Caffeine and You

Coffee, tea, chocolate, energy drinks, caffeine and people

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Linkedin
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • ABOUT THIS BLOG
    • About Kate Heyhoe
    • Archive
  • BUZZ
  • CAFFEINE BASICS
  • RECIPES
  • SHOP
  • Contact
  • March 25, 2023
You are here: Home / Archives for caffeine effects

1. How Caffeine Works: Flipping the Switch

January 1, 2013 By Kate Heyhoe

Share Button

how-caffeine-works-675

Most of us treat caffeine like electricity: We don’t care to know how it works; we just flip the switch and the power turns on.

Here’s what happens when you flip the caffeine switch…

  • Caffeine streams throughout the body
  • Caffeine enters the brain
  • Caffeine changes how you feel and think
  • Caffeine produces short and long-term effects
  • Caffeine acts differently in moderation than in high doses
  • Caffeine makes us want more of it

Caffeine Basics: Table of Contents

Filed Under: Caffeine Basics Tagged With: benefits, caffeine effects, Chapter 01, infographic, mental focus, mood, physical performance

Energy Drinks: The Whole Story

January 3, 2013 By Kate Heyhoe

Share Button

Are energy drinks as safe as a cup of coffee? It depends. Consider this…

Both statements are true:

  • Energy drinks contain only as much caffeine as coffee
  • Energy drinks pose risks because of their high caffeine content

Okay, so what gives? These sound like conflicting statements, but the devil’s in the details.

The energy drink industry likes to promote the first statement, which is partially true: ounce for ounce, some energy drinks really are as mild as coffee; but others are many times more caffeinated. So it depends on the brand of energy drink. And in most cases, the label does not indicate the amount of caffeine a drink contains.

The second statement, that large doses of caffeine create health risks, is also correct – and how these highly-caffeinated energy drinks are promoted and consumed makes them drastically different from coffee or tea. 

tango-650

Bottom line:

If you want to consume caffeine safely, then you need to know how much caffeine you’re consuming – whether it’s in the form of an energy drink, energy shot, coffee, tea, or other substance.

  • Low to moderate doses of caffeine are considered safe for most people, and can enhance mental and physical performance. (An average cup of coffee contains about 100 mg. of caffeine.)
  • High doses of caffeine over-stimulate the body, and can trigger sleeplessness, tachycardia, nervousness, impaired decision making, and other reactions. Large amounts of caffeine are riskiest when ingested in a short amount of time, and consumed by people who are more sensitive to caffeine’s effects – which includes pregnant women, children, teens, and people with certain health conditions or genetic sensitivity.

flask-chartflask-chart

You’ll find more details on caffeine’s overall effects, and how different individuals react to caffeine, in Chapters 8 through 11 of Caffeine Basics.

Next: Find out what the American Beverage Association, an industry lobbying group, tells consumers about energy drinks.

Caffeine Basics: Table of Contents

Filed Under: Caffeine Basics Tagged With: caffeine amount, caffeine effects, Chapter 03, coffee, energy drink, energy shot, infographic, risk

Caffeine: Are You Addicted?

January 8, 2013 By Kate Heyhoe

Share Button

JimiJoeAddiction2If you consume caffeine every day, in a regular fashion, you’ve either got a habit or are addicted – pick the term you prefer.

Experts quibble over whether to call caffeine addictive or just habit-forming. The difference is somewhat a matter of semantics, but not entirely.

An addiction suggests self-destructive behavior, one that poses a threat to individuals or society, as in a heroin or cocaine addiction. For most of us, caffeine doesn’t match that type of downward spiral. Caffeine’s generally not emotionally or physically destructive, though it can be in some people, and that’s when experts consider it an addiction.

Caffeine does act like other addictive substances by tripping the reward and pleasure circuits of the brain (which explains a lot about its popularity). It is undeniably habit-forming, but most of us don’t experience adverse effects from typical doses. Caffeine can even have benefits, such as lifting depression and reducing certain cancer risks, or enhancing certain mental and physical tasks.

Whatever you call it, if you’re hooked on caffeine, don’t panic: clinically speaking, caffeine is only mildly addictive or habit-forming. Most people can easily quit caffeine, if they survive the withdrawal stage. Though intense, withdrawal symptoms typically pass in a matter of days.

