Is it a drug?
The most common source of caffeine worldwide is coffee and tea leaves. It is also found in other products such as cocoa beans, energy drinks, and over-the-counter pain and diet pills. Caffeine is the most used drug in the world. And, yes, it is a drug. I love my drug and if you are reading this I think you may too, but you have to call a spade a spade!
There is a lot of debate over the health benefits and risks of coffee and caffeine. Studies and literature go back and forth on what the real long and short-term benefits are. The following are some documented side effects of caffeine.
Side effects:
- Mild pain-killer
- Increases the effects of other pain-killers
- Improves breathing by relaxing the smooth muscles of the lungs
- Stimulant-wakes you up
- Anxiety may increase with doses of 400mg or more.
- Caffeinated and decaf coffee users show a decrease in diabetes though caffeine stimulates the liver to release blood sugar into the bloodstream.
- Appetite suppressant-though, surprisingly, decaf coffee has the same side effect. Unfortunately, neither regular or decaf lead to actual weight loss.
- Elevated blood pressure in the short-term and increased blood flow. Studies do not show long-term hypertension effects.
- Decreased risk of liver diseases such as cancer, fibrosis and cirrhosis. These effects are specific for coffee as the caffeine source.
- Caffeine, especially at higher levels, has been shown in studies to protect the brain from deterioration specifically protecting against Parkinson’s disease.
- Increased caffeinated coffee, but not decaf, protects against gallstones.
Amounts of caffeine in common food and drink products:
- Chocolate-flavored syrup 1 oz 4 milligrams
- Excedrin Migraine 1 pill 65 milligrams
- Red Bull 1 can 40-80 milligrams
- Coffee 1 cup 100 milligrams
- Decaf Coffee 1 cup 5 milligrams
- Pepsi 12 ounce can 38 milligrams
- Black tea 1 cup 47 milligrams
- Decaf tea 1 cup 2 milligrams
- Caffeine supplement 1 pill 200 milligrams
Is caffeine addictive?
Yes and no. It is a dependence not an addiction. Addictions will affect your life in significant ways and with harmful drug-seeking behaviors when you don’t have them. This is not a typical caffeine withdrawal reaction though it does work in the same part of the brain as cocaine and amphetamines.
So if you want to cut down on coffee or stop it you will need to wean down to avoid withdrawal symptoms. If you have 2 or more cups of coffee a day and suddenly that isn’t available you will most likely have some withdrawal. This will usually last just 1-2 days. You will probably not need to be hospitalized and are not at risk of death due to your withdrawal like drug addictions.
Withdrawal symptoms:
- Fatigue
- Irritability and mood changes
- Headache-this is the most noted withdrawal symptom
- Difficulty concentrating
Recommended limits
It’s not recommended to have more than 400 milligrams of caffeine a day. Even less is recommended for pregnant women. Some studies show that 200 or more milligrams of caffeine a day in pregnant women increase their risk of miscarriage. Remember, a regular cup of coffee has about 100 mg so you may reach that limit with one large coffee. Children less than 12 years old are advised not to have any caffeine and only 100 milligrams per day for those 12-17 years old.
Do you smoke? Nicotine decreases caffeine absorption doubling the amount of caffeine you can drink. If you quit smoking you may overdose on the amount of caffeine you are used to consuming because it is now being absorbed. So if you are going to quit smoking make sure to start cutting down on your coffee intake. You could also just mix it half decaf and half regular to drink the same amount without issues.
You can develop significant and sometimes serious side effects if you have more than 400 milligrams of caffeine a day.
At 1000 milligrams you may have nervousness, abnormal heart rhythms, increased urination, vomiting, tremors and dyspepsia.
At 1200 milligrams in one dose you develop caffeine toxicity. You may have convulsions and vomiting,
If you have 10-14 GRAMS this can be fatal. These high levels usually happen with diet pills and not drinks. 10 grams is 10,000 milligrams or 100 cups of coffee!
So what is the conclusion here?
When consumed in moderate amounts it doesn’t seem that coffee is an issue for the average person. Yes, you may be dependent on it but you can easily get off of it without serious complications.
I would watch the amount of caffeine you consume if in multiple products including pills, sodas and energy drinks. Write down what you are consuming in an average day and you may be surprised by how much caffeine you are getting.
If you are feeling anxious, having heart palpitations, increasing fatigue or any other symptoms stop the caffeine and see your doctor.