try it once in a while when you start feeling tired and enjoy its great taste. If the taste is what keeps you away from the hot drink, try one of those cool mocha lattes.
Heart health, Cancer and CaffeineSeveral studies done earlier have came to the possible link between caffeine consumption and heart disease as well as certain cancers, especially breast cancer. Of course- much more better and recent studies have shown no support for these links, what so ever. While it is proven that high consumption of coffee may cause a slight increase in blood cholesterol, there is no indication of direct harm.
Weight Loss and CaffeineThis is one very good news for weight loss enthusiasts because caffeine increases the caloric burning rate. This caloric burn rate is even greater with exercise. The caffeine seems to make body fat more readily available as fuel to exercising muscles.
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