coffee Posted November 7, 2003 Report Share Posted November 7, 2003 I love coffee, hence the name. And by love, I really mean love. I need at LEAST 2 cups of coffee to keep me from getting a massive caffine headache and getting really shakey. ON a weekend, I will have 7 or 8 cups on one night because my friends and I hang out at coffee houses. And when I say coffee, I dont mean a latte or a mocha. Its just coffee- black. I know it dehydrates you and I know caffine is bad for you. I proably shouldn't drink as much as I do. But is it REALLY bad for you? What kind of long term effects, if any, will it have? I am 17, by the way. Also, caffine doesn't have much of an effect on me anymore. It doesn't keep me awake and it doesn't make me shake. I drink coffee for the drink, not the caffine, if that makes any difference at all. Oh and one more question- does it have any calories? Link to comment
Mel Johnson Posted November 7, 2003 Report Share Posted November 7, 2003 OK, fresh-brewed coffee has only trace calories from the oils, if taken black, no sugar. There seem to be conflicting reports made out by various parts of the market on the long-term effects of coffee consumption, but seven or eight cups does seem like a lot. Most numbers I've seen seem to agree on about 300 mg/day as an average amount of caffeine intake. That's three or four cups of coffee or eight 12 oz. colas. Any of our MDs out there with the pro take on caffeine? Link to comment
Guest Nadezhda Posted November 8, 2003 Report Share Posted November 8, 2003 I'm not a doctor yet. Actually quite far from it. But the amount of cofee you drink daily seems a lot. With the symptoms such as shakey hands and headaches, I would personally go for a reduction in the amount of cofee drunk. You should do it gradually, though. Try out with a cup a day less and continue so for a week or two. Then cut the amount by another cup. Or try ordering orange juice when you go out with your friends. Consult your PD about this as well. Normally, human body is responsive to caffeine - since your body seems not to react at all to it - that might not be OK. Caffeine affects heart muscles but I cannot tell if it does any harm. My point: go to your personal physician. Link to comment
Stork Posted November 8, 2003 Report Share Posted November 8, 2003 OK since this is an invite to reply... caffeine is a stimulant. At lower doses, caffeine seems to help alertness and performance. At higher doses, it causes restlessness, agitation, and insomnia. Withdrawal (suddenly discontinuing) from caffeine can cause headaches, lethargy, irritability, and nausea. Is Caffeine Bad for You? It seems that in moderate amounts there are no significant long-term effects from caffeine use for most people. The only known risk seems to be increased Osteoporosis (i.e., bone loss). For women at risk for Osteoporosis, (yes, dancers with low body fat and especially dancers with missed or irreg periods) caffeine use should be limited. Relative amounts of caffeine Coffee 60-140 mg/cup Tea 25-80 mg/cup Cocoa 10-50 mg/cup Cola/sodas 30-60 mg/can Chocolate bar 20 mg/2 ounce bar Symptoms of caffeine over use occur at doses of caffeine greater than 250 mg/day. More than 500 mg a day is really bad. High doses of caffeine can produce symptoms that are virtually identical to those found in people suffering from anxiety neurosis. These can include nervousness, lethargy, insomnia, irritability, pounding headaches, dizziness, trembling limbs, high blood pressure, elevated pulse, lightheadedness, breathlessness, and digestive disorders.Excessively high doses can cause more serious problems: cardiovascular reactions such as rapid and/or irregular heartbeat,. circulation difficulties, palpitations, flushing, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. If you are consuming more than five cups of coffee per day, some studies have indicated you may have twice the chance of experiencing myocardial infarctions (heart attacks) than those of us who drink no coffee at all. Maybe not at age 17 but later. The osteoporosis issue is even more "real" as many teens do not drink the same amout of milk as in years past. It is coffee and tea and soda and these new energy drinks. Even if there is not the sugar by drinking the soda "diet" or the coffe black, I would limit intake to 1-2 cups a day. The days you are drinking 10-12 is too much. And remember--a "cup" of coffee as measured for charts of caffeine content is a little coffee cup like your grandma used to drink. A typical mug is TWO cups worth. A large coffee can easily be 2-3 "cups" worth for tabulating purposes. And if you drink it strong or gormet--it has even more caffeine. You can hit 250 mg in just one good sized serving of Starbucks--the grande size. An evening you describe at a coffee house drinking 8-10 cups is ...scarey. Link to comment
Mel Johnson Posted November 9, 2003 Report Share Posted November 9, 2003 Thanks, Stork. That's what my sense was, but I couldn't pull the medical facts up for all the advertising hype. Good to have input from a real M.D.! Link to comment
coffee Posted November 10, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2003 AAAAHHH! Thats what I was afraid of! I will really try to cut back, but it will be tough! I can do it though- I am thouroughly scared! Thanks so much for your advice! Link to comment
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