Caffeine and health

[Johanna]

First the scientists say coffee is bad for you. Then they say it isn’t so bad after all, maybe even good for you. Then it’s bad again. Then it’s good again. Can anyone ever really know?

[barbitu8]

All things in excess are bad for you. Even money. Go have a cup of joe.

[Broomstick]

Well, for some people it IS unequivocally bad.

In some people caffeine can induce migraines. It can increase blood pressure to unhealthy levels. It can interact badly with certain medications.

For others – it can be a good thing.

I’ve known a couple people with abnormally low blood pressure who’s doctors recommended a certain amount of caffeine to help with the problem. In some asthmatics caffeine can help ease breathing

In other words, there will never be a clear “yes” or “no” that applies to everyone.

For the rest of us – too much is clearly a bad thing. How much is “too much” does vary from person to person, but if it interferes with your ability to sleep, or your ability to relax, causes tremors, or otherwise induces unpleasent side effects then you are consuming too much. On the other hand, a moderate amount seems to cause no harm. Moderate being no more than 3-4 servings of coffee per day. That’s dietetic servings, not Starbuck’s servings. Soft drinks with caffeine vary considerably, as does tea (some teas have more than coffee, most have less)

[Johanna]

In today’s news…

Study: Just One Cup of Coffee Stiffens Arteries

Reuters

STOCKHOLM (Sept. 5) - Just one cup of coffee can stiffen arteries for more than two hours, which might raise the risk of heart attack and stroke, a new study has found.

But the jury was still out on the medical effects of caffeine, the most widely used drug in the world, because it was not clear how big a risk it caused and to whom.

“Our coffee break could be a health hazard but we need more information,” Dr. Charalambos Vlachopolous of the Henry Dunant Hospital in Athens said. “We do not know yet who should abstain from coffee or what is the permitted consumption per day.”

Scientists have long known that caffeine stiffens arteries, the muscular elastic tubes that carry blood from the heart to the cells, tissues and organs.

This stiffening puts extra strain on the heart and can cause a kind of hypertension. Stiff arteries, like worn rubber, are more prone to split or lose their internal protective lining.

The new study, presented at a cardiology conference in Stockholm, was the first to find that a dose of caffeine equivalent to just one cup of coffee was enough to stiffen arteries, albeit temporarily.

“Until the time that we have all the pieces of the jigsaw put together, some people, especially the hypertensives and the elderly, should be more cautious with their caffeine consumption or switch to decaffeinated drinks,” Vlachopolous said.

See, this is just one more story in the constant see-saw of coffee health news. This one is negative, the one last year about coffee fighting Parkinson’s was positive. What’s next?

[MsRobyn]

There’s also a link between caffeine and fibrocystic breast disease in women. Another reason to stick to orange juice

Robin

[waterj2]

I’ve found that if I can’t get a hold of caffeine, sleep can be used to take its place. Sometimes, though, if I sleep for a while, I’m tired when I wake up because I haven’t had caffeine since before I went to sleep. Of course, my first reaction to this phenomenon was to try to think how I might be able to maintain caffeine intake while in bed, rather than thinking of trying to kick the addiction. But then, I like the life of a hard core caffeine addict.

[Phobos]

*Originally posted by Jomo Mojo *
**First the scientists say coffee is bad for you. Then they say it isn’t so bad after all, maybe even good for you. Then it’s bad again. Then it’s good again. Can anyone ever really know? **

And to think that some people accuse science of being a close-minded tautology!