Caffeine Blues_ Wake Up to the Hidden Dangers of America's #1 Drug ( PDFDrive )
Page 4
Again, it’s not that all those other things are unimportant. On the contrary, I believe that exercise and a balanced diet are critical to optimum health, and I’ve devoted my career to making those goals obtainable. But the truth is, getting people to make significant changes in diet or exercise is extremely difficult.
Research shows that even with careful supervision, compliance is well below 30
percent. On the other hand, getting off caffeine (at least with my Off the Bean program) is relatively easy, and the rewards are often immediate and dramatic.
Over 80 percent of the people who’ve tried the Off the Bean program have stuck with it—and have experienced tremendous health benefits as a result!
What Your Doctor Doesn’t Know Can Hurt You
Until now, people had no way of evaluating their caffeine intake and the harm it can do. Remember that the initial stages of caffeine damage are often silent—just like lung damage from smoking or cardiovascular disease from a high-fat diet. Also be aware that the information you need about caffeine is not likely to come from your doctor.
Consider the guidelines given to physicians in the medical literature. A typical example appeared in Postgraduate Medicine, in which doctors were advised that caffeine can cause abnormal heart rhythm.1 The article, citing a report entitled “Caffeine and Arrhythmias: What Are the Risks?” stated that “about 80% of American adults drink three to four cups of coffee each day.” It then went on to explain that each cup contains between 60 and 150 milligrams of caffeine. The logical conclusion from this information is that many American adults are consuming 500 to 600 milligrams of caffeine from coffee per day. The bullet points of the article inform doctors that:
Point 1: “Consuming less than 300 mg of caffeine per day does not seem likely to produce significant arrhythmias”.
Comment: We’ve already learned that most Americans consume more than 300
milligrams of caffeine per day from coffee alone (remember the six-ounce cup?), not to mention additional caffeine from soft drinks, medications, and other sources. And what exactly is significant arrhythmia? If your heart fails to maintain normal beats, you are in mortal danger, period.
Point 2: “People with underlying heart disease probably should avoid consuming more than 300 mg of caffeine per day since significant increases in arrhythmias have been reported after consumption of higher amounts”.
Comment: Good advice, but (A) people with underlying heart disease often do not know that they have heart disease; (B) people have no way of following this advice since manufacturers are not required to list the amount of caffeine in their products.
Do you see the folly of this approach? First of all, most people already consume over 300 milligrams of caffeine per day. What’s more, the 300-milligram level does not take into consideration the myriad factors that influence how caffeine affects individual people. One person who consumes 300 milligrams of caffeine might only experience disturbed sleep, while another person might experience severe anxiety, depression, or dramatically increased risk for heart disease.
Women are affected by caffeine far more than men. Age, overall health, weight, and a host of other lifestyle factors also enter the picture. How can you determine your own personal risk level? You can start by figuring out your caffeine quotient—exactly how much caffeine you presently consume, and how it is affecting your life.
Is Caffeine Hurting You?
If you are a regular caffeine user, chances are high that the drug is affecting the quality of your life right now. You probably depend on the stimulating “lift” to energize your body and clear your mind. Your total daily intake of caffeine comes from a variety of sources—not just coffee, but also tea, cocoa, soft drinks, medications, and chocolate. In fact, if you’re like most Americans, you find it hard to get through the day without multiple hits of caffeine. You are probably addicted.
If you object to that statement, take a few minutes to complete the following self-tests. You have nothing to lose. If caffeine’s not a problem for you, great.
But if it is, confronting the addiction is the only way to do something about it.
This book will help you evaluate the effects caffeine has on your life and, most
This book will help you evaluate the effects caffeine has on your life and, most importantly, show you how to achieve far greater levels of energy and vitality without the drug.
Test I: Your Caffeine Intake
In the first column, enter the number of servings, then multiply to get your total caffeine intake from each source. Figures given for coffee and tea are based on a six-ounce serving. Remember that most coffee mugs or cups hold twelve to fourteen ounces. A “large” coffee cup holds twenty ounces or more, so be sure to calculate accordingly. Amounts of caffeine listed for each type of beverage are averages; variations may occur from product to product.
The amount of caffeine in common medications may surprise you. However, according to the FDA, nearly 1,000 prescription drugs and 2,000 over-thecounter medications contain caffeine—anywhere from 30 to 200 milligrams per tablet or capsule.2
Mgs.
servings per day
Item
Total
Caffeine
100 mg. per
Coffee
Drip brewed
_____
6 oz.
120 mg. per
(6-0z. cup)
Percolated
_____
6 oz.
(A mug holds 12-14 oz; a large cup
90 mg. per 6
Instant
_____
holds 20 oz. or more.)
oz.
5 mg. per 6
Brewed decaf
_____
oz.
3 mg. per 6
Instant decaf
_____
oz.
