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Caffeine Facts
Photo Credit: Jason Wilson
- A police officer in Alaska has invented a combination of caffeine and lip balm.
- An inventor in Durham, NC has perfected the recipe for a caffeine-infused doughnut or bagel.
- The number of 18-to-24-year-olds who drink coffee daily has doubled, from 16 percent to 31 percent.
- Energy drinks like Red Bull and Cocaine, with several times the buzz of a can of Coke, have mushroomed into a $3.5 billion-a-year industry.
- Children's consumption of soft drinks has doubled in the past 35 years, with sodas supplanting milk.
- A 2003 study of Columbus, Ohio middle schoolers found some taking in 800 milligrams of caffeine a day -- more than twice the recommended maximum for adults of 300 milligrams. (Learn how to cut back on caffeine intake.)
- Test subjects dosed with the amount found in a cup of coffee come out ahead on problem-solving tasks.
- By triggering the release of adrenaline to help muscles work harder and longer, caffeine so clearly enhances athletic performance that until 2004 it was considered a controlled substance by the International Olympic Committee.
- The latest findings on coffee suggest that it even staves off disease. Caffeine reduces the risk of Parkinson's disease, for example, by blocking receptors for adenosine, a neurotransmitter that plays a role in motor function. It is now being tested as a Parkinson's treatment. Caffeine also heads off migraines by contracting blood vessels in the brain.
- Coffee, like blueberries and broccoli, contains potent antioxidants. It appears to reduce the risk of colon cancer, gallstones, and liver cancer, among other illnesses.
- In 2005, Harvard researchers found that drinking six cups of coffee or more daily cut the risk of getting type 2 diabetes by half in men and 30 percent in women.
- One study of 80,000 women showed that those who drank more than two or three cups of coffee daily reduced their risk of suicide over 10 years by a third.
- The young adult crowd who favor caffeine with their alcohol appear to be putting themselves at some risk, too. According to Mark Fillmore, a psychologist at the University of Kentucky, "Caffeine seems to restore the speed of your behavior but not the accuracy." This gives a whole new meaning to "The Quick and the Dead!"
- "Coffee culture" has become so much a part of American culture that 36-year-old Starbucks, once considered a gourmet's treat, now boasts 9,401 stores nationwide and has focused growth on economically struggling neighborhoods far from the yuppified precincts of its early success.
First, I think it is safe to say that very few people who use caffeine really know the pros and cons and how to use it appropriately.
Second, I know almost no one who thinks about their use or abuse of caffeine.
And finally, it made me think twice about my single morning cup a few days per week.
Related Topics: Technorati Tags: sleep, caffeine, health and wellness
123 Comments:
Its funny to think of caffeine as a drug but I know that I get a high from it...and a terrible headache when I don't drink it.
I consider my cup of coffee in the morning to be one of my top pleasures in life and would be loath to give it up.
Do differeent people handle caffeine in different ways? How much can a thin 40-year-old woman drink without problems?
caffenie makes me tired within an hour after drinking it. soda with caffenie,will relax me. there are alot of people that have this reaction to caffeine.
I love my cup of coffee...but, as I have gotten older I don't like the feeling after 2 cups of coffee. I feel much better if I go for a walk and exercise to get my energy high!
all caffeine does is wake you up its not a drug at all..... people act like its meth or cocaine
I used to drink tea breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with little effect, but I have discovered within the last few years (I am now 51)that same heavy consumpion has begun to give me abnormal heartbeats, and I only drink tea, or caffenated drinks in the morning or when I am going to be active.. I also discovered cutting down on my caffeine intake has cut down on any headaches I used to get when I did skip caffeine, and I feel much better subsituting water for caffeine laced drinks..
coffee is absolutely my morning starter. cant imagine life without it.
drink tea, it's better for you than coffee... and don't forget to by fair trade!
well no, it's not a "drug" but it can have the same kind of effect on you when it comes to withdrawals. Your brain is use to it... take it away & you feel horrible!
Didn't anyone read the "good" things caffeine provides? Protection from Parkinson's, boosts problem solving, etc. My cup or two most days just taste's good to me, I don't get a boost or the jitters, and isn't the caffeine in coffee the same as in tea? Or is it a different kind of caffeine? I hear that all the time.
I try to use commonsense. At age 54, I've cut back to 1-2 cups of freshly brewed black coffee in the morning. I love the taste and feel no guilt!
I use caffeine as a way to alleviate my migraines. Tea works best, also some headache pills tend to have a good amount of caffeine in them.
I am very adamant about watching my caffeine intake. Aside from all the negative side effects I read about, I know from personal use that it will give me a REALLY CRAZY BUZZ for about 4 hours (this is from one medium sized coffee with sugar substitute), then I come down and need a nap. If I take in too much caffeine, it will give me horrid headaches, nausea and other unsavory stomach upsets, dizziness, the shakes... bad stuff, IMHO.
