Caffeine: The Good The Bad and The Healthy

Berkeley Battle 7.30.14

Caffeine is found in many foods and beverages that most Americans
consume daily. It is the most widely consumed behaviorally active substance in the Western
World (1). Caffeine is a substance found naturally in the leaves, seeds, and fruits of over 60
plants including tea leaves, kola nuts, coffee, cocoa beans, guarana and yerba mate (2). And then
caffeine is also found in processed foods such as coffee, tea, chocolate, sodas, candies, energy
drinks, and even some snacks and gum. It obviously can be avoided in the diet by avoiding those
products and there is no nutritional need for caffeine. However, if you choose to consume it, you
might as well be informed on how much is good for you, what might be bad for you, and what
properties of this highly researched dietary product are actually healthy for you.
First lets investigate how much caffeine is actually in each beverage
as I had thought that espresso would contain the most caffeine and that tea contained next to
nothing when in fact I was mistaken and the actual amounts of caffeine are highly variable,
especially when prepared at home. A typical 8 oz cup of coffee can contain anywhere from 80 to
200 mg depending on the brand and if its brewed or drip coffee as usually drip coffee imparts
more caffeine in its punch. Espresso however has only about 40 to 75 mg of caffeine in a 1 to 2
oz. shot but if you pick up your jolt from Starbucks a 16 oz Pikes Place brewed coffee has 330
mg of caffeine. At the same Starbucks you can opt instead for a 16 oz plain latte with only 150
mg of caffeine as thats made with espresso and not brewed coffee, however there are the
potentially bad considerations of getting a latte or flavored latte as that now adds calories, sugar
and carbohydrates which could be bad for the diet depending on the Individual.
Most people enjoy chocolate and typically 2 oz of dark chocolate will
contain between 20 to 120 mg of caffeine which is a moderate amount. At Dunkin Donuts a 16
oz coffee will contain 140 to 200 mg of caffeine, at Einsteins a 16 oz serving contains an almost
identical amount at 206 mg so clearly people who go to Starbucks are seeking a more intense
caffeine consumption as some of the venti or 20 to 24 oz drinks contain up to 480 mg of caffeine
(2). Diet sodas contain 35-50 mg of caffeine, most regular sodas around 55 mg like Mountain
Dew, but Jolt contains 130 mg per 12 oz serving and an 8 oz Red Bull will deliver only 80 mg of
caffeine while a Rockstar can jumpstart you with 160 mg of the potent stuff.
So why do people consume all this caffeine? Because its main effect
is to act as a mild central nervous system stimulant related to its action as an adenosine receptor
antagonist, which means that it stimulates, or excites the brain and the nervous system causing
both an increase in selective attention and sustained attention. Caffeine has also been studied for
the cause and effect relationship it has with intake and increased endurance performance,
endurance capacity and a reduction in perceived exertion (3). A serving as low as 75 mg has
been linked to increased attention, improved mental performance and alertness which can be
extremely beneficial in situations requiring increased alertness particularly when arousal levels
are low, such as during night shifts, driving long distances, suffering jet lag, cramming for
exams, or performing endurance sports (4).
Now for the exciting perks of caffeine consumption: Many extensive
studies have shown that coffee, particularly the caffeine contained, may have many health
benefits such as protecting against Parkinsons disease, type 2 diabetes, liver disease, some
cancers, age related cognitive declines such as Dementia and even Alzheimers Disease. A new
study as recent as April 10, 2014 reports that researchers have discovered that caffeine prevented
the growth of tau, a brain cell clogging protein associated with Alzheimers disease, in mice
(5). The doses of caffeine used in the study are the equivalent of about two cups of coffee per
day in humans. This research builds on previous studies which has found that older people are
less likely to suffer cognitive decline if they take regular moderate (400 mg daily from all
sources is considered moderate) amounts of caffeine. Several epidemiological studies suggest
that a regular, lifelong, moderate consumption of coffee/caffeine may slow down physiological,
age related decline, especially in women and those over 80 years old in particular.
Recent studies have found no connection between coffee and an
