Caffeine Myths and Facts

There’s been a lot of news stories lately about the ill effects of caffeine, so this little snippet of information should be well-timed. From Vivarin comes this list of caffeine information (collated from several sources on the site).

Caffeine is a naturally occurring substance that has been enjoyed by people for thousands of years. It is generally regarded as the most widely consumed, food/drug in the world. Caffeine enhances certain aspects of both physical and mental performance, as well as alertness.

People who use caffeine regularly and responsibly to make the most of their day, often face conflicting and confusing statements regarding the effects of caffeine on a person’s health. Caffeine is one of the most comprehensively studied substances with centuries of safe consumption when taken in moderate doses. As a result, there is a vast amount of scientific data that can provide answers to the many questions that exist surrounding the use of caffeine.

Myth:Caffeine is not safe.

Fact:Because caffeine is so widely used, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) carefully reviewed and deemed it as safe and effective. In 1958, caffeine was placed on the Food and Drug Administration’s list as generally recognized as safe (GRAS). A comprehensive review of caffeine safety was recently published and concluded that moderate daily caffeine intake at doses up to 400 mg per/day was not associated with adverse effects such as general toxicity, cardiovascular effects, effects on bone status and calcium balance (with consumption of adequate calcium), changes in adult behavior, increased incidence of cancer and effects on male fertility. Another article that reviewed the effects of caffeine on human behavior also concluded that caffeine is unlikely to cause adverse events when taken in moderation.

Experts agree that moderation and common sense are the keys to safe consumption of caffeine. What is considered a “normal” amount of caffeine depends on an individual’s sensitivity, and can be affected by frequency and amount of intake, body weight, age and a person’s overall health. People with health problems may want to consult their physician regarding their use of caffeine.

Myth:Caffeine is an addictive drug.

Fact:Caffeine is a pharmacologically active substance; it can work as a mild stimulant, and therefore is considered a drug. Few caffeine users report loss of control of caffeine intake or significant difficulty in reducing or stopping caffeine if desired. Thus, caffeine is not addictive and is not listed in the category of addicting stimulants.

Caffeine, on the other hand, is classified by the FDA as an over-the-counter (OTC) substance and thereby regulated by more stringent safety standards. As mentioned earlier, the FDA has approved caffeine as a safe and effective substance and placed caffeine on the generally recognized as safe (GRAS) listing.

Myth: Caffeine causes heart disease.

Fact:A comprehensive review of caffeine safety was recently done and published which concluded that moderate daily caffeine intake at a dose level up to 400 mg per/day was not associated with cardiovascular effects.

Furthermore, the Framingham Heart Study examined potential links between caffeine intake and cardiovascular disease. This study showed that there is no significant relationship between caffeine consumption and development of stroke or cardiovascular disease. Thus, it was concluded that moderate caffeine consumption is not a factor in the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. A Harvard University study confirmed this report, concluding that caffeine intake does not “appreciably increase the risk of coronary heart disease or stroke.”

Myth: Caffeine causes cancer.

Fact:Many studies have looked at the relationship between caffeine intake and increased risk of certain cancers, but no associations have been discovered or supported by this research.