Caffeine - Good or Bad for your body

[MilwaukeeMike]

Every couple of weeks you hear or read a news article about how too much caffeine is bad for you. But then you read another article explaining that caffeine has never been linked to any cancers.

"Studies on caffeine discount any risk of cancer. A major report from the American Institute for Cancer Research, based on numerous studies, concluded that coffee has no link to cancer risk."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6631177

You hear claims and people rebuking those claims. The very same MSNBC article goes on to explain that caffeine raises blood pressure. But the British Heart Foundation had this to say about caffeine and blood pressure.

"Studies to date suggest that coffee does not cause high blood pressure. There is some evidence that people with hypertension (high blood pressure), who drink coffee and caffeine during stress might cause a slight rise in blood pressure. However, the majority of the suggests that coffee does not cause high blood pressure."

http://www.bhf.org.uk/questions/index.asp?secondlevel=1164&thirdlevel=1327#6188

Here is another claim of a study...

"In 1987 the US Food and Drug Administration found no evidence that normal caffeine intake produced any increased risk to health. The American Medical Association came to a similar conclusion in relation to the health and safety of drinking coffee. Two studies in Norway and Hawaii found no relationship between coffee intake and cancer risk, confirming the stance of the American Cancer Society that there does not seem to be any relationship between caffeine and cancer."

http://www.pp.okstate.edu/ehs/kopykit/caffeine.htm

So as Jerry Seinfeld would say, "Whats the deal with Caffeine. They say its a drug, it makes me feel as though Im on a drug, is it good for your body?" What is the truth behind one of the most commonly used drug since humans have been around.

"In the 15th century the Sufis of Yemen used coffee to stay awake during prayers. In the 16th century there were coffee houses in Istanbul, Cairo and Mecca, and in 1573 coffee was introduced to the Europeans. Tea was introduced later in 1657 and became very popular. Even later milk chocolate was introduced into Switzerland in 1876, near the end of the 19th century cola products started to appear around the world. [5]

In 1819, relatively pure caffeine was isolated for the first time by the German chemist Friedrich Ferdinand Runge. According to the legend, he did this at the instigation of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (Weinberg & Bealer 2001).

As of today, global consumption of caffeine has been estimated to be 120,000 tonnes per annum.[4] This number equates to one serving of one caffeine oriented beverage per person on the planet per day."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine#History_of_caffeine_use

Is it safe to drink a lot of coffee, or take caffeine pills if you are a healthy individual? What are everyones thoughts on this topic?

[Jorghnassen]

Everything in moderation, that's all I'll say. Why would you want to take caffeine pills anyway? Or even just drink a lot of coffee?

[Dazed]

I find I never fully wake up until I've had my coffee. I just stay in a glossed, semi-conscious daze all day if I don't have one.

[MilwaukeeMike]

Everything in moderation, that's all I'll say. Why would you want to take caffeine pills anyway? Or even just drink a lot of coffee?

Instead of drinking a few coffee's or sodas, I take a time realease caffeine pill. No carbonation from the soda.... But my question is, is caffeine really bad for you.

[Piscivore]

Caffeine raises the level of calcium in urine, putting you at risk for kidney stones. Especially if you aren't drinking enough water to keep hydrated.

[Jorghnassen]

I find I never fully wake up until I've had my coffee. I just stay in a glossed, semi-conscious daze all day if I don't have one.

Sounds like you have an addiction problem, and probably sleeping problems too (caused by too much coffee?).

/Don't need any drugs to sleep or wake up.

[Cuddles]

I find I never fully wake up until I've had my coffee. I just stay in a glossed, semi-conscious daze all day if I don't have one.

This is the main problem thought to be caused by coffee. People suffer withdrawal syptoms if they don't have caffeine. It is this that causes trouble, not the actual caffeine itself.

http://www.springerlink.com/(xz4qd3am1cfaqxnjgkgljr2c)/app/home/contribution.asp?referrer=parent&backto=issue,1,12;journal,45,720;linkingpublicatio nresults,1:100390,1
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/health/mg18725181.700.html

[Hellbound]

Caffiene can cause some uncomfortable systems if overused, as well, and there are some other effects.

