|
| Home > Food and Drink > |
| Coffee and Caffeine's Frequently Asked Questions |
Section 1 of 3 - Prev - Next
All sections - 1 - 2 - 3
Archive-Name: caffeine-faq
Last-modified: January 7, 1998
Version: 2.98
Frequently Asked Questions about Coffee and Caffeine
****************************************************
URL: http://www.cs.unb.ca/~alopez-o/caffaq.html
Alejandro Lopez-Ortiz
alopez-o@unb.ca
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
This FAQ is dedicated to all beverages and products that contain caffeine;
including tea, coffee, chocolate, mate, caffeinated soft drinks,
caffeinated pills, coffee beans, etc.
There are several newsgroups in which these topics may be of relevance,
including alt.drugs.caffeine, rec.food.drink.coffee, rec.food.drink.tea,
and alt.food.chocolate.
Rec.food.drink.coffee is preferred over alt.coffee and alt.food.coffee.
[Image]
1. The Chemistry of Caffeine and related products
1. How much caffeine is there in [drink/food/pill]?
2. How much caffeine there is in blend X?
3. Chemically speaking, what is caffeine?
4. Is it true that tea has no caffeine/What is theine, theobromine,
etc?
5. Where can I find a gif of the caffeine molecule?
6. Is it true that espresso has less caffeine than regular coffee?
7. How does caffeine taste?
8. How much theobromine/theophylline there is in ...?
2. How to brew the ultimate caffeine drink?
1. What is the best temperature for drip coffee?
2. Quality of coffee
3. Why you should never use percolators
3. Peripherals and Secondary Storage
1. Proper care of Coffee makers...
2. How to store coffee?
3. Equipment reviews?
4. What is a French Press/Cafetiere/Bodum?
4. Caffeine and your Health
1. Caffeine Withdrawal
2. What happens when you overdose?
3. Effects of caffeine on pregnant women.
4. Caffeine and Osteoporosis (Calcium loss)
5. Studies on the side-effects of caffeine...
6. Caffeine and depression.
7. Caffeine and your metabolism.
5. Miscellaneous
1. How do you pronounce mate?
2. How do you spell Colombia/Colombian?
3. How do you spell Espresso?
4. Where did the term "cup of joe" come from?
6. Coffee Recipes and other beverages
1. Espresso
2. Chocolate covered espresso beans
3. Cappuccino
4. Frappe
5. How to make your own chocolate
6. How to make the best cup of coffee
7. Turkish Coffee
8. Irish Coffee
9. Thai Iced Coffee
10. Vietnamese Iced Coffee
11. Melya
7. Electronic Resources
8. Administrivia
1. List of Contributors
2. Copyright
1. The Chemistry of Caffeine and related products
1. How much caffeine is there in [drink/food/pill]?
According to the National Soft Drink Association, the following
is the caffeine content in mgs per 12 oz can of soda:
Afri-Cola 100.0 (?)
Jolt 71.2
Sugar-Free Mr. Pibb 58.8
Mountain Dew 55.0 (no caffeine in Canada)
Diet Mountain Dew 55.0
Kick citrus 54 (36mg per 8oz can, caffeine from guarana)
Mello Yellow 52.8
Surge 51.0
Tab 46.8
Battery energy drink -- 140mg/l = 46.7mg/can
Coca-Cola 45.6
Diet Cola 45.6
Shasta Cola 44.4
Shasta Cherry Cola 44.4
Shasta Diet Cola 44.4
Mr. Pibb 40.8
OK Soda 40.5
Dr. Pepper 39.6
Pepsi Cola 37.2
Aspen 36.0
Diet Pepsi 35.4
RC Cola 36.0
Diet RC 36.0
Diet Rite 36.0
Canada Dry Cola 30.0
Canada Dry Diet Cola 1.2
7 Up 0
Krank2o sample 1 97.7mg/500ml sample 2 101.6mg/500ml
Lab: Ameritech Labs, College Pt, NY; tested Sep 03, 96
Krank2o middle 96.4mg/500ml
Lab: Ameritech Labs, tested Aug 29, 96
By means of comparison, a 7 oz cup of coffee has the following
caffeine (mg) amounts, according to Bunker and McWilliams in J.
