September 29, 2008 Hello!
Caffeine.
"Caffeine is a drug that is naturally produced in the leaves and seeds of many
plants. It's also produced artificially and added to certain foods. Caffeine
is defined as a drug because it stimulates the central nervous system, causing increased
alertness. Caffeine gives most people a temporary energy boost and elevates mood.
Caffeine is in tea, coffee, chocolate, many soft drinks, and pain relievers and
other over-the-counter medications. In its natural form, caffeine tastes very bitter.
But most caffeinated drinks have gone through enough processing to camouflage the
bitter taste. Teens usually get most of their caffeine from soft drinks and energy
drinks. ... Caffeine is not stored in the body, but you may feel its effects for
up to 6 hours. Many people feel that caffeine increases their mental alertness.
Higher doses of caffeine can cause anxiety, dizziness, headaches, and the jitters.
Caffeine can also interfere with normal sleep." While caffeine is a drug consumed by people of all ages, this past week there was concern as it was announced that Terrell Owens will be endorsing the an energy drink.
"Less than 24 hours after the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group announced that the Dallas
Cowboys wide receiver would endorse its energy drink Venom, a group of researchers
at Johns Hopkins said that energy drinks should carry warning labels that site potential
health risks. The risks cited are what you might expect of any product that has
an intense amount of caffeine, including rapid heart rate, anxiety and difficulty
sleeping. Venom seems to have the standard amount of caffeine as compared to other
energy drinks. ... [V]arious Web sites have reported that its close to the 10 milligrams
of caffeine per ounce that are in well known brands in the category such as Red
Bull, Rockstar and Monster. Although the FDA requires any soft drink that has more
than six milligrams per ounce to list the amount of caffeine on the can, producers
of energy drinks often get around any labeling by marketing their drinks as dietary
supplements." Some consume energy drinks as they would soft drinks. Some consume them when they are trying to stay awake. Some drink them for the taste, the look, the endorsement, or any other of a list of reasons. While some may want the extra caffeine, it can be difficult to know how much caffeine one is getting in an energy drink, and how this amount compares to other caffeinated drinks.
"As a comparison, energy drinks typically contain half the caffeine found in
regular coffeehouse coffee. Specifically, a 16-ounce regular blend coffee at a popular
coffeehouse contains 320 mg of caffeine, while a comparable size mainstream energy
drink contains about 160 mg."
"A regular 12-ounce cola drink has about 35 milligrams of caffeine, and a 6-ounce
cup of brewed coffee has 80 to 150 milligrams of caffeine. Because many energy drinks
are marketed as 'dietary supplements,' the limit that the Food and Drug
Administration requires on the caffeine content of soft drinks (71 milligrams per
12-ounce can) does not apply. The caffeine content of energy drinks varies from
50 to more than 500 milligrams." The "typical" energy drink may have less caffeine than a coffeehouse coffee, but there is such a range, and no labeling requirement. As a dietary supplement, it can be difficult to know how much caffeine a specific drink contains.
"Regulation of energy drinks, including content labeling and health warnings
differs across countries, with some of the most lax regulatory requirements in the
U.S. The absence of regulatory oversight has resulted in aggressive marketing of
energy drinks, targeted primarily toward young males, for psychoactive, performance-enhancing
and stimulant drug effects. There are increasing reports of caffeine intoxication
from energy drinks, and it seems likely that problems with caffeine dependence and
withdrawal will also increase. In children and adolescents who are not habitual
caffeine users, vulnerability to caffeine intoxication may be markedly increased
due to an absence of pharmacological tolerance." Not knowing how much caffeine one is consuming can cause side effects and addiction to sneak up on people who may not realize that caffeine, in excess, can have negative health effects. Then, like with anything, it is a matter of finding moderation. As people limit consumption and attempt to find that healthy balance, symptoms of withdrawal are rare.
"However, with excess use, over 500 mg daily (approximately 5 cups of coffee)
over a long period of time, sudden cessation could cause symptoms of withdrawal.
You can avoid caffeine withdrawal by limiting your daily consumption, being educated
about sources of caffeine, and by gradually decreasing the consumption rather than
ending use abruptly."
Questions of the Week: Please email me with any ideas or suggestions. I look forward to reading what you have to say. Cindy |
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