Frequent caffiene use can "polarize" your ups and downs, in terms of energy. SOme research suggests that regular caffiene uses tend to show more flexible moods, feeling "more awake" during periods with caffiene and "more tired" when they have to do without. People who do not use caffiene tend to have a smoother transition of energy states. Not using energy in a "woo" sense here, but to refer to how tired/motivated you feel. I'm not sure where this research went, it was in the early stages when I first read it, but it does make some logical sense.

Also, excessive use of caffiene can cause headaches, diarhea, and (IIRC) heartburn. Look up caffienism ina good medical dictionary/encyclopedia.

However, moderate daily use has, to date, shown no evidence of any long-term risks, that I am aware of. In fact, some research suggests that coffee is a good source of anti-oxidents, and might actually help prevent some cancers (this is still speculative).

[MilwaukeeMike]

Caffiene can cause some uncomfortable systems if overused, as well, and there are some other effects.

Frequent caffiene use can "polarize" your ups and downs, in terms of energy. SOme research suggests that regular caffiene uses tend to show more flexible moods, feeling "more awake" during periods with caffiene and "more tired" when they have to do without. People who do not use caffiene tend to have a smoother transition of energy states. Not using energy in a "woo" sense here, but to refer to how tired/motivated you feel. I'm not sure where this research went, it was in the early stages when I first read it, but it does make some logical sense.

Also, excessive use of caffiene can cause headaches, diarhea, and (IIRC) heartburn. Look up caffienism ina good medical dictionary/encyclopedia.

However, moderate daily use has, to date, shown no evidence of any long-term risks, that I am aware of. In fact, some research suggests that coffee is a good source of anti-oxidents, and might actually help prevent some cancers (this is still speculative).

Can we get some links to where you got this information from?

[jon]

Entertainingly, there's also been research suggesting that decaff (as opposed to regular) coffee can raise cholesteral levels - http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3035336

[Molinaro]

If you hapen to have malignant hyperthermia and don't know about it.. caffeine is bad.

[Piscivore]

Also, excessive use of caffiene can cause headaches...

Coming off caffeine after years of abuse gave me hella bad headaches.

[Hellbound]

Caffeinism I'll leave alone, a google scholar search reveals hundreds of papers on the subject, and it's an acknowledged condition. I'm assuming this is not what you were referring to.

Antioxidant behavior of caffiene: efficient scavaging of hydroxl radicals (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&list_uids=1847890&dopt=Citation)

Caffeine as an antioxidant: inhibition of lipid peroxidation induced by reactive oxygen species (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8679661&dopt=Citation)

Antioxidant ability of caffeine and its metabolites based on the study of oxygen radical absorbing capacity and inhibition of LDL peroxidation. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10767400&dopt=Abstract)

There are others, these are representative. The last disputes some of the effects, the first two report on sepcific antioxident effects.

Effects of caffeine on mood:

Mood and performance effects of caffeine in relation to acute and chronic caffeine deprivation. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=8577796&dopt=Citation)

Regular caffeine consumption: a balance of adverse and beneficial effects for mood and psychomotor performance (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9586865&dopt=Citation)

THe first shows that withdrawal effects (in a lesser form) appear after an overnight abstinence.

The second studies the net effects, including both withdrawal and benefit sections. THey conclude that "withdrawal relief" is one of the major factors in use. IN other words, you feel good when you get it, and bad when you don't, as opposed to a non-user.

If there's other things you need info on, let me know. I'll be happy to look for you. By the way, for further reading, the search terms I used were:

"Caffeine antioxident"
"Caffeine mood"
"Caffeinism" (which resulted in so many hits it's silly, and I'm going out on a limb and guessing this one wasn't the one you wanted info on anyway).

Edited to Add: Piscovore: Yep, some of the symptoms of overuse are also replicated in withdrawal.