Am. Diet. 74:28-32, 1979:
Drip 115-175
Espresso 100mg of caffeine
1 serving (1.5-2oz)
Brewed 80-135
Instant 65-100
Decaf, brewed 3-4
Decaf, instant 2-3
Tea, iced (12 ozs.) 70
Tea, brewed, imported 60
Tea, brewed, U.S. 40
Tea, instant 30
Mate 25-150mg
The variability in the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee or
tea is relatively large even if prepared by the same person using
the same equipment and ingredients day after day.
Reference Variability in caffeine consumption from coffee and
tea: Possible significance for epidemiological studies by B.
Stavric, R. Klassen, B. Watkinson, K. Karpinski, R. Stapley, and
P. Fried in "Foundations of Chemical Toxicology", Volume 26,
number 2, pp. 111-118, 1988 and an easy to read overview, Looking
for the Perfect Brew by S. Eisenberg, "Science News", Volume 133,
April 16, 1988, pp. 252-253.
Quote from the lab manual:
Caffeine is present in tea leaves and in coffee to the
extent of about 4%. Tea also contains two other
alkaloids, theobromine and theophylline. These last two
relax the smooth muscles where caffeine stimulates the
heart and respiratory systems.
The effects of theobromine are, compared to caffeine and
theophylline, relatively moderate. However, cocoa contains eight
times more theophylline than caffeine. As well, caffeine has been
shown to combine with other substances for added potency. Thus
the effects of theobromine might be enhanced by the caffeine in
chocolate.
Theobromine is highly toxic to dogs and kills many canids/year
via chocolate poisoning. It takes quite a dose to reach fatal
levels (more than 200 mg/kg bodyweight) but some dogs have a bad
habit of eating out of garbage cans and some owners have a bad
habit of feeding dogs candy. A few oreos won't hurt a dog, but a
pound of chocolate can do considerable damage.
Clinical signs of theobromine toxicity in canids usually manifest
8 hours after ingestion and can include: thirst, vomiting,
diarrhea, urinary incontinence, nervousness, clonic muscle
spasms, seizures and coma. Any dog thought to have ingested a
large quantity of chocolate should be brought to an emergency
clinic asap, where treatment usually includes the use of emetics
and activated charcoal. The dog will thus need to be monitored to
maintain proper fluid and electrolyte balance.
Pathogenesis of theobromine toxicity: evidently large quantities
of theobromine have a diuretic effect, relax smooth muscles, and
stimulate the heart and cns.
Reference:
Fraser, Clarence M., et al, eds. The Merck Veterinary Manual, 7th
ed. Rahway, NJ: Merck & Co., Inc. 1991. pp. 1643-44.
On humans caffeine acts particularly on the brain and skeletal
muscles while theophylline targets heart, bronchia, and kidneys.
Other data on caffeine:
Cup of coffee 90-150mg
Instant coffee 60-80mg
Tea 30-70mg
Mate 25-150mg
Cola 30-45mg
Chocolate bar 30mg
Stay-awake pill 100mg
Vivarin 200mg
Cold relief tablet 30mg
The following information is from Bowes and Church's Food values of
portions commonly used, by Anna De Planter Bowes. Lippincott, Phila.