I have heard that caffeine can leach calcium from bones which is not good for older people, espcially women. I saw nothing mentioned about this in your article. Maybe this should be investigated further before highlighting the benefits of it.
The moral of this story?
Everything in moderation...
for everyone who thinks caffeine is not a drug, you must not go out of your way to get it in energy drinks, pills or coffee like I have to
What's wrong with caffeine?
I am a fit and healthy 30 year old female. I have only been fit, happy and healthy since beginning nightly treatment with Xyrem, following my narcolepsy diagnosis just 3 short years ago. Xyrem basically induces the restful sleep that I cannot elicit by any natural means. Within days of achieving my first-ever bouts of restful sleep, I discovered that I am actually horrendously sensitive to caffeine---WHO KNEW?? It turns out that I am part of the subpopulation of slow-caffeine metabolizers. It affects me so profoundly that if I have a cup of tea past 3PM, the quality of my sleep is markedly diminished, and my narcolepsy symptoms return. (Also: nowadays, too much caffeine turns me into an anxious, snappy, irritable monster--and I'm a really nice person!!) My point is that when I was chronically exhausted, there was no way to discern just what an added burden I was placing on my body by pumping myself full of so much caffeine. I wish I had known that this was probably amplifying my cycle of stress and chronic infections and other illness! I cannot help but belive that there are probably many thousands of people who doing the same thing to themselves, even if it's to a less extreme degree. And I believe that it has a direct connection with our epidemic of "ADD" since I, too, was supposedly "ADD" when everyone refused to believe I had narcolepsy. How can a child who never gets a proper night's sleep possibly concentrate?
It helps my headaches too, but I try not to have more than a cup a day. I was told it is bad for your hearing and causes cysts and tumors...just some advice from medical associates!
You know every drug has it's pros and cons. I think caffine is like any other drug...It depends on the individual as to what kinds of benefits or drawbacks there will be. I know that I have cut back on my coffee and I have gained 50 lbs and I am already morbidly obese. My doctor was the one who told me to do it and said that caffine broke down into carbohydrates in the end and was a concern. Well I guess she was wrong!! It is funny drugs you just never know!!
Sweet Neena
I drink a considerable amount of Diet Coke every morning, all befpre 10 am. It just gets me going for the day. I'm miserable without it. I also suffer from excruciating migraines. My medicine, among other things, contains caffeine. If one strikes and I don't have access to my meds, I drink something with caffeine to help ease the migraine.
I have Fibromyalgia and CFS, (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). More than 1 cup of coffee at a time upsets my stomach but I hate being so tired that I can't do the simplest things, so I have been taking Vivarin, ( 200 mg. caffeine tablets), several times a day, every day for several years. I just recently told my Dr. because I never really thought it was a big deal before. He just said you should not take those but never gave me any reason. What are some of the harmful effects if any? I am a 46 yr. old Female that has to stay as active as possible. I have other people depending on me to take care of them.
I am a "night" person, so have difficulty getting out of bed in the morning. But smelling the coffee, which I set for automatic brewing, greatly helps me get up [momentarily], get a cup of coffee, go back and sit in bed...and mentally and more easily get going when I finish that first cup.
This report says nothing in simple english. Lot many ambigous sentences - like i will think twice to make more morning coffees per week blah blah. I also wonder whether this is a part paid by a caffeine soft drink manufacturer mentioned.
Is coffee proven by any reputed and reliable research team to be Helpful in reducing Cancer or heart diseases or diabetes?
I was driking coffee for 40yrs. One day I went to the Dr.,and she said that I have high blood presser so if I wanted to drink coffee that I could only have one cup a day.
I enjoy my coffe anytime of the day. Even late at night, it does not keep me up. I look at it this way, if enough studies are done , everything we eat or drink woould be considered bad for us. I do not think a survey of 8000 is very large to base stats on. My small home tiwn is bigger thatn that. So just eat or drink in moderate and I think we all will survive.
When I was in college I never drank coffee, but I did drink a lot of caffeinated sodas and I used caffeine tablets so much my nickname was “No-Doz.” My first job after college required me to work 100+ hour weeks, so I started drinking coffee pretty much non-stop throughout the day. By the time I was in my late 20s, I would get horrible headaches every Sunday. I finally figured out that I wasn’t drinking coffee on weekends, and by Sunday was going into caffeine withdrawal. So I started consuming enough caffeine on Saturday and Sunday to prevent the headaches. By the time I was forty, I was drinking a couple of 64-oz. Diet Coke Thirstbusters or Big Gulps a day. My doctor told me I needed to cut down or eliminate altogether my caffeine intake, but I was too hooked to be able to do so for very long. Then, five years ago, I joined the Mormon church, and stopped taking caffeine as a matter of faith. I had to go through withdrawal – I had headaches and was cranky and crabby for awhile, and reminded myself of people who quit smoking cold turkey – but after a few weeks I was through it. I found it interesting that Mormons had known for over 170 years that alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, and for that matter, too much red meat, were generally not good for one’s health. People who say that caffeine isn’t a “drug” usually mean that they don’t think it’s a harmful drug, but no reasonable person can deny that it is indeed a drug. And before anyone responds saying that Mormons have irrational beliefs about caffeine, I want to point out what several people have already implied in their comments: Drugs can be beneficial or harmful, depending on how they’re used. I know Mormons who generally eschew caffeine, unless it is prescribed by a doctor for a specific medical reason. But for junior high students to be ingesting over two and a half times the maximum amount of caffeine recommended for adults, is irresponsible and unwise.
they also make caffeine gum
caffeine doesn't phase me at all. i can survive without it in the mornings, or drink three cans of soda and roll over and go to sleep. i also get terrible migraines, and caffeine doesn't help them, either.