[casebro]

Excess caffeine comsumption is one drug they test for at the Olympics. It must enhance something- muscles? -nerve signals? fatigue?

[MilwaukeeMike]

Excess caffeine comsumption is one drug they test for at the Olympics. It must enhance something- muscles? -nerve signals? fatigue?

I am not sure where I read this and don't have a link to back it up, but I remember reading somewhere that caffeine before excercise actully can reduce what they called sports pain which is cramps, aches, and other heavy use pains. If anyone can find this article I read that would be appreciated

[grayman]

I don't drink, do drugs, smoke, or hang out with loose women of questionable morals...please don't take my caffeine away.:faint:

[Boo]

All I know is if I don't get my two pots a day then somebody's health could be seriously affected.:mad:



Boo

[cajela]

Well, I saw on one of those lifestyle & health programs on tellie (so it must be true) that moderate caffeine intake, defined as 2 cups of coffee per day, actually has a preventative effect against cirrhosis of the liver, colon cancer & Parkinsons. And, of course, they did say that too much is bad. (Well, yes, that's what "too much" means.)

[Avita]

Sounds like you have an addiction problem, and probably sleeping problems too (caused by too much coffee?).

/Don't need any drugs to sleep or wake up.

Then you are fortunate in that you are not one of the people suffering from hypotension, the symptoms of which can mimic sleepiness, for whom that cup of coffee in the morning may be one of the few things that helps (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?itool=abstractplus&db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=abstractplus&list_uids=2178915).

[Darth Rotor]

Is it safe to drink a lot of coffee
Two 8 oz cups per day is no problem. It is mostly water. (yes, I know coffee is a bit of a diuretic)

Caffeine pills I'd recommend against. Better off moderating your energy with diet, and eat four small meals/snacks (balanced food groups of course) per day.

For the record, I drink coffee, generally more than 16 oz per day, so I'm probably doing something bad to myself.

Coffee = good.

DR

[kittynh]

all I know is that when Pool boy and I were ill with a tummy bug, our worst pain was there terrible headaches. The doctor laughed and said they were probably caused by lack of caffeine. I didn't think we abused it, but he said that even missing your few "hits" could cause this horrible headache.

We decided to be good and never miss our caffeine.

Though the kidney stone thing!!! After reading about Pesta!

OUCH!

[MilwaukeeMike]

all I know is that when Pool boy and I were ill with a tummy bug, our worst pain was there terrible headaches. The doctor laughed and said they were probably caused by lack of caffeine. I didn't think we abused it, but he said that even missing your few "hits" could cause this horrible headache.

We decided to be good and never miss our caffeine.

Though the kidney stone thing!!! After reading about Pesta!

OUCH!

That is true. I have had the caffeine headache that wont go away with pain killers but something a soda can kill in 15 minutes. Thats not what I was trying to get at. I know about all the side effects of caffeine and that it does display a few of the 5 or 6 traits needed to be classified as a dangerous drug. But I have heard so many different opinions and news articles about this its amazing. I started this thread because I had a planned doctors appointment and was going to ask him about how my caffeine pills and caffeine in general affect the body.

My doctor told me that their is a big misconception about caffeine pills; that its a huge dose of caffeine "injected into your blood stream." Because its time release, he explained that it effects you over the period of 4 to 5 hours which is why it also causes sleeplessness. Its the same if you drank coffee over a 4 hour period. As for caffeine in general, he explained that there has never been a reported case of death or overdose from caffeine; that the amount need to overdose on it is extremely large. He also explained that if you are in good physical condition and eat relatively good that caffeine poses no danger. He said that drinking and breathing in second hand smoke is much worse.

[casebro]

all I know is that when Pool boy and I were ill with a tummy bug, our worst pain was there terrible headaches. The doctor laughed and said they were probably caused by lack of caffeine. I didn't think we abused it, but he said that even missing your few "hits" could cause this horrible headache.

