Friday, April 25, 2008
Caffeine, caffeine, everywhere
Caffeine seems to be in everything these days, not just the usual sodas and coffee, but sneaking into candy bars, jelly beans and gum.
Energy drinks advertised as containing vitamins and herbs are mostly packing a wallop of caffeine and sugar. Labels unfortunately do not reveal caffeine contents and often give no clue that caffeine is an ingredient, except for on the ingredient list in very small print.
Caffeine acts by displacing a brain chemical called adenosine that helps prepare the body for sleep. This makes the brain more alert. Blood vessels constrict providing relief from headache and mild pain. This is why caffeine is added to some pain relievers.
One 8 ounce cup of coffee contains between 50 and 56 mg of caffeine. A cup of tea will supply 40-50 milligrams. Energy drinks contain between 80 and 240 mg in 16 ounces; soft drinks such as Coke, Pepsi, or Dr. Pepper contain 35-55 mg per 12 ounce serving. Check soft drink labels for caffeine as it can be found in drinks that might not be expected, such as Mountain Dew and Sunkist.
Coffee brands served by national chains often contain more caffeine than coffee brewed at home. A 16 ounce Starbucks coffee contains 330 mg of caffeine.
Caffeine is also showing up in foods. Ice creams containing coffee can supply up to 45 mg per ½ cup serving. A Snickers Charged Bar will contain 60 mg of caffeine.
Caffeine will give some people increased mental or physical performance or an improved mood, however there are some negative effects of consuming more than 200 mg of caffeine such as insomnia, jitters and irritability.
We all know that caffeine can affect sleep, keeping us up at night or waking early. We wake up tired, drink a caffeine laced beverage and start the cycle over again.
Caffeine has been shown to affect fertility, increase risk of miscarriage and increase risk of birth defects. Health professionals recommend that women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant avoid caffeine containing foods.
Contrary to popular belief, caffeine does not stunt growth and caffeine does not help counteract the effects of alcohol. People who drink caffeinated beverages after drinking may think that they are all right, but judgment is still impaired making them more prone to having accidents.
Another belief is that caffeine acts as a diuretic and that caffeinated beverages do not count toward fluid intake. There is no evidence that caffeine in moderate amounts will cause heart problems or cancer. Studies have been done recently that show that caffeine only acts as a diuretic only for new caffeine users or if taken in excess.
Caffeine in moderation and consumed early in the day, does not seem to pose any health problems. Over consumption of caffeine, more that 300 mg per day, does appear to be a concern, especially for women who have or are trying to conceive.
Parents need to be aware of foods and drinks containing caffeine consumed by their children.
Mary Beth Dahlstrom Green is a dietitian at The William W. Backus Hospital. This column should not replace advice or instruction from your personal physician. If you would like to comment on this column or others, go to the Healthy Living blog at www.healthydocs.blogspot.com or e-mail Green and all of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org.
Energy drinks advertised as containing vitamins and herbs are mostly packing a wallop of caffeine and sugar. Labels unfortunately do not reveal caffeine contents and often give no clue that caffeine is an ingredient, except for on the ingredient list in very small print.
Caffeine acts by displacing a brain chemical called adenosine that helps prepare the body for sleep. This makes the brain more alert. Blood vessels constrict providing relief from headache and mild pain. This is why caffeine is added to some pain relievers.
One 8 ounce cup of coffee contains between 50 and 56 mg of caffeine. A cup of tea will supply 40-50 milligrams. Energy drinks contain between 80 and 240 mg in 16 ounces; soft drinks such as Coke, Pepsi, or Dr. Pepper contain 35-55 mg per 12 ounce serving. Check soft drink labels for caffeine as it can be found in drinks that might not be expected, such as Mountain Dew and Sunkist.
Coffee brands served by national chains often contain more caffeine than coffee brewed at home. A 16 ounce Starbucks coffee contains 330 mg of caffeine.
Caffeine is also showing up in foods. Ice creams containing coffee can supply up to 45 mg per ½ cup serving. A Snickers Charged Bar will contain 60 mg of caffeine.
Caffeine will give some people increased mental or physical performance or an improved mood, however there are some negative effects of consuming more than 200 mg of caffeine such as insomnia, jitters and irritability.
We all know that caffeine can affect sleep, keeping us up at night or waking early. We wake up tired, drink a caffeine laced beverage and start the cycle over again.
Caffeine has been shown to affect fertility, increase risk of miscarriage and increase risk of birth defects. Health professionals recommend that women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant avoid caffeine containing foods.
Contrary to popular belief, caffeine does not stunt growth and caffeine does not help counteract the effects of alcohol. People who drink caffeinated beverages after drinking may think that they are all right, but judgment is still impaired making them more prone to having accidents.
Another belief is that caffeine acts as a diuretic and that caffeinated beverages do not count toward fluid intake. There is no evidence that caffeine in moderate amounts will cause heart problems or cancer. Studies have been done recently that show that caffeine only acts as a diuretic only for new caffeine users or if taken in excess.
Caffeine in moderation and consumed early in the day, does not seem to pose any health problems. Over consumption of caffeine, more that 300 mg per day, does appear to be a concern, especially for women who have or are trying to conceive.
Parents need to be aware of foods and drinks containing caffeine consumed by their children.
Mary Beth Dahlstrom Green is a dietitian at The William W. Backus Hospital. This column should not replace advice or instruction from your personal physician. If you would like to comment on this column or others, go to the Healthy Living blog at www.healthydocs.blogspot.com or e-mail Green and all of the Healthy Living columnists at healthyliving@wwbh.org.
# posted by ----------------- @ 9:45 AM 
