A Few More Reasons to Love Caffeine

Courtesy of healthhype.com

Most of us can’t start the day without at least one cup of caffeinated coffee. The obvious reason is that it wakes us up and makes us more alert. The International Food Information Council calls caffeine in low doses “a mild stimulant to the central nervous system.”

The council suggests that “moderate caffeine consumption for the general healthy population is about 300 mg per day, or about three eight-ounce cups of coffee.” So! Are their any benefits to consuming caffeinated drinks besides making us more alert? The answer is a huge ‘yes,’ according to a report by WebMD, which finds that beyond improving mental alertness, in moderate amounts, caffeine can alleviate the symptoms of conditions such as asthma and low blood pressure.

It appears that caffeine can improve airway functions ‘somewhat’ in people with asthma for up to four hours. Caffeine has also been shown to elevate low blood pressure in older people, which can help relieve problems such as dizziness when standing up.

WebMD also found that caffeine can contribute as an inhibitor to the development of certain medical conditions, such as:

• Gallstones
• Type 2 diabetes
• Parkinson’s Disease

Very little was said in the report regarding Parkinson’s other than, “There is some evidence that suggests people who drink caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, and colas have a decreased risk” of the disease.

In preventing gallstones, it was suggested that “drinking caffeinated beverages that provide 400 mg or more of caffeine per day seems to significantly reduce the risk of developing gallstone disease,” adding that, “the effect seems to be dose-dependent. Taking 800 mg of caffeine per day seems to work best.”

In preventing type 2 diabetes, the report found that, “it appears that the more the caffeine, the lower the risk.”

The statistics showed that in North American men, consuming 417 mg of caffeine per day from coffee or tea was associated with a 20 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, compared to men consuming less than 37 mg per day.

North American women consuming 258 mg to 530 mg of caffeine per day from coffee or tea seemed to have a 10 percent to 30 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, compared to women consuming less than 140 mg per day. ‘

A point that should be reiterated here is that the preceding recommendations are for healthy people’s moderate consumption. There are individuals who should consume only minimal amounts of caffeine (about one cup a day), such as:

• Diabetics: caffeine may affect the way the body uses sugar and worsen diabetes.

• Pregnant and breastfeeding women: caffeine can contribute to miscarriages, and breastfeed babies may become irritable.

• People with anxiety, bipolar, and bleeding disorders: caffeine may heighten these conditions.

• People with glaucoma: caffeine can increase the pressure in the eyes.

• People with osteoporosis: caffeine can decrease the body’s ability to absorb calcium.

In addition, caffeine can have certain drug interactions, which include the following:

• Clozapine (Clozaril): caffeine can increase its effects.

• Dipyridamole (Persantine): caffeine can decrease its effects.

• Adenosine (Adenocard): caffeine can decrease its effects.

Reader commentary and input is always welcomed!