How has your caffeine consumption changed? If you do have a caffeine habit, chances are you now take in more caffeine than when you first started. That’s normal. It’s known as developing tolerance. When you hit that sweet spot of daily consumption, not too strong or too weak, you’ve found your setpoint, which is covered in Chapter 7.

So if you do have a caffeine jones, relax. You’re in good company. But if you’ve not developed or don’t want a caffeine habit, some experts say there’s no reason to start one.

Caffeine: Deep Addiction or Mild Dependency?

It’s not easy to tell if someone’s on caffeine.

Caffeine’s not like alcohol; it may elevate your mood, but people don’t get giddy or use it to escape from their troubles. Caffeine doesn’t make you slur your words or walk funny.

It’s typically used to sustain or enhance functionality. We trust our lives to people on caffeine: airline pilots, teachers, firefighters, even the President of the United States. In dangerous situations, we might even prefer that these people be on caffeine, to boost their alertness and performance.

Caffeine is also self-regulating, as discussed earlier, which prevents most of us from spiraling into dramatically destructive scenarios. Once our hands start to shake, we turn off the caffeine tap.

True enough. But caffeine does have a real effect on reward circuits of the brain, one that is consistent with addiction. Breaking the caffeine habit includes the same physical and mental withdrawal symptoms that define a substance as addictive. When your hands shake, yet you’re still pouring caffeine, that’s a sign your habit is out of control.

Let’s revisit what caffeine does to our neural wiring: Caffeine stimulates dopamine, a source of feel-good effects. According to some experts, it does so in areas of the brain separate from where cocaine and harder stimulants activate the neural wiring. So, caffeine activates some reward circuits, but it may do so in a manageable way.

Perhaps it’s best to view caffeine as a mildly addictive substance, one that presents benign effects or adverse risks, depending on the user and quantity ingested. And keep in mind that caffeine is biphasic: low to moderate doses create profoundly different effects from those of high doses.

Symptoms of Caffeine Addiction

What are the symptoms of caffeine addiction? As the next section shows, there is a beast known as Caffeine Use Disorder, and you only need three symptoms to qualify…

Caffeine Basics: Table of Contents

Filed Under: Caffeine Basics Tagged With: addiction, caffeine effects, Chapter 08, habit, health effects, safety, withdrawal

Caffeine Addiction Symptoms

January 31, 2013 By Kate Heyhoe

Share Button

AddictionShipWhen does caffeine cause someone to lose control? For many of us, caffeine is no more habit-forming than relying on a morning shower to wake up.

But compulsive caffeine consumption – to the point where sleep is disrupted on a regular basis, or hands tremble – suggests a physical and a psychological dependence, perhaps even a mental health disorder.

The word “addiction” is an emotionally charged grenade, packed with social stigma and misconceptions. Many health professionals now use the term disorder, as in “Caffeine Use Disorder”– a condition where sufferers continue to use caffeine, even though it adversely affects them in some way. (It’s also been called caffeinism.)

But Caffeine Use Disorder isn’t fully recognized – yet. When the bible of addiction, The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder by the American Psychiatric Association, updated the 2013 edition (DSM-5), it placed Caffeine Use Disorder in the “conditions for further study” category. More scientific studies are needed, said the task force. Because caffeine is so commonly used, and to prevent over-diagnosis, Caffeine Use Disorder needs to have a higher threshold of diagnostic criteria than those used for other abuse substances.

Nevertheless, the proposed definition for Caffeine Use Disorder is illuminating. It identifies 9 symptoms, and says the first three or more are needed to present a diagnosis of Caffeine Use Disorder. Some of us may recognize particular symptoms in ourselves, such as: a strong craving for caffeine; unsuccessful efforts to cut back or stop caffeine use; and tolerance marked by the need for more caffeine to reach the same effect. See if any of these conditions apply to you or someone you know.

Caffeine Use Disorder: 3+ Symptoms

You need at least the first three symptoms (within a 12-month period). Plus, there must be a problematic pattern of caffeine use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, according to the proposed definition for Caffeine Use Disorder.

1. A persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control caffeine use.

2. Continued caffeine use despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused or exacerbated by caffeine.

3. Withdrawal, as manifested by either of the following:

a. The characteristic withdrawal syndrome for caffeine.

b. Caffeine (or a closely related substance) is taken to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms.

4. Caffeine is often taken in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended.

5. Recurrent caffeine use resulting in a failure to fulfill major role obligations at work, school, or home (e.g., repeated tardiness or absences from work or school related to caffeine use or withdrawal).