1989. Pages 261-2: Caffeine.
Candy:
Chocolate mg caffeine
baking choc, unsweetened, Bakers--1 oz(28 g) 25
german sweet, Bakers -- 1 oz (28 g) 8
semi-sweet, Bakers -- 1 oz (28 g) 13
Choc chips
Bakers -- 1/4 cup (43 g) 13
german sweet, Bakers -- 1/4 cup (43 g) 15
Chocolate bar, Cadbury -- 1 oz (28 g) 15
Chocolate milk 8oz 8
Desserts:
Jello Pudding Pops, Choc (47 g) 2
Choc mousse from Jell-O mix (95 g) 6
Jello choc fudge mousse (86 g) 12
Beverages
3 heaping teaspoons of choc powder mix 8
2 tablespoons choc syrup 5
1 envelope hot cocoa mix 5
Dietary formulas
ensure, plus, choc, Ross Labs -- 8 oz (259 g) 10
Cadbury Milk Chocolate Bar
More stuff:
Guarana "Magic Power" (quite common in Germany),
15 ml alcohol with
5g Guarana Seeds 250.0 mg
Guarana capsules with
500 mg G. seeds 25.0 mg / capsule
(assuming 5% caffeine in seeds as stated in literature)
Guarana soda pop is ubiquitous in Brazil and often available at
tropical groceries here. It's really tasty and packs a wallop. Guarana
wakes you up like crazy, but it doesn't cause coffee jitters.
It is possible that in addition to caffeine, there is some other
substance in guarana that also produces an effect, since it 'feels'
different than coffee. Same goes for mate.
2. How much caffeine there is in blend X?
Caffeine Content in beans and blends
(Source: Newsletter--Mountanos Bros. Coffee Co., San Francisco)
VARIETALS/STRAIGHTS
Brazil Bourbons 1.20%
Celebes Kalossi 1.22
Colombia Excelso 1.37
Colombia Supremo 1.37
Costa Rica Tarrazu 1.35
Ethiopian Harrar-Moka 1.13
Guatemala Antigua 1.32
Indian Mysore 1.37
Jamaican Blue Mtn/Wallensford Estate 1.24
Java Estate Kuyumas 1.20
Kenya AA 1.36
Kona Extra Prime 1.32
Mexico Pluma Altura 1.17
Mocha Mattari (Yemen) 1.01
New Guinea 1.30
Panama Organic 1.34
Sumatra Mandheling-Lintong 1.30
Tanzania Peaberry 1.42
Zimbabwe 1.10
BLENDS & DARK ROASTS
Colombia Supremo Dark 1.37%
Espresso Roast 1.32
French Roast 1.22
Vienna Roast 1.27
Mocha-Java 1.17
DECAFS--all @ .02% with Swiss Water Process
3. Chemically speaking, what is caffeine?
Caffeine is an alkaloid. There are numerous compounds called
alkaloids, among them we have the methylxanthines, with three
distinguished compounds: caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine,
found in cola nuts, coffee, tea, cacao beans, mate and other plants.
These compounds have different biochemical effects, and are present in
different ratios in the different plant sources. These compounds are
very similar and differ only by the presence of methyl groups in two
positions of the chemical structure. They are easily oxidized to uric
acid and other methyluric acids which are also similar in chemical
structure.
Caffeine:
Sources: Coffee, tea, cola nuts, mate, guarana.
Effects: Stimulant of central nervous system, cardiac muscle, and
respiratory system, diuretic Delays fatigue.
Theophylline:
Sources: Tea
Effects: Cariac stimulant, smooth muscle relaxant, diuretic,
vasodilator
Theobromine:
Sources: Principle alkaloid of the cocoa bean (1.5-3%) Cola nuts and
tea
Effects: Diuretic, smooth muscle relaxant, cardiac stimulant,
vasodilator.
(Info from Merck Index)
The presence of the other alkaloids in colas and tea may explain why
these sometimes have a stronger kick than coffee. Colas, which have
lower caffeine contents than coffee are, reportedly, sometimes more
active. Tea seems the strongest for some. Coffee seems more lasting
for mental alertness and offers fewer jitters than the others.