We decided to be good and never miss our caffeine.
OUCH!


The last couple of overnights in the hospital, they did offer coffee- caffinated! And I was in there for heart problems too. Who needs headaches on top of chest pains? I guess they finally learned to make a patient comfortable.

[jon]

all I know is that when Pool boy and I were ill with a tummy bug, our worst pain was there terrible headaches. The doctor laughed and said they were probably caused by lack of caffeine. I didn't think we abused it, but he said that even missing your few "hits" could cause this horrible headache.

We decided to be good and never miss our caffeine.

Not sure about in the US, but lots of OTC medications here for cold, flu, headache etc. also include caffeine - not sure if this is there to perk people up, or to stop the withdrawal symptoms :D

[MilwaukeeMike]

Not sure about in the US, but lots of OTC medications here for cold, flu, headache etc. also include caffeine - not sure if this is there to perk people up, or to stop the withdrawal symptoms :D

Ive read that caffeine actually helps open up airways or dialates them, that's why a lot of the over the counter allergy medicines contain caffeine.

[Amapola]

Not sure about in the US, but lots of OTC medications here for cold, flu, headache etc. also include caffeine - not sure if this is there to perk people up, or to stop the withdrawal symptoms :D

I was told by a doctor that the "extra-strength" ingredient in a lot of the extra-strength pills is caffeine. One of the things caffeine does is cause the small blood vessels to shrink somewhat...... He said that is why no caffeine can cause headaches, the small bloodvessels swell slightly and inside your bony skull there is no place for the pressure to go. Instead you get a terrible headache.

I learned all this while handling dynamite. You should never let dynamite touch your skin. (For those who care about such things, this would be the normal "TNT" sticks of sawdust impregnated with nitroglycerin.) The nitro can get into your bloodstream and cause your blood vessels to expand. This gives the most horrid headache. The small town we were in did not have the drugs to relieve the pain although they were on order. The doctor told us to drink a lot of caffeine-filled soda! It worked.......

[Luciana]

I have a cousin who had convulsions and tachycardia after taking guaraná extract, that is very rich in caffeine. She took it during college exams, so that she could be awake studying. It was a serious business, and the doctor said that she had way too much and could have died of it. But yes, of course it was an extreme case.

[jon]

I was told by a doctor that the "extra-strength" ingredient in a lot of the extra-strength pills is caffeine. One of the things caffeine does is cause the small blood vessels to shrink somewhat...... He said that is why no caffeine can cause headaches, the small bloodvessels swell slightly and inside your bony skull there is no place for the pressure to go. Instead you get a terrible headache.

I learned all this while handling dynamite. You should never let dynamite touch your skin. (For those who care about such things, this would be the normal "TNT" sticks of sawdust impregnated with nitroglycerin.) The nitro can get into your bloodstream and cause your blood vessels to expand. This gives the most horrid headache. The small town we were in did not have the drugs to relieve the pain although they were on order. The doctor told us to drink a lot of caffeine-filled soda! It worked.......

ah - I thought caffeine could *cause* headaches, but this is more likely to be the withdrawal, then.

[Hellbound]

My fault, jon, I recalled headaches as a symptom of caffeinism, but I was incorrect.

From Cancerweb's online dictionary here: (http://cancerweb.ncl.ac.uk/cgi-bin/omd?query=caffeinism&action=Search+OMD)
caffeinism
Caffeine intoxication characterised by restlessness, tremulousness, nervousness, excitement, insomnia, flushed face, diuresis, and gastrointestinal complaints, brought on by the ingestion of substances containing caffeine.

No headaches :)

[Forty-Two]

I work at Starbucks, and as much as I love it, I'll be the first to admit that most of the corporate literature is propoganda. (The webpage devoted to healthcare for employees boasts about how caffeine has helped some employees manage their health issues!) So, I'm always on the lookout for non-biased information. From what I've seen, caffeine is like most things: Good in moderation, dangerous in excess.