increased risk of gastro intestinal problems, nor bone health issues, nor heart disease. In fact
most studies find an association between decreased overall mortality and possibly cardiovascular
mortality. Caffeine is not linked to other cardiovascular risk factors such as increased cholesterol
and increased homocysteine levels, however it does have a slight, transient hypertensive effect,
meaning it would be comparable to the transient increase experienced during a conversation but
is not linked to an increased risk of hypertension (5).
Now the bad news about caffeine, and particularly coffee. Earlier
studies didnt always take into account that known high-risk behaviors, such as smoking and
physical inactivity, tended to be more common among heavy coffee drinkers at that time; hence
the apparent reversal in the thinking about coffee and the trend toward other forms of obtaining
caffeine by serious athletes and many young active people in this generation. But if you still love
coffee remember that coffee and espresso by itself has nearly zero calories but its all the milk,
cream, flavors, sugars and additives that can make it dangerous to a diabetic and ridiculous to
consume if youre following a strict diet to lose weight or maintain a weight loss goal. Also,
caffeine, like all things, is only good in moderation. There is no link to excess mental or physical
performance with increasing your caffeine consumption above moderate levels; in fact the
opposite happens.
The phrase everything in moderation is particularly fitting with
caffeine because once that upper threshold is passed (more than 5 cups of coffee or over 500 mg
of caffeine from all sources) the individual will start to see problems such as: anxiety, increased
heart rate, nausea urinating more often, difficulty sleeping, restlessness and even vomiting. Of
course a tolerance builds up in the moderate coffee drinker over their lifetime and so if they
never increase their daily intake beyond what is reasonable they will probably never experience
those problems. However, is someone has health problems such as being overweight or obese,
which increases cardiovascular risks, than caffeine can be harmful because of the already
harmful effects of that persons health.
The American Psychological Association recently added Caffeine
Withdrawal as a syndrome to its latest edition of the DSMV with symptoms ranging from
headaches to irritability and drowsiness peaking at about 20 to 48 hours. But there is no reason to
quit drinking coffee or consuming mild to moderate amounts of caffeine if one is in otherwise
good health. For many people drinking coffee on a regular basis may become a habit, but habit is
not the same as addiction. The World Health Organization has stated that there is no evidence to
suggest that caffeine use ha comparable physical and social consequences to addiction and brain
mapping technology show that caffeine is not linked to the brain circuit of dependence(5).
So in summary, when caffeine is consumed in moderation it has
mostly positive effects, mainly on alertness and physical and intellectual endurance and
performance. It is a good mild CNS stimulant which may decrease the risk of developing many
age-related cognitive declines such as Parkinsons and Alzheimers disease. In moderation,
again, in a healthy individual it does not lead to dehydration or any other health concerns. But if
you are one those individuals who must add sweeteners to your coffee, or flavors, or milk or
cream or turn a zero calorie brain booster into an 800 calorie, 60 carbohydrate, 500 mg of
caffeine milkshake; well then you might to reconsider how you get your caffeine boost and while
not addictive the daily costs of spending $6 per drink, plus a tip, several times a day sometimes:
probably comes close to the cost an addictive pack of cigarettes per day. Everything in
moderation, and all individuals must know what their moderate is for their own health.






References
(1) Chayka, Kyle (2014,April 16) This is How Caffeine Actually Affects Your Brain. From
www.Time.com
(2) All About Coffee http://www.coffeeand health.org/all-about-coffee. Resourced on
4.23.14
(3) Caffeine in the diet: Medline Plus Medical Encyclopedia. Updated April 30, 2013.
http://www.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002445.htm
(4) Donald, M.D. Coffee and health: What does the research say? Is Coffee Good or Bad for
Me. http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living-/nutrition-and-healthy-eating
(5) Jaslow,Ryan CBS NEWS June 5, 2012. Three cups of coffee per day might prevent
Alzheimers in older adults. http://www.cbsnews.com/three-cups-of-coffee-per-day.