A search in CAS and produced these names and synonyms:
RN 58-08-2 REGISTRY
CN 1H-Purine-2,6-dione, 3,7-dihydro-1,3,7-trimethyl- (9CI) (CA INDEX NAME)
OTHER CA INDEX NAMES:
CN Caffeine (8CI)
OTHER NAMES:
CN 1,3,7-Trimethyl-2,6-dioxopurine
CN 1,3,7-Trimethylxanthine
CN 7-Methyltheophylline
CN Alert-Pep
CN Cafeina
CN Caffein
CN Cafipel
CN Guaranine
CN Koffein
CN Mateina
CN Methyltheobromine
CN No-Doz
CN Refresh'n
CN Stim
CN Thein
CN Theine
CN Tri-Aqua
MF C8 H10 N4 O2
The correct name is the first one,
1H-Purine-2,6-diione,3,7-dihydro-1,3,7-trimethyl- (This is the
"inverted name") The "uninverted name" is
3,7-Dihydro-1,3,7-trimethyl-1H-purine-2,6-dione
Merck Index excerpt...
Caffeine: 3,7-dihydro- 1,3,7-trimethyl- 1H-purine-
2,6-dione; 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine; 1,3,7-trimethyl-
2,6-dioxopurine; coffeine; thein; guaranine;
methyltheobromine; No-Doz.
C8H10N4O2; mol wt 194.19. C 49.48%, H 5.19%, N 28.85%, O
16.48%.
Occurs in tea, coffee, mate leaves; also in guarana paste
and cola nuts: Shuman, U.S. pat. 2,508,545 (1950 to General
Foods). Obtained as a by-product from the manuf of
caffeine-free coffee: Barch, U.S. pat. 2,817,588 (1957 to
Standard Brands); Nutting, U.S. pat. 2,802,739 (1957 to Hill
Bros. Coffee); Adler, Earle, U.S. pat. 2,933,395 (1960 to
General Foods).
Crystal structure: Sutor, Acta Cryst. 11, 453, (1958).
Synthesis: Fischer, Ach, Ber. 28, 2473, 3135 (1895); Gepner,
Kreps, J. Gen. Chem. USSR 16, 179 (1946); Bredereck et al.,
Ber. 83, 201 (1950); Crippa, Crippa, Farmaco Ed. Sci. 10,
616 (1955); Swidinsky, Baizer, U.S. pats. 2,785,162 and
2,785,163 (1957 to Quinine Chem. Works); Bredereck,
Gotsmann, Ber. 95, 1902 (1962).
Hexagonal prisms by sublimation, mp 238 C. Sublimes 178 C.
Fast sublimation is obtained at 160-165 C under 1mm press.
at 5 mm distance. d 1.23. Kb at 19 C: 0.7 x 10^(-14). Ka at
25 C: <1.0 x 10^(-14). pH of 1% soln 6.9. Aq solns of
caffeine salts dissociate quickly. Absorption spectrum:
Hartley, J. Chem. Soc. 87, 1802 (1905). One gram dissolves
in 46 ml water, 5.5 ml water at 80 C, 1.5 ml boiling water,
66 ml alcohol, 22 ml alcohol at 60 C, 50 ml acetone, 5.5 ml
chloroform, 530 ml ether, 100 ml benzene, 22 ml boiling
benzene. Freely sol in pyrrole; in tetrahydrofuran contg
about 4% water; also sol in ethyl acetate; slightly in petr
ether. Soly in water is increased by alkali benzoates,
cinnamates, citrates, or salicylates.
Monohydrate, felted needles, contg 8.5% H2O. Efflorescent in
air; complete dehydration takes place at 80 C. LD50 orally
in rats: 200 mg/kg.
Acetate, C8H10N4O2.(CH3COOH)2, granules or powder; acetic
acid odor; acid reaction. Loses acetic acid on exposure to
air. Soluble in water or alcohol with hydrolysis into
caffeine and acetic acid. Keep well stoppered.
Hydrochloride dihydrate, C8H10N4O2.HCl.2H2O, crystals, dec
80-100 C with loss of water and HCl. Sol in water and in
alcohol with dec.
Therap Cat: Central stimulant.