I'm a 70 yr old type II diabetic from Louisiana. I grew up on coffee with chicory. I usually have three or four cups of coffee in the morning and another one or two cups during the day. I can drink a cup before going to bed and fall asleep quickly. I can go without coffee without getting headaches. So, I guess it all depends on your metabolism. I hope the antioxidant part is true!
It would seem that there will always be those people who are vehemently against anything that makes one feel better and/or happier physically, mentally or emotionally. Almost as if obtaining these positive results from something like coffee or tea (or even nutritional supplements)is somehow "against nature" and therefore "evil."
Where is THAT written?
We are all constitutionally unique and are entitled to use our Free Will. I say that it is up to each individual to decide what to put in his or her body, and as long as it isn't illegal or harmful, if it makes you feel better just go for it!
OF COURSE CAFFEINE IS A DRUG! It can cause heart problems in sensitive people! It is also used to calm down hyperactive (ADHD) kids and adults...
I had to cut out most caffeine due to anxiety that occured when I was driving. No fun, I literally thought I would pass out!! Caffeine also causes that lumpy tissue in your breasts. And I have Meneire's Disease (dizziness with ringing in my ears) and caffeine is the main culprit there as well. When I eliminated 90% of the caffeine I was drinking, all of these symptoms went away. Now, I have one cup of 50% regular and 50% decaf each morning, that seems to keep my symptoms under control and I can still experience the wonderful taste and mini-buzz each morning.
I recently developed gout and caffene definately increases the pain of a gout eppisode whether it is the cause of the attacks I am still not sure
I have fibromyalgia,CFS and restless leg syndrome and have attributed the RLS to the amount of caffeine I ingest during the day. Recently I got hooked on bottled ice tea, so in addition to a cup of coffee in the AM I have an average of two to three bottles of tea. After cutting back the RLS did too. Testing the theory, I tried again with more caffeine and was disappointed to find my legs jumping a few minutes after retireing for the evening. Am I alone in this finding?
CAFFEINE, in Part:
A Heterocyclic compound that, like other alkaloids, has marked physiological effects.
It occurs in coffee beans, tea leaves, kola nuts, cacao, maté, and guarana and in the products made from them. Its stimulating effect on the central nervous system, heart, cardiovascular system, and kidneys makes it medically useful in treating respiratory depression caused by overdose of barbiturates, morphine, or heroin. Its positive effects can include improved motor performance, decreased fatigue, increased alertness, and enhanced sensory activity. Excessive caffeine can produce irritability, anxiety, insomnia, and potentially serious symptoms such as heart irregularities and delirium. Much of the caffeine included in many over-the-counter stimulants, cold remedies, and painkillers has been extracted during production of decaffeinated coffee and tea.
http://concise.britannica.com/ebc/article-9359465/caffeine
I have been treated for High Blood Pressure for over 20 years. My blood pressure is successfully controlled with medication. I have discovered that too much coffee causes heart palpitations. I, therefore, reserve this pleasure to one day a week; drinking several cups until I have my fill.
Two cups of coffee a day makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise ...
I have low blood pressure. I used to black out, fall, and often, really hurt myself. My doctor recommended that I drink anything with caffiene and also eat products with sodium. I haven't blacked out recently. My head bumps! I still get low blood pressure. I know that it is low when if I stand up or bend over and then straighten up again, my vision fades to all black. I get very dizzy and need something or someone to grab a hold of for balance until things return to normal. Like all things, there are good points and low points. Use your heads!
I used to drink 2 pots of coffee plus per day as a truck driver. I developed exploding head syndrome. I stopped the caffeine and the problem went away. If when youare about to go to sleep and you get a big jolt stop drinking caffeine.
I love coffee! When I was 4, I lived on an Indian Reservation in OK. Every morning at around 5:00 am
my grandmother would boil her coffee on a woodstove and give me a small cup. That was 63 years ago. It tasted good then and it tastes good now. The only difference now is that the coffee runs thru me quicker-but it remains my favorite drink.
I drink 1-2 cups of coffee a day. I've tried to give it up but I found myself to be more ditzy than ever! My concentration was horrible!
I prefer caffeine in non-diet soda; coffee is "empty calories," that is, it revs your engine on an empty tank.