Working at Starbucks has upped my caffeine intake significantly (well, how else am I going to pull off those 4 a.m. shifts?), but I have lost weight since I started working there, mainly because I walk either to or from work each day. I haven't given blood in awhile, but the next time I do, I'll be able to see whether it has significantly changed my blood pressure.

[MilwaukeeMike]

I work at Starbucks, and as much as I love it, I'll be the first to admit that most of the corporate literature is propoganda. (The webpage devoted to healthcare for employees boasts about how caffeine has helped some employees manage their health issues!) So, I'm always on the lookout for non-biased information. From what I've seen, caffeine is like most things: Good in moderation, dangerous in excess.

Working at Starbucks has upped my caffeine intake significantly (well, how else am I going to pull off those 4 a.m. shifts?), but I have lost weight since I started working there, mainly because I walk either to or from work each day. I haven't given blood in awhile, but the next time I do, I'll be able to see whether it has significantly changed my blood pressure.

Starbucks is evil

[Hellbound]

I say Starbucks is a CIA front.

Think about it...they're all over the world. No one thinks it's suspicious to slip into a Starbucks and read a paper (that was conveniently already sitting on the table when they arrived, with a dossier or airline tickets hidden inside). You'll see them everywhere, even across the street from each other (provides better angles for hidden surveillence).

I'm telling ya, I'm on to 'em.

42 is a government shill!!!

:D

[Forty-Two]

Starbucks is evil *sigh* Do you mean evil in an, "Oh, no! A company out to make money! Business is bad!" sort of way, or an, "Oh, no! Feeding people caffeine and sugar! Enabling high blood pressure and obesity!" sort of way, or an, "Oh, no! They charge a lot, but for whatever reason I'm still willing to pay for it!" sort of way? If you don't like them, don't spend your money there. :rolleyes:

In any case, this probably isn't the thread for that discussion.

In other news, I was visiting my parents in the Chicago area, and I stopped into the local convenience store, White Hen. They now offer a coffee with 50% more caffeine added!

[Hindmost]

Coffee is a gift of the Flying Spagetti Monster!

glenn:boxedin:

[Forty-Two]

I say Starbucks is a CIA front...
42 is a government shill!!!
And now... I must kill you. :cool:

[MilwaukeeMike]

I say Starbucks is a CIA front.

Think about it...they're all over the world. No one thinks it's suspicious to slip into a Starbucks and read a paper (that was conveniently already sitting on the table when they arrived, with a dossier or airline tickets hidden inside). You'll see them everywhere, even across the street from each other (provides better angles for hidden surveillence).

I'm telling ya, I'm on to 'em.

42 is a government shill!!!

:D

I think your right. They are also putting something in the coffee (if you can call that S**t coffee) that at a time of their choosing will all turn us into zombies controled by the "Smoking Man." :cool:

[grayman]

Whrn I was in college in Massachusetts the local stores sold caffeinated bottled water. Two of the brands were called Zapped and Crank2O. Does anyone know if they are still available?

[MilwaukeeMike]

*sigh* Do you mean evil in an, "Oh, no! A company out to make money! Business is bad!" sort of way, or an, "Oh, no! Feeding people caffeine and sugar! Enabling high blood pressure and obesity!" sort of way, or an, "Oh, no! They charge a lot, but for whatever reason I'm still willing to pay for it!" sort of way? If you don't like them, don't spend your money there. :rolleyes:

In any case, this probably isn't the thread for that discussion.

In other news, I was visiting my parents in the Chicago area, and I stopped into the local convenience store, White Hen. They now offer a coffee with 50% more caffeine added!

Hahaha, its an evil, blood sucking corporation secretly run by Dick Chenney who is throwing government contracts their way to supply troops with coffee. hahaha... Seriously, I have no problem with how they run their company or what they sell. I just hate the kind of people who sit in their and spew verbal vomit about pointless stuff while suckin down a pound of sugar. Go running or something. But yah this is the topic for another thread.