Therap Cat (Vet): Has been used as a cardiac and respiratory
stimulant and as a diuretic.
4. Is it true that tea has no caffeine/What is theine, theobromine, etc?
From "Principles of biochemistry", Horton and al, 1993.
Caffeine is sometimes called "theine" when it's in tea. This
is probably due to an ancient misconception that the active
constituent is different. Theophylline is present only in
trace amounts. It is more diuretic, more toxic and less
speedy.
Caffeine
1,3,7-trimethylxanthine
Theophylline
1,3-dimethylxanthine
Theobromine
3,7-dimethylxanthine
Coffee and tea contain caffeine and theophylline,
respectively, which are methylated purine derivatives that
inhibit cAMP phosphodiesterase. In the presence of these
inhibitors, the effects of cAMP, and thus the stimulatory
effects of the hormones that lead to its production, are
prolonged and intensified.
Theobromine and theophylline are two dimethylxanthines that have two
rather than three methyl groups. Theobromine is considerably weaker
than caffeine and theophylline, having about one tenth the stimulating
effect of either.
Theobromine is found in cocoa products, tea (only in very small
amounts) and kola nuts, but is not found in coffee. In cocoa, its
concentration is generally about 7 times as great as caffeine.
Although, caffeine is relatively scarce in cocoa, its mainly because
of theobromine that cocoa is "stimulating".
Theophylline is found in very small amounts in tea, but has a stronger
effect on the heart and breathing than caffeine. For this reason it is
often the drug of choice in home remedies for treating asthma
bronchitis and emphysema. The theophylline found in medicine is made
from extracts from coffee or tea.
5. Where can I find a gif of the caffeine molecule?
Caffeine = 1,3,7-Trimethylxanthine
A different view of the caffeine molecule.
The Department of Chemistry at Jamaica of the University of Western
Indies has made available an avi and an mpeg of a rotation of the
caffeine molecule, among other molecules and chemical processes. The
index page contains more information and the links to the clips.
CH3
|
N
/ \
N----C C==O
|| || |
|| || |
CH C N--CH3
\ / \ /
N C
| ||
CH3 O
There is a gif picture at the wuarchive.wustl.edu ftp site or any of
its mirror sites under
multimedia/images/gif/c
caffeine
Theobromine is also a common component of coffee, tea, chocolate, and
mate (particularly in these last two).
Theobromine
CH3
|
N
/ \
N----C C==O
|| || |
|| || |
CH C N--H
\ / \ /
N C
| ||
CH3 O
Theophylline was once thought to be a major component of tea. This is
not correct. Tea contains significantly more amounts of caffeine than
of theophylline.
Theophylline
CH3
|
N
/ \
N----C C==O
|| || |
|| || |
CH C N--CH3
\ / \ /
N C
| ||
H O
6. Is it true that espresso has less caffeine than regular coffee?
Yes and no. An espresso cup has about as much caffeine as a cup of
dark brew. But servings for espresso are much smaller. Which means
that the content of caffeine per millilitre are much higher than with
a regular brew. Moreover, caffeine is more quickly assimilated when
taken in concentrated dosages, such as an espresso cup.
The myth of lower caffeine espresso comes comes from the fact that the
darker roast beans used for espresso do have less caffeine than
regularly roasted beans as roasting is supposed to break up or
sublimate the caffeine in the beans (I have read this quote on
research articles, but found no scientific studies supporting it.
Anybody out there?). But espresso is prepared using pressurized water
through significantly more ground (twice as much?) than regular drip
coffee, resulting in a higher percentage of caffeine per millilitre.