I gave it up last week, caffeine that is, as I am in my 50's and am taking care over my irregular heartbeat; caffeine gave me palpitations. There are anti-oxidants in plenty of other foods and drinks. It does smell great in the morning, though, but I don't miss it, so I guess I was not an 'addict' to caffeine.
If you wanna get down, get down on the ground, "Coffee,"..... She don't lie, she don't lie...Coffee... ummm ...Coffee...!!!!
Frankly I think WebMD readers are putting way too much energy into this post. If you read the preamble, this is nothing more than a regurgitation of information included in a US News Report magazine. You could have extracted the same info on your own, but WebMD wouldn't have published it because you don't have the DR. symbol in front of your name. Now DR. Breus can claim the attribute of being published in WebMD. Frankly I expect a lot more "fact" and a lot less drivel from WebMD, therefore, I am disappointed by their publication of this article. As info I have been drinking 10-15 cups of coffee per day for 40 years, spread throughout the day. I fall asleep within 2 minutes even after having a cup. I know the effects am aware that caffeine is a stimulant, but I also recognize the signs that I have had too much within a defined period. Enjoy your coffee but become aware of how it affects you.
menopausal Mama
Coffee stimulates my brain in the morning, but after noon, it will interfere with a good nights rest. I also have fibromyalgia and need to keep moving during the daytime or the pains are worse.
Please look up What Dr. Gary Null has to say about the research of caffeine. Caffeine along with sugar, and alcohol, are oxidants that create free radicals and a ph of acidity that can cause inflamation of the blood, resulting in immune defiency diseases such as arthritis, lupus, etc.
MJK71 says,"I have drank coffee for 36 years. It's the best way for me to get going in the morning and stay running all day."
Always remeber that everybodys body is different and won't react the same.
Take care of all you.
I have been drinking five cups of tea every day regularly--a tea bag soaked in a cup of boiling water, and havent suffered any adverse effects. Here is something that will interest everyone: there are times when I cant go to sleep in the night-- so I get up and have a cup of tea with biscuits, and IT PROMPTLY PUTE ME TO SLEEP! Maybe tea bags dont contribute to that much caffeine. So caffeine addicts can switch to tea and try it!!
Priya Nath Mehta, Himalayas, India
I am a 66 years young grandmother of 16. I have respiratory problems. I drink 5 to 6 cups of coffee and can crawl in bed and sleep like a baby. In many medical reports regarding asthma it states that caffienated coffee can ease asthma symptoms and can be used when you don't have access to theophylin. When I use my inhalor I follow up with a cup of hot coffee and the combination of the two really helps break up the tightness and congestion in my lungs, better than either one by itself. OOPS, gotta run, time for another cup of my favorite refresher-hot coffee!
Its better than any happy pill I have tried. When I need a boost for mood adjustment, exercise enhancer or just pure enjoyment I have a cup of expresso with soy.
Nutrition for the mind, body and soul.
So far, I didn't read anyone who has my comment: when I'm caffine free (at least 2 days) I can run without peeing. Caffine causes my bladder to be spastic and it releases almost without my being aware of it. This is the my #1 reason for giving up caffine. I'm in my 50's and like to run 3+ miles several times a week.
I would like to see the source of the so-called "Facts" about caffeine. How about posting some real accurate data. Yup, a cup a day for sure will not cause problems and I think that it will help my precious bod survive.
Any time one quotes facts, the source should be verifiable and scientifically accurate.
Frankly, it is the Elixir of the Gods (and Goddesses). I love coffee. I can relate only one experience of note -- was deployed to Egypt 20 years ago; in staging tent for 3 days without benefit of coffee pot; terrible headache & could not put my head anywhere to ease the pain; fellow soldier took my Army instant coffee, chocolate powder, cream, sugar & mixed it with bottle of water; within 3 minutes, I was myself again and no pain!! Cut my wrists, I will bleed coffee. I am about as healthy a 60 yr old woman as I know, have the energy of much younger gals, and am happy with a cup of coffee in my hand.
My mother introduced me to coffee, along with chocolate in my bottle of milk, when I was a year old. I have started my mornings with one or two cups of coffee all my life. I believe it to have something to do with my good health, since it is the one thing that has never changed in my diet.
Diabetics should be aware that coffee can raise blood glucose levels and not drink evern coffee before an A1c test.
caffeine can cause kidney stones the pain from a kidney stone is horrible believe me i have had 10 kidney stones
When I get up, fantastic, I am alive, then 2nd joy of life, two cups of coffee. Only two a day and that is it.
I love a Starbucks Triple Tall Latte - in fact it is almost time for them to open! I am 54 and drink 2 a day, and have for quite some time. No problems! I also take Excedrin Migraine for my migraines that work if I catch them quick enough. I would much rather take those than the Max-Alt or Imitrex, which make my throat really sore. My grandmother is the one who started me drinking coffee when I was young. Her coffee was strong - boiled on the stove, as opposed to a percolator. She is turning 104 in 3 months, and does not even have high blood pressure. Maybe too much caffeine?
