However, it has never been determined whether or not this rhythm disturbance equates to an increased risk of hospitalization because of it. In fact, a recent study shows that drinking caffeine in coffee form actually decreases the risk that someone might be hospitalized because of heart rhythm problems.

Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, CA recently conducted a study in which the coffee drinking habits of 130,054 men and women were assessed along with their medical history. The research showed that those who had 4 or more cups of coffee a day (400mg of caffeine or more) had an 18% lower risk off being hospitalized because of heart rhythm disturbances while those that consumed at least 1-3 cups had a 7% lower risk.

The head researcher, Arthur Klatsky MD, says that while other factors could have been involved here and that this study doesn’t prove that coffee has a protective effect, it does however, show that coffee drinkers are not harming themselves from drinking the caffeine or increasing their risk of hospitalization due to heart rhythm problems.

In any event, this is good news for the caffeine consuming public, especially those that have 400mg or more of caffeine everyday. However, don’t go crazy people. This isn’t a license to throw common sense out the window.

It seems like every year there is a new magic ingredient that is supposed to work miracles. Remember  Retinol,  Q10, or Elastin?  Well now it seems caffeine has joined the ranks of these past skin care product wonders and is expected to be the hot ingredient for 2010.

Garnier recently launch a whole line of products called “Skin Renew” containing caffeine. They have an under eye roll on that’s supposed to make dark circles and puffiness vanish as well as moisturizers and sun screens with added caffeine that claim to even reverse sun damage and have anti skin cancer properties.

Does Caffeine Really Work?

Beauty product companies have added caffeine to products based on a couple of studies that pointed to some potential health benefits of caffeine.

• The University of Washington in Seattle recently conducted a study in which they exposed healthy skin cells and UV damaged skin cells to caffeine. The caffeine caused the damaged cells to die while not hurting the healthy cells. This study was published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology. This study didn’t allude to the fact that topically applied caffeine would work any better than ingested caffeine though.
• The second is actually a number of studies that point to caffeine’s anti-inflammatory properties. So the theory is that if caffeine is placed under the eye, then it can help reduce puffiness and dark circle as they are caused by inflammation.

Some of the other skin care giants have come out with caffeinated products as well  so expect to see many of the major players follow suit with their own caffeine enhanced versions. Besides beauty oriented products, sun screen companies have also been rolling out sunscreens with added caffeine so look for this trend to increase too.

A couple of years ago, people thought putting caffeine in soap, shampoo, and lotions was ridiculous, however, now it looks like it will be as common to use caffeine enriched skin care products as it is to drink a cup of coffee. Besides, you’ll be able to actually use your tea bags for drinking now.

Dakota Sailor came home from school and decided he would throw back not one, but two cans of NOS Energy Drink. That is the last thing he remembers as his parents found him unconscious on the sofa aspirating. He was rushed to the hospital and recovered a few days later.

The doctors ran various tests, but concluded that it was probably the energy drink that was the culprit in this incident. The doctors said that  high doses of caffeine could have caused his seizure. Checking out the Caffeine Database, we see that NOS has 260 milligrams of caffeine per can so that puts Sailor at 520mg of caffeine from NOS plus he admitted to having additional caffeine earlier in the day.

Normally, this amount of caffeine isn’t anywhere near a toxic amount. According to Death by Caffeine it would take around 45 cans of NOS to send you packing for the afterlife, but everyone is different and some are more sensitive to caffeine than others. The teen obviously had a reaction to something.

The problem here is that this will just be used as further evidence that energy drinks are bad even though this teen did not responsibly drink the product and heed the warnings clearly printed on the NOS can. It isn’t the energy drink’s fault he had this reaction if he didn’t follow the recommended dosage.

Look at it this way. If a teen went into a Walmart and bought a bottle of ibuprofen and took 20 of them instead of the recommended 2 tablets, no one would blame the ibuprofen company, however, in this case most will blame the energy drink instead of the irresponsible actions of Sailor. Energy drinks have powerful ingredients in them and need to be treated and drunk responsibly. Parents need to be aware of what their kids are drinking and what they are spending their money on.

Part of the reason this site exists is to educate the consumer about the caffeine levels of the hundreds of products that are out there. So please don’t blame NOS or energy drinks for this unfortunate incident and hopefully this event will give this kid a new respect for the products.

Source: The Joplin Globe

It seems that people who consume Caffeinated beverages have a 40% less risk of getting Glioma which is a type of brain cancer.

