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Caffeine - Are You Addicted?
If you have an addiction to caffeine, you usually know it fairly quickly — especially if you ever miss your regular fix. Not only can caffeine withdrawal make you feel very sluggish and cranky, it can give you severe headaches.
Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. And usually we get started on it because we enjoy the energy boost and the increased alertness it can give us. But there can be downsides. Caffeine increases acid production in the stomach and can lead to gastric reflux. It is also associated with fibrocystic breast disease.
Should Energy Drinks Carry a Health Warning?
The US has become a “caffeine-dependent nation”. As if the traditional coffee, tea, and soft drinks were not enough, we have added caffeine to mints, gum, and a variety of “energy drinks.” These drinks happen to be enjoying tremendous sales not only in the US, but in other countries as well. So it caught my eye when Australian researchers recently reported that the energy drink, Red Bull, has the potential to increase the risk of heart attack or stroke.1
The study conducted on college age adults found that Red Bull not only increased blood pressure, it increased the stickiness of blood cells — after consuming only one can of the drink. It is known that increasing the stickiness of blood cells means our blood will be more prone to forming clots, which can cause a heart attack or stroke. The authors of the study concluded that drinking Red Bull could be dangerous, especially for anyone who may already be predisposed to heart disease.
After the study was published, a spokesperson for Red Bull stated that these effects are similar to the changes found with drinking a cup of coffee, and so the long-term risks of energy drinks could not be determined from these results alone.2
It’s true that each can of Red Bull contains about 80 mg of caffeine, the amount typically found in one cup of brewed coffee. Caffeine is a stimulant, and in moderation it has been shown to have some benefits. For instance, it slightly increases the body’s rate of metabolism and enhances mental focus and clarity. However, in comparing coffee to energy drinks, are we really comparing apple to apples?