Well, it does make me pee. Other than that, I can't find much value in it.
I have been drinking coffee for almost 40 years. Before that I drank a lot of ice tea. Caffeine has never caused any problems with me and it also did not prevent me from getting diabetes. My wife has epilepsy and has been drinking pepsi and coke for years. It also does not effect her. As Gladys stated anything and everything effects different people in different ways. To state that caffeine is bad or good for you is to state that milk is bad for you. Every few years another report on coffee comes out, one stating that is bad for you and the next saying it is good for you. It all depends on who is doing the study.
My husband and I gave up caffine about ten years ago now because he was getting heart problems and the doctor blamed caffine. (My husband did drink 15 cups before breakfast!!!) We went through withdrawal that took about a week. It was a headache, like no other, pills didn't help it. The pain also felt like our heads were wrapped in cotton wool. Then the withdrawal was over. Life looked wonderful. We went onto decaf for years but now mainly have infusions - especially camomile. At first, the herb teas are a bit yucky but after a while they are wonderful. I suggest it is better to buy the more expensive ones rather than the Twinnings 'coloured orange peel' with flavourings.
I drink four or five cups of tea or coffee. I used to drink caffeine in my drinks but they would make me nervous and my heart would skip beats. I don't use caffeine any longer and my problems have disappeared
I'm originally from Germany, were people love to drink coffee,(among other European countries) including me. I love the flavor coffees. I love the smell and taste of coffee.
I figure they always say that you will die of something out there, so I might as well enjoy my coffee, 1 cup a day. Not everyday in the Summer, but in the Winter I drink it every day :-)Sometimes I just need that extra pick me up in the mornings, taking care of 3 infants, and being 51 yrs. old.
Hank Aaron didnt use steroids he probably just drank tons of coffee !
Caffeine is contained in Tea as well. So to all of those who find caffeine of value I say try Tea or a simple Tea bag or two. It ought to do just as well without any trouble and plenty of benefits from the additional ployphenols.
Rob Wijesekera Ph.D.
I think if I stopped drinking coffe, I could get killed in a auto. accident in the morning 6 am rush.....jm
Once, during a move from VA to NY, U-Haul loaded, and closing deadlines between the two homes, someone suggested this for the all night drive ahead of me: at the gas station, buy a cup of coffee and a can of Red Bull and drink them simultatneously. It worked liked this person said, giving me four hours of alertness that got me to the driveway of my new home by 7AM. However, I wouldn't recommend it if you're so dogged tired as to risk falling asleep at the wheel. Nothing replaces the need for an urgent snooze...not even caffeine.
caffeine in moderation is probably safe for some people. Others may become more susceptible to migraine headaches, abnormal heart rhythms, high blood pressure, early pregnancy miscarriage, etc. Bottom line is, you need to speak with your doctor if you feel you may need to kick your habit, or conversely, upregulate your caffeine intake!
I used to drink 1-2 cups of regular coffee every morning, but after switching to decaf my overall health have improved and headaches are gone!
If you have Heart problems one should avoid caffeine,e.g. coffee,soft drinks,etc. Caffeine will increase your heart rate which could lead to a heart attack in people with heart problems.
Caffeine is a drug, people who say no either work in an industry that uses caffeine or they own stock in a coffee or soft drink company or are just brain dead from to much caffeine.
Everybody reacts to caffeine differently. You have to pay attention to your reactions, and adjust your dose, time of day you take it, etc., or just not drink it every day.
The article also states: "Caffeine also heads off migraines by contracting blood vessels in the brain." Sure, this can be good for some migraine sufferers, but other people have worse migraines, or find them triggered, by caffeine.
Also, that "contracting blood vessels" part isn't all good news for everyone: less blood flow in the brain can make some people stupider. It has that effect on me sometimes.
Some studies find decaf has much of the same positive effect on diabetes as regular coffee. It would be nice to know if decaf is also helpful for the other things--Alzheimer's, etc.
I drink up to 6 cups of coffee an hour with 2 to 4 teaspoons of coffee per cup and sleep about 2 hours a night when I'm lucky. I do admit I can not survive without my coffee.As a single Mum with a terminally ill special needs child I don't have a choice unless I want to put him in respite, a place full of strangers, NO THANKS.
I drink 4 cups of coffee with chicory daily .Cannot sleep take a cup, and sleep like a baby in 5 minutes.Sick, take a cup of black cofee with brandy, and sleep it off,been doing that for 50 yaers, in Singapore.
I am a 48 year old lady and to be honest coffee does not boost me and always have a cup of coffee before going to sleep.
I take one No-Doz every morning (A pill that contains 200mg of caffine). I also have bipolar disorder, I've noticed that the No-Doz really helps my mood and I'm more alert during the day. I don't feel guilty about taking it. Hey it's cheaper that coffee and it doesn't make my stomach hurt like coffee does.
Am I missing something? I reread the article three times, and don't really see any "cons" of caffeine listed. Except maybe that middle schoolers are already drinking lots (!), and don't drink it drunk. Not to say caffeine doesn't have cons, but I don't see them listed here!