In the study published in the journal; Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention, the caffeine consumption habits of 300 brain cancer patients were compared with those who were cancer free. Those that had at least five cups of coffee a day showed to have less risk of developing Glioma. That’s over 500mg of caffeine a day!

The men in the study showed more favorable results than that of the women, but it still suggests that caffeine is responsible as decaffeinated beverages made no difference in cancer rates.

In the past a lot of studies concluded that the antioxidents in coffee and tea were the health promoting factors, however, the researchers theorize that in this case the caffeine restricts blood flow to the brain, which prevents cancer cells from getting the high oxygen and nutrient levels they need in order to flourish.

What’s even better is that this study didn’t exclude other caffeinated beverages such as tea and soda so the results took the consumption of these beverages into account as well.

Now when you are hassled about your energy drink addiction, you can tell the haters that you are preventing brain cancer!

Have you ever thought about what is actually going on in your body when you throw back that energy drink or sip that coffee?

How is caffeine broken down and how does it affect your metabolism? How long does caffeine stay active in your system and why do people crave the stuff?

We’ll try to answer those questions and more in the simplest terms possible so you can be an educated consumer when it comes to caffeine metabolism.

Caffeine From the First Sip

Caffeine easy passes through body membranes so from the first sip the caffeine is entering your blood stream through the lining of your mouth, throat, and stomach. It only takes 45 minutes for 99% of the caffeine to be absorbed through these membranes. In humans the half-life for caffeine is anywhere from 2.5 to 4.5 hours in humans which explains why the average energy drink or coffee’s effect lasts about 2 to 3 hours. Things like age, medical conditions, and drug interaction can have an affect on the half-life.

Caffeine in the Blood Stream

While most research on caffeine has been conducted using animals, the data has been converted to show the most likely effect in the human body. As soon as the caffeine enters the body it is metabolized by the liver and broken down into theophylline, theobromine and paraxanthine.

From there these chemicals travel throughout the body where they effect various body functions. The most studied of these is the way caffeine is similar to the molecule adenosine in the brain. The molecules bind to the adenosine receptors in brain cells and block adenosine from binding. This causes elevated levels of adenosine in the blood which is believed to cause feelings of alertness and energy. The compounds also interact with the dopamine system in the brain which influences mood and prevents dopamine’s calming effect.

There also has been research into the way adenosine may play a role in the sleep-wake cycle. Caffeine doesn’t replace the person’s need for sleep, but just covers up drowsiness symptoms.

Theophylline relaxes smooth muscles which has been beneficial to those with asthma and is the reason why after drinking caffeine the person often feels the need to use the bathroom as it is affecting the smooth muscle of the colon.  Theobromine increases the amount of oxygen and nutrients that can be used by the brain and muscles.

There have been many other researched effects of caffeine covered by Energy Fiend, but the above represents the most researched and common.

Caffeine’s Exit from the Body

The caffeine metabolites are then filtered by the kidneys and they exit the body with the urine. Caffeine has been shown to have a diuretic effect on the body which basically causes the body to release more water in the urine. However, new research suggests that this is only in people who have not built up tolerance to the caffeine molecule.

When caffeine has exited the body or has been used by the various cells of the body the person can experience a “crash” which is caused by elevated levels of adenosine and dopamine  finally being able to attach to brain cell receptors, causing feelings of tiredness and fatigue. Prolonged use of caffeine also causes withdrawal symptoms.

I think it’s time for another coffee or energy drink to keep the caffeine metabolism process going don’t you think?

Sources:

Biology Online

Wikipedia

He is hoping to get caffeine addiction listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DMS) which is published by the American Psychiatric Association. Basically this is the book mental health practitioners use to diagnose people with mental disorders or illnesses. If something isn’t in the the DMS then people can’t be diagnosed.

Dr. Griffiths just completed a comprehensive caffeine-withdrawal study and believes that caffeine should be considered an addictive substance and people who are addicted have a mental disorder similar to people who are addicted to other substances such as heroin or cocaine. He is hoping that the American Psychiatric Association will consider his study and vote to include caffeine addiction and withdrawal in the 2010 edition of the DMS.

OK, so what does this mean for the millions of people dependent on caffeine? Well here are the pros and cons.

