Dear Colleagues,
January 2005 edition of the National Geographic Magazine has a 30 page cover story on caffeine which makes fascinating reading. Caffeine is the world’s most popular drug, even eclipsing tobacco and alcohol.
The history of beverages, nuts and confection containing caffeine makes quite a story, paralleling civilisation itself. Prior to the industrial revolution there was little to be gained in keeping awake after dark. Since caffeine increases alertness, improves reflexes and reduces fatigue, it is an ideal accompaniment to round-the-clock factory work. With few proven side effects at normal doses, it would thus appear to be the ideal drug for the modern era.
After tea, coffee and cocoa, the latest incarnation is in ‘energy drinks’. We are told that “Red Bull” was an Austrian invention which is now copied all around the world. I recall seeing "Jolt" cola when in Japan over ten years ago. Strangely, it is compulsory in many countries to state contents details on the label of most products, but tea, coffee and cola often still remain exempt from this requirement.
We are informed that dark chocolate contains up to three times as much caffeine as milk chocolate and 12mg is a typical dose contained in a small block. The article quotes a cup of brewed tea at 50mg, about the same as a single shot of espresso coffee. A 20oz (US) bottle of Coca-Cola has 57mg caffeine while a small tin of Red Bull contains 80mg.
There is an exhaustive discussion of the benefits versus the potential side effects of the drug, including its use in pregnancy and in children. The author’s conclusion on balance is parallel with the FDA, that the drug is ‘generally recognized as safe’ in doses of up to 300mg daily. However they sound a warning that ‘people who consume caffeine have higher rates of kidney and bladder cancer, fibrocystic breast disease, pancreatic cancer and osteoporosis’ even if these are not necessarily causative. Nervousness, panic attacks and temporary increases in blood pressure are also occasional associations of caffeine consumption.
Other interesting quotes: “The caffeine extracted from coffee beans to make ‘decaf’ is sold to drug and soft drink manufacturers”. “Military studies of subjects who had not slept for 48 hours showed that 600mg of caffeine improved alertness and mood as much as 20mg of amphetamine”. “The robusta coffee beans used in less expensive brands contain almost twice as much caffeine as the arabica beans favored by connoisseurs”. “Going without caffeine for a day and a half increases blood flow in the brain which may explain why people get headaches when they first give it up”. “Cigarette smoking nearly doubles the rate at which the body metabolises caffeine”. “Vietnam is now the world’s second largest coffee producer, yet is largely a nation of tea drinkers”.
comments by Andrew Byrne ..