2 to 3 cups of coffee can help reduce suicide in women? I'll make sure to have some coffee with my mood stabilizers and antidepressants!
These facts don't really address the negative issues of caffeine consumption. Did StarBucks write it? Caffeine reduces type 2 diabetes simply because it supresses appetite. Not good if you're already under-weight. And what about stunting growth, withdrawl symptoms, and the caffeine crash?
I am not a coffee drinker,never was however, I did taken caffeine pills for years. I had to recently stop..(4 years ago)
I have a disorder called dystonia (which is in the Parkinson's family but not as deadly)When I drink anything with caffeine it makes my tremors that much worse. I don't buy what they are saying about the neurological aspects it can have on you.
I have to watch all the caffeine drinks now.
On the other side of this report..my hubby is a truck driver and has been for 35 years. He consumes coffee and has for the 29 years of marriage.
When getting some life insurance lately age 61..he was found to be 1 step below a ti athletic. We about fell off the chair from laughter. He does nothing to help his body in the gym etc. however is main constant has been the coffee drinking!! (He is not over weight at all either)
I am surprsed that this was mot mentioned, coffeineis a laxative and the hot wato is a stool softener together COFFEE. My wife has GI proglems and all tests are normal so all the doctors prescribed were laxatives and she was gettin addicted so I took over and she is drinking 1 cup daily and 1 cup water as hot as u can stand and it works better. I am 54 and have been drinking 2 cups a-day all my life and my health is good and my doctor attributes that to coffee. JUST BE RESPONSIBLE AND DO NOT OVERDO IT. Years ago I tried to switch to tea and could not live with with myself after 2 weeks.COFFEE MAKES THE BRAIN WORK BETTER AND LEARNING THINGS FASTER I LEARNED THE COMPUTERMYSELF ALONG WITH COMPUTER REPAIR, LAW, MEDICINE, BUILDING MANAGEMENT & LEASING, AUTO MECHANICS AND KNOW-ONE TAUGHT ME yes i did go to college afterwards to refine my skills COFFEE IS THE BET IN MODERATION
I have always been told migraines are a neurological, not veinous headaches, therefore how would caffeine help?
Cafe? Love it!
Drink it 24/7 any time...
any season...anywhere.
Prefer it to anything.
Drug? Drugs do not interest and/or effect me. Coffee has no effect what-so-ever - so I'll just keep on drinking the dark good roast. Drink nothing else.
Cheers
1oolbs. ...and I take Adderal - MS!
i am a 32 year old woman who used to be addicted to pepsi, so badly in fact that i would be physically ill and get severe headaches with out it. after being diagnosed with panic disorder and agoraphobia due to post traumatic stress syndrome, my doctor told me that caffeine was the worst kind of drug for someone with my condition, even surpassing cocaine! i was then advised to STOP using it all together. i did what i was told and will never go back to using it. i tried to have some soda a few times afer this and i could not believe how negatively it affected me. half a 16 oz. bottle of dew spiralled me into a horrible panic attack and it also makes me really mean, gives me the shakes, and i unknowingly and viciously verbally attack people when under the influence of it. it also makes me feel a total loss of control of myself and my body until it wears off then leaving me exhausted. sounds crazy huh???? totally true! all the good benefits in the world do not make me want to even try to ever go back to using caffeine.
Caffeine is Caffeine and life is to short to keep worrying about what can hope every time you drink or eat everything.Caffeine is in everything you eat and drink these days and by the way it's also in TEA,CHOCOLATE is unless you just drink PLAIN WATER,THEN GET OVER IT AND JUST LIKE IN THING TAKE CARE WHEN YOU USE IT.
Caffeine makes me want to have sex with my husband!
Over & over again until the caffeine wears off. Then, it's time for another cup!
You should see what happens when he drinks a cup of coffee!
well all i know is i can't drink it or use any meds with caffiene in it because i'm allergic to caffiene and have been all my life, found out when i was 16 and i'm 63 now.my two aunt were the same way.
I happen to be one of those people who are sensitive to caffiene (and sugar, it turns out). While I do love the pick-me-up of a morning or afternoon cup of coffee, any more than one and I become hyper and somewhat schizophrenic. Case in point, I was working late one night at a hotel (I was on the front desk) drinking iced coffee. My mouth got dry, so I went to the fridge, grabbed a random can and cracked it open. Five minutes later, I was talking remarkably fast and breathing even faster. Five minutes after that, I was unconsious. When I came to, the EMT told me that I had chased coffee with Monster energy drink and that my heart had nearly exploded in my chest. The lesson? EVERYTHING IN MODERATION!!! Also, LOOK BEFORE YOU DRINK. ^_^
"A woman who competed in a radio station’s contest to see how much water she could drink without going to the bathroom died of water intoxication, the coroner’s office said Saturday."from AP
See, anything can kill you if you use too much of it.