Green (5-minute
35 mg. per 6
Tea (6-oz. cup)
_____
sleep)
oz.
70 mg. per 6
Black
_____
oz.
35 mg./12Canned ice tea
_____
oz. can
13 mg. per 6
Cocoa
Cocoa beverages
_____
oz.
Soft Drinks (12-oz. can)
Medications (per tablet)
Chocolate*
Total Daily Caffeine Intake
Leading colas (diet
45 mg.
and reg.)
Mountain Dew
54 mg.
Josta (PepsiCo)
58 mg.
Surege (Coca-Cola) 51 mg.
Jolt cola
72 mg.
Anacin
32 mg.
Dristan
16 mg.
Dexatrim
16 mg.
Excedrin
200 mg.
Midol
32 mg.
No-Dox (reg.)
100 mg.
Vivarin
200 mg.
Vanquish
33 mg.
6 mg. per
Milk chocolate
ounce
35 mg. per
Bking chocolate
ounce
25 mg. per
small candy bar
bar
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
YOUR CAFFEINE QUOTIENT
“Caffeinism” is a state of chronic toxicity resulting from excess caffeine consumption. Caffeinism usually combines physical addiction with a wide range of debilitating effects, most notably anxiety, irritability, mood swings, sleep disturban
ce, depression, and fatigue. Use your “Total Daily Caffeine Intake”
from the previous page to determine if you are a victim of caffeinism.
• If your caffeine quotient is less than 100 milligrams per day, it is highly unlikely that you are a caffeine addict.
• If your total is between 100 and 300 milligrams per day, you’re in the “danger zone.” Disruption of sleep patterns begins at this level, and certain heart disease risk factors may be increased.
certain heart disease risk factors may be increased.
• If your total is 300 to 600 milligrams per day, you are undoubtedly experiencing some degree of mental and physical addiction to caffeine.
Research shows an almost 200 percent increase of risk for ulcers and fibrocystic disease at this level.
• Intake of 600 to 900 milligrams per day indicates almost certain addiction. At this level, your mood and energy levels are severely affected. Research suggests that your risk of heart attack may be twice that of non-caffeine users. If you are a premenopausal woman, your chance of maintaining optimal iron levels is slim.
• At 900 milligrams or more per day, you’re a caffeine addict—hook, line, and sinker. At this level of dependency, all heart disease risk factors are significantly increased, as are the risks for stroke, psychological disorders, and gastrointestinal disease. You may need medical help to kick the habit.
“Although infrequently diagnosed, caffeinism is thought to afflict as many as one person in ten of the population”.
Source: Jack E. James and Keryn P. Stirling, “Caffeine: A Summary of Some of the Known and Suspected Deleterious
Effects of Habitual Use,” British Journal of Addiction, 1983;78:25158.
Test II: Caffeine’s Effects on Your Body
Do you experience any of the following on a recurrent or frequent basis?
YES NO
1. Energy swings or periods of fatigue during the day
_____ _____
2. Mood swings or periods of depression during the day
_____ _____
3. Headaches
_____ _____
4. Gastrointestinal distress; cramping, diarrhea
_____ _____
5. Constipation and/or dependence on caffeine for bowel _____ _____
movement
6. Tension or stiffness in your neck, shoulders, jaw, hands, legs, or _____ _____
stomach
7. Premenstrual syndrome; menstrual irregularity, cramps, sore _____ _____
7. Premenstrual syndrome; menstrual irregularity, cramps, sore _____ _____
breasts
8. Painful/sensitive lumps in the breast
_____ _____
9. Insomnia
_____ _____
10. Clenching the jaw or grinding teeth during sleep
_____ _____
11. Anxiety
_____ _____
12. Irritability, including inappropriate fits” of anger _____ _____
13. Involuntary movement in the leg (restless leg syndrome) _____ _____
14. Irregular or rapid heartbeat
_____ _____
15. Light-headedness/dizziness
_____ _____
16. Wake up feeling tired
_____ _____
17. Generalized pain (back pain, stomach pain, muscle aches) _____ _____
18. High blood pressure
_____ _____
19. Ulcers
_____ _____
20. Anemia
_____ _____
21. Shortness of breath
_____ _____
22. Difficulty concentrating and/or memory loss
_____ _____
23. Ringing in the ears
_____ _____
24. Coldness in the extremities, especially fingertips
_____ _____
25. Hand tremor
_____ _____
If you have 6 to 7 “yes” answers, caffeine is a problem for you. Decreasing or eliminating caffeine intake will significantly improve your health.
If you have 8 to 10 “yes” answers, caffeine is a serious problem. Decreasing or eliminating caffeine is an urgent need.
If you have 12 or more “yes” answers, your caffeine intake represents a critical health risk that may actually decrease your life expectancy. Act now to take control of your life and health.
