Caffeine. Is it actually that damaging??

[MethylatedLifeforce]

According to my mother's medical herbalist, it "puts terrible strain on your entire body".

(My mom worries that I have too much of it and wants me to cut down. I have 1 or 2 cans of red bull a day usually.)

Surely that's just if you have too much? I am sure I have heard before that less than 250mg a day is actually good for you.

[goddessoflubbock]

According to my mother's medical herbalist, it "puts terrible strain on your entire body".

Sounds like a horoscope. Vague enough to it everyone. Too vague to pin it down.

In the past, when I could drink as much as I wanted, everything I drank contained caffeine. I was never hyper or nervous, and slept fine.

I think some people are more sensitive to things like caffeine. Just like one person can take strong pain meds and quit them no problem when the pain has passed, whereas others get addicted.

[CaseyAllan]

I've never had any problems with my caffeine and I do consume quite a bit. My intake's been likened to that of the fictional character Gibbs in NCIS

Like goddessoflubbock I never get hyper or agitated with it and don't have any sleep problems. Guess it just depends on the person - I know someone who gets really drowsy and lethargic when he drinks coffee.

[Charlie]

I don't know about damaging, but as someone who doen't like tea or coffee (or fizzy drinks) I never have been one who has huge amounts of caffine - and I am aware that it is found in other forms like in chocolate - but when I do it gives me palpitations.

Thus I also tend to steer clear of codine and the like in medication.

[Sophist]

I don't know about recommended daily limits, although I'm pretty sure Red Bull is chocked full of caffeine. But from what (little) I know is that caffeine mimics adenosine and therefore competes with adenosine to dock at adenosine receptors. Adenosine is associated with really any cellular function that utilizes adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy currency of the cell. Adenosine may also act as a neuromodulator in the brain, in general having an inhibitory action on cells. When caffeine docks at an adenosine receptor rather than adenosine, there will be a disinhibitory effect; sometimes this translates over into excitation.

Caffeine also has to be catabolized via the liver, so, like other substances the liver has to process (e.g., alcohol), may have the potential for damage if taken long enough and in great enough quantities.

I don't know about damage, but if you're talking about caffeine as a psychoreactive substance, it definitely has the ability to alter brain chemistry/connectivity if taken consistently enough. And I think it can put stress on the vascular system.

In general, if you don't find caffeine psychoactively necessary, you're better off without it.

[Civet]

Caffeine definitely effects me adversely when I consume too much. I get jittery and anxious and often start to physically tremble. I'll probably also get lightheaded and have trouble focusing. If I have way too much caffeine I may skip the energy boost entirely and just get "knocked out."

I do consume small amounts of caffeine, especially lately because I'm on amytriptilline for sinus problems and it makes me pretty drowsy. At most, though, I'll have a cup of chai, and more regularly I'll just have some black tea, which is enough to wake me up without making me feel jumpy and confused.

I've heard that caffeine is bad for your blood pressure, obviously bad for insomnia and anxiety, and that it generally increases inflammation in the body. I don't know how much of that is based on scientific research, however.

Charlie- is there some connection between codeine and caffeine? I actually can't tolerate codeine, I took Tylenol with codeine after a surgery and I don't think I have ever felt such horrible stomach pains before or since! I really thought I was going to pass out from the pain, when I took it.

[MethylatedLifeforce]

According to my mother's medical herbalist, it "puts terrible strain on your entire body".

Sounds like a horoscope. Vague enough to fit everyone. Too vague to pin it down.
In the past, when I could drink as much as I wanted, everything I drank contained caffeine. I was never hyper or nervous, and slept fine.

I think some people are more sensitive to things like caffeine. Just like one person can take strong pain meds and quit them no problem when the pain has passed, whereas others get addicted.

I know. I'm not sure about this professional's wisdom; she's the same one who I saw when I had an adrenal problem and she told me it was from listening to too much heavy metal...Hence, I don't trust that statement.