Pros

• You can use caffeine withdrawal as a legitimate excuse to miss school or work.
• You can get insurance to pay for counseling to help you quit.
• You could get free government funded caffeine patches.
• You could steal energy drinks and use your “caffeine withdrawal mental disorder” as a defense in court.
• If you’re a “Beverage Cooler Slave” you could claim disability and never work another day in your life!

Cons

• You will be labeled with a mental disorder and called “Mental” legitimately.
• You could be forced into court ordered caffeine addiction rehab.
• Your boss could use it as an excuse to finally fire you for your frequent coffee/energy drink breaks and hyperactivity.
• You’ll be dumb and poor because you use it too much as an excuse to miss school and work.

What is this world coming too? What do you think about Griffiths’ plan to have caffeine addiction and withdrawal added to the DMS as a mental disorder?

Source: National Geographic

Over the years, Energy Fiend has written about the the research that showed  the health benefits of caffeine. We’ve dug through our archives and put together a handy list for you.

Caffeine Heath Benefits

1. In Japan researchers have shown that caffeine increases memory.
2. Caffeine mixed with carbs replenishes muscle glycogen concentrations faster after exercise.
3. Caffeine detoxes the liver and cleanses the colon when taken as a caffeine enema.
4. Caffeine is better than sleep when you need to be alert while driving.
5. Caffeine can stimulate hair growth on balding men and women.
6. Caffeine relieves post work-out muscle pain by up to 48%.
7. Caffeine helps ward off Alzheimer’s.
8. Caffeine can ease depression by increasing dopamine in the brain.
9. Caffeine increases stamina during exercise.
10. Caffeine protects against eyelid spasm.

Well, there you have it, at least ten solid reasons to keep consuming caffeine for your good health.  So what are you waiting for go have a coffee or a Red Bull and why not print this list out for all those that would condemn you.

As well as one for the energy fans to use as justification for drinking your beloved beverage.

Taurine, which is found in most popular energy drinks such as Red Bull has been showing very promising health benefits when it comes to heart health. First, It’s important to know that Taurine is naturally found in and produced by our bodies. The largest concentrations are found in bile, our brain, and our muscles.

Studies have shown that taurine can help lower cholesterol, increase the effectiveness of heart muscle contractions, and improve blood flow and oxygen supply to heart cells.

Taurine is found naturally in mainly meat based  products and can be taken as a supplement such as in energy drinks, up to about 3000mg per day. Any more then this just gets excreted by the kidneys. So the next time your sitting around with your friends drinking a big can of Monster, raise your cans in the air, toast, and say “here’s to our hearts!”

What’s in that stuff?

Some kids were given free samples of Locozade’s new Alert Plus Energy Shot and they definitely felt alert alright.

The two students 11 and 12 years old were walking to school when a promotional firm at King’s Cross, London gave them several samples of the drink. “Why stop at just one?”, thought the bright pupil… “I think I’ll drink all six”!

Well, Alert Plus certainly worked for the chaps because their teacher reported them being full of energy and acting unusual.  It was only a caffeine high though. After looking at the information on Lucozade Alert Plus it is just a 60ml shot with 120mg of caffeine and B vitamins. Therefore, the kid that skulled six had a quick dose of 720mg of caffeine.

Here again, it will be energy products that get the bad rap, even though, it says it’s not suitable for those under 16. Not to mention the promotional firm’s lack of judgment giving an 11 year old six bottles….

Source: Mirror.co.uk

A new study showed that those who drink coffee have lower sugar and insulin levels. It also appears that regular coffee is better than decaffeinated, so coffee could even prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.

The Basics

In a previous study in 2006, Japanese researchers had similar findings, but they believed the caffeine was the magic bullet. However, in this study coffee’s other components were isolated and tested.

15 overweight but otherwise healthy men were given either decaf coffee, a placebo, or the chemicals chlorogenic acid and trigonelline dissolved in water which are two of the main antioxidants in coffee. The participants’ glucose and insulin levels were checked after consumption of each throughout the trial period. The only sample that showed lowered sugar and insulin levels was the chlorogenic acid and trigonelline solution.

In the decaffeinating process these antioxidants are also removed to much lower concentrations so that explains why results weren’t seen with the decaf sample. Therefore, it is best to have regular full test coffee that’s been un-messed around with if you want to experience this positive health benefit.

This is good news for coffee drinkers or those that would be at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Now you can drink all the coffee you want, but I would advise that you learn to drink it without the white stuff if you want to experience the full benefits.

Source:The American Diabetes Association