Lecture 4 Caffeine

caffeine

• most commonly used drug in the world

  • coffee, tea, soda, energy drink, otc cold medicine, chocolate

• drug class

  • stimulant

• buzz

  • low to moderate= increased alertness, concentration, euphoria

  • high=nervousness, agitation

recommended caffeine limit

half life= 1.5-9.5 hours

xanthines

family of stimulant chemicals.
They all do basically the same thing, just stronger or weaker depending on which one it is.

Think of them like different strength versions of the same energy drink

• 3 types

  • caffeine

    • Found mostly in coffee

    • Strongest “wake-up” effect

    • Hits fast and hard

  • theophylline

    • tea

    • milder form of caffeine

  • theobromine

    • chocolate

    • very mild

    • lowest energy more like buzz

xanthine compounds actions

• andenosine builds up in brain tells body to relax

• xanthine blocks adenosine (major action)

  • sits on the receptors so they cannot do their job

  • like blocking brakes so telling caffeine to go

  • blocks receptors in blood vessels, fat cells, heart, kidneys, muscles

• flips into fight or flight mode

  • increased blood pressure

  • hyperventillation to pull in more oxygen

  • muscles ready to move

caffeine overdose

• occurs when too much caffeine consumed

• symptoms

  • fatal overdoses rare but exist

  • minor symptoms: dizziness, dhiarrhea, increased thirst, insomnia, headache, fever, irritability

  • major symptoms: trouble breathing, vomitting, hallucinations, confusions, chest pain, irregualr or fast heartbeat, uncontrollable muscle movments, convulsions, shock

• caffeine sensitvity

  • some ppl experience greater sensitivity than someone who consumes caffeine daily

caffeine interactions

• major

  • ephedrine - both stimulant

• moderate

  • anitbiotics

  • adenosine

  • estrogens

• minor

  • alcohol

  • birth control

  • etc.

caffeine interacts with 83 drugs of which 11 are major

caffeine and health concerns

◦ preexisting conditions

‣ heart problem, glaucoma, high blood pressure, ibs, bleeding/anxiety

‣ less safe to mix caffeine with

◦ bipolar disorder

‣ caffeine= possible mania

◦ diabetes

‣ caffeine effects how body metabolizes sugar

‣ must monitor blood sugar levels in relation to caffeine intake

◦ osteoporosis

‣ increases urination, flushes calcium out of symptom

‣ worsens

caffeine and the body

◦ taken orally

‣ absorption into blood primarily thru stomach lining small/large intestine

‣ only slowly absorbed thru stomach, most absorption in small intestine

◦ caffeine evenly distributed thru body

‣ metabolized by liver and excreted thru kidneys

‣ slowly eliminated by body

‣ half life of single dose= 3 hours

◦ regular caffeine use

‣ maybe leads to lower risk of death due to heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and respiratory kidney disease

caffeine by numbers

caffeine heart effects

• caffeine is a vasodillator

  • stimulates the heart to beat faster increasing blood flow, blood sugar, urine production and body temp

    • stimulates receptors within heart to beat faster by blocking enzyme phosphodiestrate

• caffeines full cardiovascular profile varies

  • some genetically suceptible to caffeine while others are not

  • effects of caffeine depends on use- habitual or infrequent

• individuals <18 may be more vulnerable to effects of caffeine

  • AMA supports ban on marketing of high caffeine beverages to anyone under 18

  • AAP says energy drinks never consumed by children or adolescents

benefits of caffeine on heart

◦ preemie lifesaver

‣ caffeine administered to neonates born preterm to coax their brain and lungs to keep breathing

‣ reduces apnea- pauses in preemie's breathing

‣ keeps intermitten drops in their blood oxygen levels from occuring

◦ performance enhancer

‣ caffeine= safer performance enhancer

‣ 1972 caffeine banned for athletes but removed in 2004

‣ improves cognitive function and focus

‣ significantly improves performance during cardiovascular endurance activities

caffeine kidney effects

◦ calcium oxalate stones

‣ most common type of kidney stone formed from combined crystals of calcium and oxalate

