Marina Kushner - The Truth about Caffeine

~ FOREWORD ~

Caffeine has become such an integral part of our lifestyle that we dont even realize the effects it has on our bodies. Much of our daily nutrition consists of products containing caffeine, e.g., tea, coffee, soft drinks, chocolates, and various other foods.

As a physician, my primary concern is the effect it has on our health. Hypertension (HTN) is one the most common problems seen in Internal Medicine, thus my practice. There is a myth that caffeine should help decrease blood pressure through vasodilatation, but the fact that is missed is that caffeine-induced medullary stimulation can increase catecholamines and thus offset the effect. In my experience, it usually increases the pressure, and as I always tell my patients, HTN is a silent killer and an issue that needs to be addressed right away.

Caffeine is also one of the common culprits in Gastro-esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), which is addressed in the book. GERD is usually due to incompetence of the lower esophageal sphincter. There are several etiologies of GERD, and caffeine can play a role. It is a disorder that presents with heartburn, with or without regurgitation, or just a feeling of abdominal discomfort. People who ingest high levels of caffeine end up with symptoms of GERD and need to be treated with medication. Depending on the severity, patients may develop various complications.

Caffeine does have a therapeutic role in disorders such as headaches and is commonly used in various drug preparations. However, these drugs should be taken carefully, as an overdose can be fatal.

In adults, ingestion of 1,000 mg or more of caffeine can result in symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, increased heart rate, and rarely death. An increase in heart rate and elevated blood pressure can increase urine output, thus causing dehydration and decreased potassium. Potassium is one of the key electrolytes in our bodies, and if deficiencies are not corrected, can cause arrhythmia and death. Caffeine toxicity is very rare, but deaths have been reported. The estimated lethal dose of caffeine in an untreated adult is from 5 to 10 g, [12] [50], and in children 78 mg/kg has caused serious symptoms.

In my practice, I have seen the effects of caffeine on our health and the above are just a few examples. I am also a mother and the effects it has on our children are not missed by anyone. A key fact here is to be aware of the half-life of caffeine in different age groups. Half-life is an indication of the time that it takes any product to be eliminated from the body.

TABLE 36-2

Elimination Half-Life of Caffeine in Different Age Groups

The following table sets forth the numbers:

As a mother, I have seen the excitability, agitation, and nervousness it causes in a child. Some things cannot be avoided, since kids are going to be kids and will want chocolate, but products like soft drinks can definitely be consumed in caffeine-free form.

The author of this book has done a very good job in terms of researching the topic and providing readers with valuable material for making informed decisions. This book is a good source of knowledge. It provides a thoughtful insight into an issue that is experienced in the daily life of many and yet seldom discussed.

NAVLEEN KAUR, M.D.

Kanfer, I., Dowse, R., Vusumuzi, V. Pharmacokinetics of oral decongestants. Pharmacotherapy 1993; 13:116s.

Ford: Clinical toxicology, 1st edition, 2001, p. 321.

Chapter One

Kicking the Caffeine Habit

Millions of people are addicted to caffeine. They need their caffeine just as smokers need their dose of nicotine. The symptoms of caffeine withdrawal can be just as painful and even longer lasting than those experienced by the most chronic alcoholics. And just like the other junkies, dependence on caffeine and its ubiquitous delivery systems coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks, and pills strips caffeine addicts of their freedom. They give up their minds, their bodies, and sometimes even their lives to their debilitating drug of choice: caffeine.

The Double-Barreled Threat

It must be understood at the very outset that we are talking about two separate but related chemical compounds coffee and caffeine, which both together and individually pose a grave threat to people habitually consuming them, indiscriminately and in excess.