[Ririon]

Excess caffeine comsumption is one drug they test for at the Olympics. It must enhance something- muscles? -nerve signals? fatigue?
"The following substances included in the 2006 Monitoring Program (... , caffeine, ...) are not considered as Prohibited Substances"

Source:
http://www.wada-ama.org/rtecontent/document/2006_LIST.pdf

Just some facts and links... Enjoy! :)

[Forty-Two]

I just hate the kind of people who sit in their and spew verbal vomit about pointless stuff while suckin down a pound of sugar. Go running or something.
Yeah, I'm with you there. Trust me, I'm the person who has to dish out their quadruple grande half-caf, two-and-a-half pump vanilla (because they swear they could tell if it were three pumps), 191 degree (never mind that health codes won't let us serve them hotter than 190; they won't notice the difference anyway), nonfat, no foam lattes, and why on earth isn't our organic milk nonfat, and so on. It's not so much Starbucks as Starbucks customers; for some, this is the one area in their lives in which they feel as though they're in control, so they make the most of it.

I work in a small, West Coast town (a town of 14,000 with about six successful coffee shops other than Starbucks), so most of our regular customers are absolute sweethearts and the obnoxious customers are the exception rather than the rule. But I've covered shifts in other stores...yikes.

Also, I've seen the difference in customers in the Midwest stores versus those on the West Coast. Now, I'm a good Midwestern girl and a proud Chicagoan, but Starbucks isn't nearly as ubiquitous out there, so they're usually only found in upscale neighborhoods and are therefore treated as more trendy. In California, they're in every neighborhood, so people no longer perceive them as some elitist, hip place where obnoxious people go to been seen -- It's just a place to get coffee.

[jon]

PROOF starbucks are evil - there's hidden messages in their logo (http://www.starbuckscoffee.org.uk/) (site linked to contains swearing, in big letters).

Anyway, there's caffeine in Starbucks 'coffee'? Brewed so weak it's hard to tell :p

[EHocking]

Caffeine raises the level of calcium in urine, putting you at risk for kidney stones. High levels of calcium in your diet is most likely to have an effect on the chance of developing calcium / oxalate kidney stones. Having recently dealt with kidney stones, my urologist never suggested at any point to cut down on coffee.Especially if you aren't drinking enough water to keep hydrated.This was most probably the cause of my stones. The urologist suggested an increase in *any* form of fluids would be beneficial. Tea, coffee, beer, he didn't care, as long as I was increasing my hydration. While doctor's are not infallible, I would have thought that if there was a chance that coffee affected calcium levels to a degree that would cause stones, I would have been warned off by the specialist.

http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/Kidney_stones.html
"A diet with a high content of calcium and oxalate can increase the concentration of these chemicals in the urine and make it more likely for stones to form. Other factors include:

excess vitamin D,
overactive parathyroid glands,
medical conditions such as cancer, some kidney diseases, or a disease called sarcoidosis."

[Ririon]

*Reads EHocking's link. Scrolls down to Prevention.*

So I should cut down my green vegetable intake? I knew it! You should always listen to the signals the body is giving you... :D

[EHocking]

*Reads EHocking's link. Scrolls down to Prevention.*

So I should cut down my green vegetable intake? I knew it! You should always listen to the signals the body is giving you... :DWith a face like that, you are *definitely* eating too many greens.

[Outhere]

Drinking coffee causes increased levels of calcium in the urine because the calcium is being lost from bones. Drinking coffee, colas, or eating chocolate all have this effect. Some medical advisors recommend drinking a cup of milk for each cup of coffee. I take calcium pills every day anyway, and hope I am countering all the caffeine I consume, because I have osteopenia and my doctor said ingesting lots of caffeine can lead to osteoporosis.

[Hellbound]

Drinking coffee causes increased levels of calcium in the urine because the calcium is being lost from bones. Drinking coffee, colas, or eating chocolate all have this effect. Some medical advisors recommend drinking a cup of milk for each cup of coffee. I take calcium pills every day anyway, and hope I am countering all the caffeine I consume, because I have osteopenia and my doctor said ingesting lots of caffeine can lead to osteoporosis.