‣ typically leached from bone and caffeine increases that

‣ 2004: patients who had history of kidney stones- caffeine increased urinary calcium levels, modest increase in risk of developing kidney stones after caffeine consumption

‣ taurine also increases

◦ diuretic

‣ produce more urine

‣ output 3 cups for each 1 cup u drink

◦ fluid balance

‣ although large doses of caffeine taken in short periods of time can stimulate urine output

‣ people quickly develop tolerance to effects on caffeine

‣ diminishing diuretic effect among users

‣ have to make sure fluids balanced in body

‣ caffeine doses found in standard serving of caffeinated beverages not detrimental to fluid balance in the body

caffeine- mineral absorption and kidneys

• heavy caffeine users have difficulty getting enough minerals in diet

  • prevents iron absoprtion in stomach

  • kidneys cannot retain

    • calcium, zinc, magnesium

• minerals are vital for good health but from a digestive standpoint any interference with magnesium absorption is worrying

  • magneisum needed for bowel regularity

  • modern diets leave many of us deficient in magnesium

caffeine- digestive system effects

• caffeine stimualtes stomach acid production

• caffeine does not cause ulcers

  • but ppl with ulcers should avoid caffeine

  • ulcers: open sores that occasionally develop in stomach lining, esophagus, small intestine

• GERD

  • caffeine alone does not lead to gerd but can worsen it

• coffee post meal can aid in the digestive process and for adults is generally good for your overall digestion

  • caffeine is diuretic and stimulates muscles in digestive track making them contract

  • caution: bc coffee is diureti can lead to harder stool

  • constipation

caffeine- brain effects

◦ caffeine can invigorate some individuals

‣ in doses up to 2 oz- 0.5 shot glass studies suggest caffeine

• enhances attention

• improves reaction time and vigilance

‣ these studies concluded - individuals are able to stick with lengthy, boring or tedious tasks

‣ impact on problem solving and decision making not conclusive

◦ caffeine can help ease migraine and tension headaches by constricting swollen blood vessels in brain

‣ OTC excedrin migraine with caffeine boosts effectiveness of medication by 40%

‣ caffeinated painkillers get overused- individual can experience rebound headaches from stopping meds

‣ caution- if you have habitual caffeine habit, quitting cold turkey will lead to massive headaches due to caffeine withdrawal

caffeine- respiratory system effects

◦ increases heartbeat and quickens breathing rate delivering more blood and oxygen to the body

‣ increase in blood and oxygen that helps provide the feeling of a boost of energy

◦ acts as bronchodilator

‣ substance that dilates opens up- breathing passages by relaxing the bronchial smooth muscle

‣ 2 effects creates less resistance in airways, which in turn increase airflow to and fro lungs

• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

  • general term for condition that causes difficulty breathing- asthma bronchitis

  • coffee increasing breathing rate, too much stress on heart and lungs for ppl who alr cannot breath properly

  • caffeine may negatively interact with medications being used to treat copd

caffeine- reproductive effects

◦ effects of caffeine on fertility have been ongoing debates

◦ excessive caffeine intake- associated with adverse effects on sperm

◦ no consistent evidence, linking moderate consumption of caffeine to reduced sperm quantity, quality, or motility

• women who drink more than 4 cups of coffee a day reduce their ability to conceive by about 26%

• pregnant women should restrict or abstain from caffeine to avert withdrawal symptoms like headaches, irritability, restlessness and nausea

  • research conducted by kaiser permanente concluded that drinking more than 2 cups of coffee increases miscarraige by 5%

  • caffeine crosses placenta and disrupts fetal development

caffeine- eye effects

◦ caffeine causes blood vessels in eyes to constrict- become narrow

‣ decreasing flow of oxygen and nutrients to cells within the eyes

‣ decreasing the clearing of waste products from the eyes

◦ dry eye syndrome

‣ medical condition in which body does not make enough tears or have consistency to keep eyes moist- cry more?

caffeine- stress and panic attacks

◦ caffeine= catalyst for full blown panic attack

◦ typically occurs in people who have slight genetic variation in adenosine receptors