Dr. Fred Sheftell, director of the New England Center for Headache, states: “It’s not unusual for us to find people who are taking 1,000 mg of caffeine or more per day.” He notes that adverse side effects have been reported from as little as 250
milligrams per day.3
Test III: Caffeine’s Effects on Your Nervous System
Test III: Caffeine’s Effects on Your Nervous System
Caffeine has been found to impair motor steadiness in neuropsychological tests.4
Here is a simple way to evaluate this effect without expensive laboratory procedures:
Sitting up in a chair, extend your arm straight out in front of you, locking the elbow, palm down. Look at the tips of your fingers. If there is any noticeable trembling, chances are that caffeine has already damaged your nervous system.
In Chapters 3 and 4, we will discuss how caffeine disrupts biochemical message centers in the brain known as receptors. Human and animal data suggest that dopamine and benzodiazepine receptors are involved in hand tremor.5,6 and the condition is common in both habitual and casual coffee drinkers.7,8 The good news is that this damage can be repaired, but not until you get your caffeine intake under control. In Chapter 10, you’ll see that it’s not as difficult as you might think.
Test IV: Caffeine’s Effects on Your Muscles
Muscle tension is hard to evaluate. Many times, we don’t even know we’re tense until we get a headache, or someone places their hands on our shoulders and we wince. Tension in the jaw muscles, however, is fairly easy to measure.
1. Open your mouth as wide as you can, then close slowly. Do you hear any popping or cracking? This is often a sign of problems with jaw alignment known as temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJD).
TMJD affects millions of Americans, contributes to headache and a raft of other disorders, and is positively associated with stress and caffeine intake.9 That’s because caffeine and stress cause a tightening of the jaw muscles that contributes to misalignment of the jaw on the skull. Teeth clenching and grinding (bruxism) at night are also related to stress and caffeine.10
2. Now open your mouth wide again, and this time try to insert your first three fingers held vertically. (Or use a wine cork.) This is another simple test to see if you are holding significant tension in your jaw muscles.
Reduced jaw mobility is a classic sign of chronic tension exacerbated by caffeine.
The Four Warning Signs of Caffeine Dependence
The most common response I hear from people who have eliminated caffeine from their lives is their surprise at how much better they feel. I know what you’re thinking: “How could they feel better? Every time I try to quit coffee I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck.” That’s because caffeine is an addictive drug with a very welldefined withdrawal syndrome.
I’m not going to split hairs about whether people are truly addicted or just dependent on the drug. Studies have found conclusively that caffeine produces classic signs of addiction.11 And you don’t have to consume huge amounts of coffee to become addicted. In one recent study, the median daily intake of the caffeine-dependent group was 357 milligrams, and 19 percent of them consumed less than the U.S. daily average.12 Here is how the scientists conducting that study made the diagnosis of caffeine dependence. See if it describes how you feel.
1. WITHDRAWAL
Reducing the dose or stopping the drug altogether produces welldefined symptoms, which may include:
• Headache
• Depression
• Profound fatigue
• Irritability
• Disorientation
• Increased muscle ten
sion
• Nausea
• Vomiting
Ninety-four percent of the caffeine-dependent subjects experienced some of these withdrawal symptoms.
2. DEPENDENCE
Researchers defined dependence as consuming the beverage “despite knowledge of a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to
of a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused or exacerbated by caffeine”.
Ninety-four percent of the caffeine-dependent subjects experienced this behavior.
3. NABILITY TO QUIT
This was defined as a “persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control use”.
Eighty-one percent of the caffeine-dependent group found that they were unable to reduce or discontinue drinking caffeinecontaining beverages.
4. TOLERANCE
The body develops a tolerance for caffeine so that greater amounts are required to produce the same level of stimulation.
Seventy-five percent of the caffeine-dependent group reported tolerance.
Source: E. C. Strain et al., “Caffeine Dependence Syndrome: Evidence from Case Histories and Experimental Evaluations,” Journal of the American Medical Association, 1994;272:1043-48.
Caffeinism: It Could Happen to You!
In over a decade of practice as a clinical nutritionist, I have seen firsthand, with thousands of clients, that caffeine is a health hazard. Anxiety, muscle aches, PMS, headaches, heartburn, insomnia, and irritability are the most common symptoms, and they can usually be lessened or eliminated simply by avoiding caffeine. That’s good news for most people.
However, if that’s all caffeine has done to you, you’re lucky. Others are not so fortunate. Like the woman whose baby was born with a heart defect because no one told her to avoid caffeine during pregnancy. Or the man who underwent three surgical operations and nearly had his stomach removed because his ulcers would not heal. No one told him to avoid coffee. And what about people misdiagnosed as neurotic or even psychotic, who spend years and small fortunes in psychotherapy—all because no one asked them about their caffeine intake?