6. Continued caffeine use despite having persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal problems caused by or exacerbated by the effects of caffeine (e.g., arguments with spouse about consequences of use, medical problems, cost).

7. Tolerance as defined by either of the following:

a. A need for markedly increased amounts of caffeine to achieve desired effect.

b. Markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of caffeine.

8. A great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain caffeine, use caffeine, or recover from its effects.

9. Craving or a strong desire or urge to use caffeine.

Having these symptoms is no guarantee you’ve got a caffeine disorder, and this is not intended to be medical advice. But if you think your caffeine habit is disrupting your life, you may want to consult your doctor.

Coming up: Quitting caffeine? Get prepared for some painful withdrawal symptoms…

Caffeine Basics: Table of Contents

Filed Under: Caffeine Basics Tagged With: addiction, caffeine effects, Chapter 08, habit, health effects, safety, withdrawal

Caffeine Intoxication: 5 Symptoms

January 8, 2013 By Kate Heyhoe

Share Button

Caf–Intox2KHCan you get drunk on caffeine?

If you’ve ever slammed down a few too many coffees or Red Bulls and felt jitters or rapid heartbeat, you’ve experienced caffeine intoxication. You don’t even have to be a regular user: just a big blast of caffeine, or several blasts in a short period of time, can do it.

Caffeine intoxication is not the same thing as caffeine addiction. Addiction symptoms arise out of regular usage over a long period of time. Caffeine intoxication happens more immediately, when the caffeine has just been ingested or is still floating around in your system. Once the caffeine wears off, so does the intoxication. Here’s how to tell if someone may be experiencing caffeine intoxication…

Caffeine Intoxication: 5 of 12 Symptoms

Experts say to be diagnosed with “caffeine intoxication,” a person must display at least five of these symptoms, to the point where they impair a person’s social, work or other life functions.*

  1. restlessness
  2. nervousness
  3. excitement
  4. insomnia
  5. flushed face
  6. diuresis
  7. gastrointestinal disturbance
  8. muscle twitching
  9. rambling flow of thought and speech
  10. tachycardia or cardiac arrhythmia
  11. periods of inexhaustibility
  12. psychomotor agitation

*Source: The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition

You, your kid, your parents – anyone (habitual user or not) can experience caffeine intoxication by taking more caffeine than the body can handle. Common sources like energy drinks, 5-Hour Energy shots, and too many Cokes and coffees can do it. Because each person’s metabolism is different, there’s no set amount of caffeine to trigger caffeine intoxication. Just three cups of coffee in grandma, for instance, or a supersize Coke in a small child, might push their caffeine limit, but it all depends on the person. Consult a medical professional if you think caffeine intoxication might be a problem.

 Next: Important info about caffeine safety and toxicity…

Caffeine Basics: Table of Contents

Filed Under: Caffeine Basics Tagged With: addiction, caffeine effects, Chapter 08, habit, health effects, safety, withdrawal

  • 1
  • 2
  • Next Page »

RECENT POSTS

The Nutella Cookbook: Steal This Book?

The Nutella Cookbook: Steal This Book?

Recipes

Would you steal Nutella? In 2013, thieves stole $21,000 worth of Nutella from a warehouse in German  [...]

Nutella and Orange Whoopie Pies

Nutella and Orange Whoopie Pies

Recipes

The combination of Nutella and orange makes eating these little cakes complete bliss… Makes 15 Wh  [...]

Nutella Truffles

Nutella Truffles

Recipes

Bite into one of these truffles and what a surprise – a caramelised hazelnut in the centre! Makes  [...]

Mini-Nutella Croissants

Mini-Nutella Croissants

Recipes

Treat yourself at breakfast or teatime with these mini-croissants made with the famous hazelnut choc  [...]

5 Ways Coffee Fights Cancer

5 Ways Coffee Fights Cancer

Buzz, Coffee, Health Effects

Will coffee help keep you cancer-free? Possibly. Coffee reduces the risk of certain cancers, acco  [...]

Sparkling Moroccan Mint Tea

Sparkling Moroccan Mint Tea

Recipes, Tea

For Sparkling Moroccan Mint Tea, just add carbonated water (see below). I've made this with green, b  [...]