Can you source this?

[Soapy Sam]

I DON'T CARE!

Just smell the aroma!

The good things in life are all lethal. Goddidit.

[TriangleMan]

I, for one, welcome our caffeine-providing overlords!

I will now proceed with prayers to our great overlords by partaking in the substance that they provide. :)

[Kaylee]

Per today's NY Times article (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/15/health/nutrition/15coff.html?ex=1155787200&en=bdca168f8c5c729f&ei=5087%0A)*


Researchers have found strong evidence that coffee reduces the risk of several serious ailments, including diabetes (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics/diabetes/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier), heart disease (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics/heartdisease/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier) and cirrhosis of the liver.

So it's not only OK to drink coffee but feel free to pour in the sugar and have it before you go out for beer with your buddies. The coffee will lower the risks … :D

But you might not want to drink any coffee before you go jogging on a plane ..

A study (http://content.onlinejacc.org/cgi/content/abstract/47/2/405?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=coffee&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&volume=47&issue=2&resourcetype=HWCIT) published in January in The Journal of the American College of Cardiology, for example, suggests that the amount of caffeine in two cups of coffee significantly decreases blood flow to the heart, particularly during exercise at high altitude.


* Will need to register, but registering is free.

[Forty-Two]

It's a conspiracy: All Starbucks sell the New York Times. ;)

[Mouthfire]

Per today's NY Times article (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/15/health/nutrition/15coff.html?ex=1155787200&en=bdca168f8c5c729f&ei=5087%0A)*




So it's not only OK to drink coffee but feel free to pour in the sugar and have it before you go out for beer with your buddies. The coffee will lower the risks … :D

But you might not want to drink any coffee before you go jogging on a plane ..



* Will need to register, but registering is free.



Heheh... along those lines, did you know a combination of caffeine and alcohol (aka Caffeinol) is being used to treat acute strokes in major medical centers?

[Cuddles]

Heheh... along those lines, did you know a combination of caffeine and alcohol (aka Caffeinol) is being used to treat acute strokes in major medical centers?

Vodka and Red Bull? Why do I bother going to night clubs?

[EHocking]

Originally Posted by Outhere http://www.randi.org/forumlive/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?p=1839636#post1839636)
Drinking coffee causes increased levels of calcium in the urine because the calcium is being lost from bones. Drinking coffee, colas, or eating chocolate all have this effect. Some medical advisors recommend drinking a cup of milk for each cup of coffee. I take calcium pills every day anyway, and hope I am countering all the caffeine I consume, because I have osteopenia and my doctor said ingesting lots of caffeine can lead to osteoporosis.

Can you source this?My opinion is that a number of studies are being paraphrased and misrembered, then passed on as "fact" by doctors, nurses and in some cases, support groups. Health departments (ie UK's NHS) don't mention caffeine as a cause for either osteoporosis, nor kidney stones. Oh - and osteopenia is caused *by* osteoporosis (http://www.rad.washington.edu/mskbook/osteopenia.html), it is not the cause of osteoporosis. Another, misremembering.

Certainly my mother and mother-in-law have stated that doctors have told them the above, the source of this would appear to be a 1994 study by Harris, Dawson-Hughes (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=8092093&query_hl=10&itool=pubmed_docsum) that is often quoted as a cite for calcium loss,
"Daily consumption of caffeine in amounts equal to or greater than that obtained from about two to three servings of brewed coffee may accelerate bone loss from the spine and total body in women with calcium intakes below the recommended dietary allowance of 800 mg."

Note the "with calcium intakes below the recommended dietary allowance" point.

This article is also combined with a Barrett-Connor (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=8295286&query_hl=10&itool=pubmed_docsum) article that has the additional piece of quoted material, "Lifetime caffeinated coffee intake equivalent to two cups per day is associated with decreased bone density in older women who do not drink milk on a daily basis."