Here's the caffeine content of Drip/Espresso/Brewed Coffee:
Drip 115-175
Espresso 100 1 serving (1.5-2oz)
Brewed 80-135
7. How does caffeine taste?
Caffeine is very bitter. Barq's Root Beer contains caffeine and the
company says that it has "12.78mg per 6oz" and that they "add it as a
flavouring agent for the sharp bitterness"
8. How much theobromine/theophylline there is in ...?
Sources: Physicians Desk Reference and Institute of Food Technologies
from Pafai and Jankiewicz (1991) DRUGS AND HUMAN BEHAVIOUR
cocoa 250mg theobromine
bittersweet choc. bar 130mg theobromine
5 oz cup brewed coffee no theobromine
tea 5oz cup brewed 3min
with teabag 3-4 mg theophylline
Diet Coke no theobromine or theophylline
* How to brew the ultimate caffeine drink?
1. What is the best temperature for drip coffee?
According to chemical studies, the optimal water temperature for drip
coffee is 95-98C. According to my notes, colder water doesn't extract
enough caffeine/essential oils from the beans, and above such
temperature the acidity increases wildly.
2. Quality of coffee
The quality of a brew depend on the following factors (in no
particular order):
1. Time since grinding the beans.
2. Time since roasting.
3. Cleanliness with brewing equipment.
4. Bean quality (what crop etc).
5. Water quality.
Fact: Unless you are buying some major debris, bean quality is not
very important, as compared to 1-3 and 5.
Fact: A coffee can in the supermarket often contains major debris, so
be careful when you choose. (See note below).
Fact: Once you have freshly roasted and ground coffee, filtered water
and equipment free of oil residues from the last brew, quality of
beans makes a huge difference.
NOTE: A coffee can in the supermarket often contains a blend of
Arabica and robusta beans while most coffee houses sell only arabica
beans. Arabica beans are usually flavour rich, while robusta beans
have more caffeine, less flavour and are cheaper to produce.
When you buy coffee, whether in a coffee house or in a supermarket,
you want to get 100% arabica, except for espresso blends, which are a
combination of both.
For freshness, in a coffee house it is better to buy popular blends
that move fast, while in a supermarket vacuum packaged containers with
expiry date are your best bet.
3. Why you should never use percolators.
Percolators violate most of the natural laws about brewing coffee.
o Don't overextract the oils and flavour. Percolators work by
taking coffee and reheating it and throwing it over the grounds
over and over and over again.
o Never reheat/boil coffee. This destroys the flavour. For best
flavour, boil the water, pass it over the grounds and retain the
heat. Don't reheat it.
Violating these rules may not sound like much, but these are about the
only rules there are. The effect of a percolator is to keep passing
boiling water/coffee over the grounds until there is no flavour left
and the flavour in the coffee is so dead that it's a worthless waste.
* Peripherals and Secondary Storage
1. Proper care of coffee makers...
It is very important that you wash your coffee maker pot and filter
container thoroughly at least once a week. Bitter oils stick to the
glass container and plastic filter holder.
I used to wash the plastic filter container and rinse the glass pot.
Coffee started to taste bad. When I was told to wash both thoroughly
with plenty of soap the flavour improved instantly. Note: To the naked
eye rinsed and soap washed pots look the same (clean that is).
Some drip coffee makers require periodic cleansing with a solution of
water and vinegar.
If you have a coffee/teapot, the inside of which is stained with oily
brown residues - also plastic/metal coffee filters, tea strainers, and
stainless steel sinks in caffeine-o-phile houses - they can be
restored to a shining, brand-spanking-new state by washing in hot
washing powder (detergent).
Get a large plastic jug, add 2..3 heaped tablespoons of Daz Automatic
or Bold or whatever, and about a pint of hot water - just off the boil
is the best.
Swill the jug around until the detergent is dissolved, and then pour
into tea/coffeepot, and let it stand for 5 minutes, swilling the pot
around occasionally, just to keep the detergent moving. Put the lid on
and shake it a few times (care: slippery + hot)
Repeat as necessary. Keep it hot with a little boiling water if
needed. If you have a cafetiere, dissemble it, and soak the parts in
the mixture for a few minutes, agitating occasionally.
In both cases, the residue just falls off with almost no scrubbing. It
does great things with over-used filter machine filters, too.
