Caffeine

Caffeine

Are you a member of your family consuming too much caffeine? Before you rule out the possibility on the grounds that no one in your family drinks more than two cups of coffee or tea a day, note that many popular foods, drinks, and medications contain as much caffeine per average serving as an average cup of coffee. Today, with heave promotion of coffee and other caffeine containing products, many people are taking in caffeine indiscriminately.

What is caffeine? Caffeine is a drug. It is a powerful stimulant with substantial addictive potential. It belongs to a class of chemical compounds called methyxanthines, which are coffee beans, tealeaves, cacao seeds(from which cocoa is made) and kola nuts(from which, the cola flavoring used in many soft drinks is derived.) Caffeine is often used in small quantities I n flavoring agents for pastries, frozen dairy desserts, gelatin puddings, and soft candies.

Caffeine has many effects on the human body, harmful effects outnumbering the beneficial. Some beneficial effects of caffeine on the human body are:

• It increases alertness, helping us wake up or stay awake.

• It sharpens out mental edge.

• It elevates low moods.

• It helps boost the confidence and energy levels.

• It helps to relieve pain.

• It increases the effectiveness of certain medications.

All these effects are due to caffeine’s stimulation of the central nervous system (which includes the brain) or the cardiac muscle (heart).

Caffeine has several harmful effects that may go unrecognized:

• It stimulates the central nervous system.

• It stimulates excessive gastric acid secretion.

• Too much caffeine can make a person restless and irritable.

• It may speed up heart rate or alter cardiac rhythms in some people.

• It causes increased urination and therefore dehydration.

• Coffee prepared in Espresso, French press or boiled fashion may increase levels of LDL, or low density lipoprotein- the “bad” cholesterol- which can lead to heart attack.

• Caffeine causes the body to excrete calcium more readily, and if one’s calcium intake is already less than required, as little as two cups of coffee a day may increase the risk of osteoporosis.

• It elevates blood glucose (sugar) levels.

• Caffeine may also decrease a women’s fertility and increase the risk of miscarriage; pregnant women who consume more than 300mg of it daily run a higher risk of having an underweight baby.

• Too much caffeine can cause nocturnal enuresis (bed-wetting).

• Caffeine may be the cause of headaches.

• Caffeine may cause rectal pain or itching.

Despite so many unpleasant side effects, many of us still continue indiscriminate use of caffeine. Some of the reasons are the caffeine is relatively inexpensive, socially acceptable, easily obtainable and heavily advertised.

The concern about decaffeinated coffee was about a possible link between cancer and the chemicals used to extract the caffeine from coffee and tea. But scientists have found no justification to support this. And for people who are still worried, water-processed decaffeinated beverages are available- which are more expensive and slightly less flavorful.

Since the decaffeination process removes 97 to 99 percent of the caffeine, a cup or two a day of decaffeinated brew will probably not cause harm to anyone. If you are addicted to caffeine, and want to cut down, do it gradually. In some people, caffeine withdrawal can cause depression, sluggishness, headache, fatigue, irritability, anxiety or even nausea and vomiting. The withdrawal symptoms often persist for three days and may last as long as seven. Taking a multiple vitamin-mineral supplement and eating foods rich in vitamin C reduces the severity of caffeine-withdrawal symptoms. It is advisable to always consult your doctor before embarking on a caffeine elimination diet.

CAFFEINE CONTENT OF SOME COMMON BEVERAGES AND FOODS:

Source Approximate caffeine

content (mg)

Coffee Espresso (60ml/2 oz) 120

Espresso, decaf (60ml/ 2 oz) 10