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Caffeine - Simple Pick-Me-Up or Simply a Problem?
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By Dr. Lawrence Palladino, Family Practice Physician, Sutter Amador Health Center in Pioneer
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If you find it difficult to imagine a morning without caffeine, you're not alone. Many people savor the flavor of coffee, tea, chocolate and other caffeinated beverages and foods in the morning - and indeed throughout the day. And it's not just the flavor, it's the abilities caffeine offers.
The next time you reach for a cup of coffee or a soda, remember - not all caffeine-containing items are created equal. Some have considerable more amounts of caffeine than others. Even the method of how coffee is made can make a difference in caffeine content. To enjoy caffeine in moderation, select wisely. Also, keep in mind the portion sizes. The table of caffeinated and decaffeinated products below should help you monitor your caffeine intake.
Important Health Considerations
Caffeine does have effects on the human body and it's more than the inability to get to sleep at night after an overload of caffeine. How much caffeine pregnant women, people with heart conditions or diabetes, children and the elderly should have is a subject that is still up for debate.
One cup of coffee's worth of caffeine in the morning can still be working in your brain at midnight. Although this may not keep you wide awake, it may still keep you from sleeping as deeply or completely as you should. Then you are tired in the morning and have a cup of coffee to ‘wake up.'
The energy which caffeine gives you is not ‘new' energy but rather borrowed from later in the day. This is like someone who uses their credit card to pay their bills early in the month and then ends up paying for it later.
One of the main health concerns that experts express is actually a side effect of drinking caffeinated products —the decrease in water balance. Water is often consumed less by caffeine drinkers than those that avoid the drinks with caffeine. Water is an important fluid for the human body, especially for those who are active. Caffeine acts on the kidney to release water, much like the so-called ‘water pills' do.
How much water is enough?
For every 15 calories consumed, you should drink a tablespoon of water for body metabolism. The average American's diet is 2,000 calories a day so he or she needs 2 quarts of fluid (using the 2 tablespoons rule).
Could quitting caffeine be good for your heart too?
A new study from Norway has found that coffee drinkers who quit drinking caffeinated filtered coffee cut their blood levels of cholesterol and the amino acid homocysteine. The study suggests that coffee consumption may interfere with the body's ability to keep homocysteine levels in check, possibly by inhibiting the action of the vitamins folate or B12. Elevated homocysteine levels are associated with atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) so quitting caffeine may help keep you healthy.
Studies have also shown a relationship between considerable caffeine consumption (six or more cups a day) and increased risk of developing bone fractures in women - suggesting caffeine may have something to do with the bone softening problem, osteoporosis.
How can I reduce the amount of caffeine I drink?
If you think you may be getting too much caffeine or would like to cut back or quit completely, here are some handy tips.
If you're consuming a great deal of caffeine, you might experience withdrawal symptoms. Moderate caffeine intake would be between two and three cups of coffee a day. Quitting “cold turkey” could cause headaches, irritability, sleepiness and general discomfort. These symptoms generally last a day or two. You could schedule your cut back on caffeine for a day when symptoms are less likely to interfere with your daily work.
Begin by switching to ‘lo-caf' coffee (mixing regular coffee with decaf) or substituting a decaf soda in between the caffeinated one. Gradually, you can eliminate the caffeine altogether. Planning how you're going to go about it and cutting down gradually should reduce or eliminate the withdrawal symptoms.
If you are one of those people who always has a cup of coffee nearby, don't change the physical habit too quickly. Substitute a non-caffeinated drink for the coffee, such as water or sports drink but continue to keep a beverage handy. Disrupting your routine will only draw attention to the fact that you're cutting back and might make it more difficult. For more information, contact your physician or call Dr. Palladino at 209/295-5544.
Guide to Caffeine Content (measured in mg.)
Median Range
Coffee, 8 ounce cup*
brewed, drip method 184 96 - 288
brewed, percolator 128 64 - 272
Instant 104 48 - 192
decaffeinated, brewed 5 3 - 8
decaffeinated, instant 3 2 - 8
Tea, 8 ounce cup*
brewed, U.S. brands 64 32 - 144
brewed, imported brands 96 40 - 80
Milk chocolate, 1 ounce* 6 1 - 15
Dark chocolate,semi-sweet, 1 ounce* 20 5 - 35
Chocolate milk, 8 ounce* 5 2 - 7
Carbonated Beverages,12 ounce can**
Coca-Cola 29.7 +/- 0.7
Diet Coke 40.8 +/- 0.9
Pepsi 32.1 +/- 0.4
Diet Pepsi 30.3 +/- 0.4
Mountain Dew 54.5 +/- 1.2
* U.S. Food and Drug Administration and National Soft Drink Association
** Grand and Bell, Caffeine Content of Fountain and Private Label, Store Brand, Carbonated Beverages, J Amer Diet Assoc, v97:2, Feb 1997
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