I don't know about damage, but if you're talking about caffeine as a psychoreactive substance, it definitely has the ability to alter brain chemistry/connectivity if taken consistently enough. And I think it can put stress on the vascular system.

In general, if you don't find caffeine psychoactively necessary, you're better off without it.

I always have one can of Red Bull in the morning to wake me up, because I am always halfway comatose in the morning (though I'm always alert at night...O_O)

And I sometimes have one during the day for the taste. damn them for making that sugar/caramel taste so addictive.

2 cans contains 160mg of caffeine, which isn't that high...do you think that is likely to cause problems?

[Sophist]

Don't know. Would think it would also have to do with how quickly your body catabolizes caffeine. I think hormones can play a considerable role in affecting this. And other factors I'm sure.

[renaeden]

I went without any kind of caffeine for over a year when I had braces on my teeth and there were no effects from stopping it or starting to consume it again.

I am addicted to Coke Zero. It doesn't help that I don't like to drink water by itself.

[goddessoflubbock]

Hehe I happen to be a Pepsi One addict. Before I was limited to 2 liters total fluid intake a day I would easily down 4+ cans a day.

[Sophist]

Extremely unusual for me, I had two cans of Mountain Dew yesterday and I ended up regretting it surprising quickly. And it wasn't my intestines that were talking. Had terrible reflux, yowza.

It's been so long, I just can't take larger quantities of soda anymore. (For which I'm sure my body is grateful.) I've been trying to stay away from it more, but yesterday was a bit depressing and somehow Dew ends up being an adequate distractor.

[Neo Noctivagus]

According to my mother's medical herbalist...

Medical herbalist = witch doctor, more often than not.

...she's the same one who I saw when I had an adrenal problem and she told me it was from listening to too much heavy metal...

Yep... that's my point. What a Quack!

Caffeine is only harmful generally, when used to excess (as so many other things). It is simply a stimulent drug contained in many popular drinks and most often associated with coffee. It can admittedly become addictive... as my wife found out last year, so she cut down.

Here's a helpful little webpage I've just Googled... http://www.diethealthclub.com/articles/ ... -much.html

[hibiscus]

I think it's different for everyone. I, for example, can't drink caffeine because it makes my blood vessels spasm. (Weird, isn't it?) Whereas I have friends who drink coffee all day and they are just fine. I think it all depends on your body's chemistry and what type of health plan you personally need in order to feel good and healthy.

[Sophist]

Hi, hibiscus, welcome to Gestalt.

I definitely agree, despite our similarities there are definite differences as well, person to person.

[ozymandias]

In retrospect, my joyful discovery of caffeine back in college, my junior year at UNH (university of New Hampshire) was a revelation. That first cup of tea allowed me to focus and gave me a pleasant energy boost. I went on to experiment with soda's and caffeine pills, like no-doz and vivarin. Discovered my limits, obviously, and used accordingly. Except for one instance, it never bothered my sleep patterns. As a nursing assistant working night shifts on the weekend, I used whatever had good amounts of caffeine to get thru the shifts. Same, after I got my nursing degree and worked relief nights, Moxie was my favorite beverage, especially at the 4 am "wall".

After Amber was dx'd with ADD and put on ritalin, I started to wonder about myself. So I consulted with my wife (pharmacist) and then the Doctor and started taking ritalin. WOW, the results were great, mad me wish I had this option 50 years ago. Anywho, I digress, my caffeine intake has dropped since starting ritalin. And I rarely touch soda's anymore.. I do enjoy a hot mug of Lapsang Souchong tea every morning and a couple of cups of hot black tea when the weather gets colder. Coffee I cannot stand, From reading this thread and my own experiences, caffeine has been beneficial for me and others, but, obviously many people are very sensitive and can't tolerate it at all.

Caffeine has been proven to be effective in combo with OTC pain meds, like excedrin, tylenol and aspirin.