5 Ways to Up Coffee's Caffeine

5 Ways to Up Coffee's Caffeine

Buzz, Coffee

Wanna Up Your Cup? Tweaking Coffee's Caffeine The amount of caffeine in your coffee depends on   [...]

Coffee + Cocoa + Chile Rub

Coffee + Cocoa + Chile Rub

Recipes

A pot of cowboy coffee and steaks on the campfire? Hmmmm.... maybe a backyard grill and icy marg  [...]

Why Bees Buzz to Caffeine

Why Bees Buzz to Caffeine

Buzz

As it turns out, bees like caffeine. Maybe that's why they buzz... Bees, as we know, are importan  [...]

No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake Mini's

No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake Mini's

Recipes

When it's 100 degrees outside, I head indoors to make cheesecake – miniature no-bake cheesecakes, in  [...]

Chocolate's Next Conquest: India

Chocolate's Next Conquest: India

Buzz, Chocolate

In Western tradition, a dinner guest brings a bottle of wine as a host or hostess gift. In India,  [...]

Espresso-Flavored Char Shu with Java Marmalade

Espresso-Flavored Char Shu with Java Marmalade

Recipes

You know those glazed pieces of pork hanging in Chinatown restaurant windows? This is my coffee-spik  [...]

Iced Coffee Syrup, for Sparkling Coffee Spritzer

Iced Coffee Syrup, for Sparkling Coffee Spritzer

Recipes

Coffee Spritzers, here we come! Think coffee with cool, bubbly carbonation. These babies go down   [...]

10 Best Coffee Quotes From *Living* People

10 Best Coffee Quotes From *Living* People

Buzz, Fun

10 Best Coffee Quotes from Living People - Tired of quotes as stale as yesterday's coffee,   [...]

Brain Candy: Sugar May Boost Coffee's Effects

Brain Candy: Sugar May Boost Coffee's Effects

Buzz, Caffeine Effects

Sugar + caffeine = synergy? Combo boosts memory + attention, says one study.  Glucose and caffein  [...]

Hit-and-Run Driver Pleads "Starbucks Defense"

Hit-and-Run Driver Pleads

Buzz, Caffeine Effects

True story: Excessive caffeine, a mental disorder, and no sleep lead to tragic consequences... At  [...]

Cheating Death: Do Coffee Drinkers Live Longer?

Cheating Death: Do Coffee Drinkers Live Longer?

Buzz, Caffeine Effects, Coffee, Health Effects

Death is inevitable, but a major study shows... "Coffee drinkers have a lower risk of death." I re  [...]

Modern Rush: Ready-to-Drink Tea

Modern Rush: Ready-to-Drink Tea

Buzz, Tea

Cold, Instant, and On-the-Go: How We Like Our Tea  More Americans go inside convenience stores   [...]

SHOPPING


All Products

Categories

Tag Cloud

ABA addiction alcohol antioxidant appetizer beet beverage Beverage Lobby brain Brazil cacao caffeine caffeine amount caffeine effect caffeine effects cancer candy cappuccino carcinoma cassina Chapter Chapter 04 Chapter 05 Chapter 06 Chapter 07 Chapter 08 cheesecake children chile chocolate chocolate recipe Coca-Cola cocoa cocoa nib cocoa powder coffee coffee drink coffee recipe coke cola cola nut cookie dietary supplement dopamine dose energy drink energy gel energy shot FAQ FDA food food label Fun grilling guarana gum habit half-life hazelnut health health effect health effects history infographic java kids lethal dose marinade memory mental focus mental health military miniature dessert mint mood Mt. Dew neurotransmitter news Nutella orange people pork product recipe risk safety salad seasoning soda soft drink sugar tea teacup teen theanine theobromine trend withdrawal women yerba mate

CONNECT

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Linkedin
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Follow @KateHeyhoe

 
 

© 2017, Kate Heyhoe and CaffeineAnd You.com. All Rights Reserved

Meet Kate

About Kate Heyhoe

I'm an author and journalist specializing in food and cooking. Caffeine Basics is my ninth book. I've written about the U.S. wine industry, international foods, shrinking your "cookprint," and cooking with kids. Great Bar Food at Home was a James Beard Award finalist, and Cooking Green: Reducing … More

Policies and Archives

  • Archive
  • Policies

Sites We Like

  • Coffee Krave
  • FoodWine.com
  • Sprudge
  • The Tea Stylist

Copyright © 2017 Kate Heyhoe · Log in