Drinking a coffee is already my habit event in a hot weather.Because for me my day is not complete w/o a coffee.
There is always a big controversy over the effects of coffee. I have been drinking coffee since I was 16 up to 32 to 64 oz a day and am now in my early 30's and still drinking the coffe. Lets get a few things about the caffine straight: 1: It is an anti-oxident
2: it helps controll hunger pains helping you to lose weight.
3: It speeds up your matabolism more blood flow more energy. And speeds up everything else weather you realize it or not.
4: You get the oxidents in coffee from the creamer and sugar and what ever else you put in it.
5: caffine being a stimulant icreasing blood flow increase size of blood vessals hence it helps headaces look at you asprin pill bottle.
6: I am type 2 diabetic and drink black coffee when and if I don't my sugar levels go up.
7: caffine has never been linked to things like ADD Or Parkinsons but helps them calm down or relax.
8: be responcible, You drink alot of coffee have some food with it too much with out food can lead to say an over dose and cause you to pass out, dizzyness, irretability and so on.
9: every ones body is different experiment with it to see what the personal reactions are and modify your intake accordingly.
In essence caffine has alot more PROS than CONS. As long as it is used wisly. For all the naysayers out there keep the negative comments to yourselves until you do your research or have used or drank coffee. for those who may ask for references from my post, just do your research a little more and everything that I have said and others can be found all over the web and if you do not want to belive them then go talk to your Doctor.
I have been diagnosed with IBS w/ diarrhea. I'm a 36 yo male. I've been "addicted" since I was a kid. I was upto 8-10 cups of Starbuck's a day. My doctor at Tufts-New England Medical Center (as well as the chief of staff at Yale New Haven Hospital). They both asked, and I was honest. I saw it on the doctors notes, but yet after multiple scope procedures, I'm 100% fine! Yeah, like I really want to crap my pants! I stopped all caffeine about 2 weeks ago, and I am relieved of about 80% of my symptoms. NO ONE EVER TOLD ME THAT CAFFEINE CAN AFFECT THE COLON!! How can these TOP doctors miss something like that?????
oh man i drink even a half cup of coffee i will get light headed, dizzy spells, nausious. i dont understand how ppl can drink it sooo much!
Coffee, along with chocolate, should be at the top of the USDA food groups.
If you get "a terrible headache when I don't drink it" - you are probably addicted and this is a withdrawal symptom. It is also a diuretic , hense it causes loose bowels. Eating foods with high fiber content also prevents the need for caffeine induced regularity. I think caffeine addiction is the most common one in the world - whether you are rich or poor.
I am 23 years old and rely on my cup of coffee every morning to start my day and have been since I was 17. I feel sharper, more alert..But I wonder if this can this bring on anxiety attacks? I have a history of them...
Caffeine is drug and I rarely ingest any food or drink that has it, so right now I am suffering most of the side effects of a caffeine overdose. Do not use slimquick if you are very sensitive to caffeine. I have tremors, headaches, chest pains plus more. Now I'm stuck at school and it's almsot 11:00 at night because I don't feel it would be safe for me to drive.
I can't ever imagagine leaving my caffeine... I mean I've drank any type of drink w/ caffeine since I was a kid. just stopping for a day sends terrible migraines and I can't even think clearly at all
I'm doing a science fair project and this really help me by figuring outhow much coffe I should drink a day. Thank you caffeine Facts for your awesome column!!!!
I've been a coffee drinker for most of my life. I averaged 2 cups daily, then started drinking coffe wiht 1/2 the caffiene and then decaf coffee. Since I quit drinking coffee I have not experienced the awful headaches I experienced before when I did not have coffee. I've noticed my memory has not changed much, but my appetite has drastically decreased and as a result weight loss.
i am a 20 year old male and i take stacker 3's. I started taking them for work as a cart pusher i had to do the whole parking lot by myself for 8 hours and its a big parking lot. I had worked myself to taking anywhere from 4-6 pills a day. Then i began smoking and i had to stop because i was getting nausieous. I now only take them if i seriously need to get something done because for me when i get into a rhythme and im doing physical labor i get almost euphoric while working. I recently found out i have a heart problem called tachycardia and arrythmia. Its not life threatening but it is something that i have to watch. For me caffeine has helped me perform my job incredibly i actually got associate of the month the first month i worked at my job. Yes caffeine hurts your body but it also makes you more efficient sometimes. Its different for each person and its a personal desicion but i personally think it is an amazing drug.
I've been drinking coffee for about 14 years. Clearly, I'm a junkie because I've moved from two pots a day to 5 cups of espresso (with 3 cups steamed milk-spread out through three drinks). I had to switch from coffeehouses because of the looks when I would order the largest size with 7 additional shots. Without caffeine, I couldn't work 80 hours per week (biz owner), but lately I've noticed that even when I drink a huge latte, I fall asleep within 30 minutes or so. It's a mystery.