Important: Rinse off all detergent afterwards, use lots of fresh
water.
2. How to store coffee?
One should always store coffee beans in a glass, air tight container.
Air is coffee's principle enemy. Glass is best because it doesn't
retain the odors of the beans or the oils, which could contaminate
future beans stored in the same container. However, if you use glass,
make sure the container is not exposed to light, as sunlight is
believed to reduce freshness.
For consumption within:
1 week
room temperature is fine
2 weeks to a month
refrigerate
freeze them
This prevents the chemical reactions that produce stale beans and
lifeless coffee.
3. Equipment reviews?
4. What is a French Press/Cafetiere/Bodum
French presses are usually glass containers with a wire mesh attached
to a plunger. To make coffee, you first boil water, then pour water
into the container which should contain one or two spoons of coffee
per cup. You let it rest for 2-3 minutes and then plunge the wire
mesh. This filters the coffee.
* Caffeine and your Health
Important: This information was excerpted from several sources, no claims
are made to its accuracy. The FAQ mantainer is not a medical doctor and
cannot vouch for the accuracy of this information.
1. Caffeine Withdrawal: Procedures and Symptoms.
How to cut caffeine intake?
Most people report a very good success ratio by cutting down caffeine
intake at the rate of 1/2 cup of coffee a day. This is known as
Caffeine Fading. Alternatively you might try reducing coffee intake in
discrete steps of two-five cups of coffee less per week (depending on
how high is your initial intake). If you are drinking more than 10
cups of coffee a day, you should seriously consider cutting down.
The best way to proceed is to consume caffeine regularly for a week,
while keeping a precise log of the times and amounts of caffeine
intake (remember that chocolate, tea, soda beverages and many headache
pills contain caffeine as well as coffee). At the end of the week
proceed to reduce your coffee intake at the rate recommended above.
Remember to have substitutes available for drinking: if you are not
going to have a hot cup of coffee at your 10 minute break, you might
consider having hot chocolate or herbal tea, but NOT decaff, since
decaff has also been shown to be addictive. This should take you
through the works without much problem.
Some other people quit cold turkey. Withdrawal symptoms are quite
nasty this way (see section below) but they can usually be countered
with lots of sleep and exercise. Many people report being able to stop
drinking caffeine almost cold-turkey while on holidays on the beach.
If quitting cold turkey is proving too hard even in the beach,
drinking a coke might help.
What are the symptoms of caffeine withdrawal?
Regular caffeine consumption reduces sensitivity to caffeine. When
caffeine intake is reduced, the body becomes oversensitive to
adenosine. In response to this oversensitiveness, blood pressure drops
dramatically, causing an excess of blood in the head (though not
necessarily on the brain), leading to a headache.
This headache, well known among coffee drinkers, usually lasts from
one to five days, and can be alleviated with analgesics such as
aspirin. It is also alleviated with caffeine intake (in fact several
analgesics contain caffeine dosages).
Often, people who are reducing caffeine intake report being irritable,
unable to work, nervous, restless, and feeling sleepy, as well as
having a headache. In extreme cases, nausea and vomiting has also been
reported.
References.
Caffeine and Health. J. E. James, Academic Press, 1991. Progress in
Clinical and Biological Research Volume 158. G. A. Spiller, Ed. Alan
R. Liss Inc, 1984.
2. What happens when you overdose?
From Desk Reference to the Diagnostic Criteria from DSM-3-R (American
Psychiatric Association, 1987):
Caffeine-Induced Organic Mental Disorder 305.90 Caffeine
Intoxication
1. Recent consumption of caffeine, usually in excess of
250 mg.
2. At least five of the following signs:
Section 1 of 3 - Prev - Next
All sections - 1 - 2 - 3
| Back to category Food and Drink - Discuss "Coffee and Caffeine's Frequently Asked Questions" |
| Home - Search - About the project - Forum - Feedback |
© 2005 allanswers.org | Terms of use