Yes caffeine is a drug and many migraine medicines have caffeine in them. Personally I have found that using a caffinated soda (not coffee) does help control my migraines not as much as the migraine medicines but using just the caffinate soda also means I do not suffer from the side effects of the medicines. As long as this method is controlled under a doctors orders, it can be an effective option.
First of all, most drinks containing caffeine stain your teeth. Coffee gives you the worst breath unless you immediately go and brush your teeth. Secondly, I found that excess caffeine was causing my migraines. Once I quit caffiene my migraines completely subsided. I must say though, be sure that the week after you quit that you plan nothing. I had a headache for a week after I quit.
Okay I am a 28 year old female, I have been drinking a lot of caffeine the last 10-15 years. Probably at least 32 ounces of diet coke a day.....
A couple months ago I noticed that my head shakes a little sometimes. And my hand as well. Could this be caused by my excessive caffeine consumption?
could a lot of caffeine also lead to an upset stomach?
I liked my coffee very much until my heart went into atrial fibrillation from it...Now i can't drink caffeine and miss it terribly.
My husband has CLUSTER Headaches... someone on a forum for cluster headache pateints told him red bull helped lessen the severity of the pain with these headaches, He has also has a heart attack a few years ago, anyone heard of heart pateints and red bull effects on heart p ?? thanks for any input.
I drink coffee habitually and I never have any problems. If I stop drinking it I get headaches and I get extremely hyper. I stay calm and focused when I have it. Its almost like my ritalin.
I am an avid tea drinker and switched to decaf because GYNs identify caffeine as a trigger for fibrod tumors of the breast. The tumors are usually benign, but they can be painful.
Well of course anything that interacts chemically with your own body's chemistry to produce an effect (like "waking you up") is technically a drug.
Its ok though there is just a bad association with the word, 'drug' and it makes people immediately think of a bad drug like cocaine.
funny how everyone gets headaches from not having caffeine. i never get headaches or have trouble in the morning without caffeine and i would call my self a heavy caffeine user considering that i drank a liter of mountain dew in about 3 hours one night. the only cons from caffeine for me is unable to sleep and jitteryness.
Ok, SO I am a 20yr female who started drinking a lot coffee when I was about 13. My late teens i would have a large amount of energy drinks.. maybe 2 or 3 a day along with coffee and esspresso. It was all fine in good until one day I drank my normal coffee and I got super dizzy and I felt really light headed and then proceeded to pass out right ontop of the dresser I was painting. I wasnt sure what it was until it happened again when I drank some more cafiene the following week. Now I cant have anything with cafiene NOTHING and it SUCKS! My Dr. said i became extremely sensitive to it or maybe allergic... I have reason to believe my dr may be crazy SO is this real and how do I fix it because I want my coffee!! its been about 3 months since I tried to have some.. i want to try for the 4th time but im scared.
I'm suppose to get my period on the 13th of this month and i haven't seen it yet and i work nights sometimes i have to take vivarin to stay awake is it safe to take it i may possibly be pregnant.
By these standards Water is a terible narcotic. You must have it, If you go with out it you will get terible headaches, Long enough with out it and you will have with drawals and even Die, If you drink it it improves many of your bodily functions and even your general health, It will improve your memory and all functions of your mind infact on a hot day you can say it will even make you high. When you have had just the right amount it can make you sleepy or energized, If you go with out it for to long your mood can become quite irritable in some cases down right mean and a quick drink and It can improve your mood, to much and you can over dose and drown,
So do not be fooled it is not the caffeine it is the water. Try coffee with out water and you will find it is not nearly as pleasurable down right nasty add water and all the things I see about the terrible drug come true... Water Beware
I quit coffee about five days ago, I drunk a cup of tea for two days but latter that second day I was tackled by the whole NFL. Headaches, wooziness, weakness, extreme sleeplessness and the worst was exaggerating a preexisting nerve damage, it felt like someone was taking a red hot spike and stabbing my in my feet and legs, sharp and abrupt and last about no more than a second but they were happening every one or two seconds. Imaging not being able to sleep and having only the strength to get out of bed to potty. You just lie there. . jerking from the lighting bolts of pain, and change your position every three seconds and counting the hours, not till morning cause you know this isn't going away for at lease three days. I think my sense of hunger has change to something I don't recognize? It's about day five and I am better, the shots of pain has decreased 99% to about where it's been for umpteen years, I still feel a halo of a headache. Why did I stop? I was feeling a dulling effect on my thinking ability after I drunk my first cup of coffee. I drunk 12 ounces a day or less. I wish I could drink one cup a week but I love it to much, was already gong over my one cup a day rule.
Yes, caffeine is a drug. I take 1 250mg pill in morning and then another 4 to 5 hours later. It helps my performance and I stay awake as long as I'm active otherwise I get drowsy and want to nap. I think the key is take small doses, or you are trying to do to many things. Americans consume alot of caffeine at what costs? If we all quit using it and exercised when we got tired, in hopes that we get reenergized using our own calories what would that do to our work days and life in general look at the big picture. If you take caffeine or exercise you decide.
coffee on my dick!
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