‣ can elevate cortisol levels in the body

• high amounts can lead to negative health effects associated with prolonged elevated levels of cortisol

‣ cortisol responsible for

• glucose metabolism, regulation blood pressure, insulin release for blood sugar, immune function, inflammatory response

caffeine- bone health

• slightly reduces the body’s ability to absorb calcium

• caffeine and phosphorus in colas (carbonated only) have been linked to bone loss

• if healthy no evidence that says consuming up to 1.5 cups of caffeine will harm their bones

• no studies have shown significant fracture or heightened risk of osteoporosis (decrease in density of bone) among health adults with adequate calcium intake

caffeine- toxicity

• overall caffeine for healthy person is safe if consumed in moderation

  • main side effects- gastric upset, nervousness, jitteriness

  • as individuals age, they tend to have more problems related to sleep

• pills containing caffeine

  • result in severe side effects for individuals who laod up on them to stay awake- procrastinating students and long distance drivers

• individuals who have concomitant conditions (obesity, hypertension) are more vulnerable to heart related problems from caffeine

caffeine- human consumption

• historically coffee, tea chocolate were caffeine

  • energy drinks, pain relievers, diet pills more recent

• tea= 4th centure ce china

  • preferred beverage of europe in 16th century ce

• coffee= 6th century ce yemen

  • strong relatioship with us in founding of nation

  • due to unfair taxation of tea via british stamp act 1765 ce and trade revenue act 1767 ce

  • boston tea party

• chocolate= 4th century bce yucatan

  • before tea and coffee was available

  • was not popular until 18oos when dutch confectioners refined cacao into chocolate

how coffee came to be

• ethiopian legend- 1671 ce

  • goat herder kaffa saw goats eating caffeinated red berries dancing

  • he tried and thought divine effects

  • went to wife and said to share heaven sent cherries w monks

  • monks said devils work and threw cherries on fire but roasting bean smell was good- berries scooped out of fire crushed covered in hot water, monks loved- used for spiritual practice

• yemen legend 650ce

  • monk could not focus and read koran bc kept falling asleep

  • discovered cherries that gave him energy to finish

  • went to monastery and becae devoted monk and grew berries around religious center

  • used during prayers

history of coffee today

• coffee slowly introduced in europe in 1600 by cofeehouses

• salon style intellectual convo

• england outlawed for 10-15 years then was back

• environment of early coffeehouses turned to be one that gave rise to creative thinking and entrepreunial legal business realms

coffee in the us

• coffee may be more expensive bc coffee species risk of extinction

tea

◦ aromatic beverage commonly prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over leaves, fruits, flowers

◦ most commonly cured leaves of camellia sinesis

◦ used for medicine

• tea originated in 2737 bce

• highly disliked emperor shen nung of china was deposed of power and exiled to an isolated corner of southern china

• having no money shen nung sat under tree when gust of wine and wayward leaves into his cup of boiling water

• blend was so relaxing he drank tea for next 7 years and would only drink tea

tea cultures

◦ tea ceremonies

‣ ritualized form of making practiced in asian cultures by chinese, korean, japanese, indian, vietanemse, taiwanesse

• chado

◦ japanese tea ceremony

◦ formalized

◦ way of tea

◦ ritualized process

• afternoon tea

◦ british

◦ light meal eaten between 3:30-5pm

◦ light and chill

• turkish tea

◦ conversation tea

◦ offered in small tulip shaped glass held by rim

◦ social gathering of men

• chai wallah

◦ person in india who makes/sells tea

• sweet tea

◦ southeastern us

◦ heavily sugared iced tea

• egyptian mint tea

◦ creating and maintaining connections with friends and fam then quality of tea

◦ alleviate pressure of heat

• us= more coffee but rest= more tea

cacao

◦ theobroma cacao

◦ source of original natural chocolate

◦ evergreen cacao tree us native to meso america

◦ from seeds of fruit of cacao tree

◦ for 4k years consumed as bitter bev

◦ used as food, medicine, currency as olmex, aztec, zapotec, maya civilization

◦ integral to mayan creation myth

‣ kukulcan gave to gods after ceating humans

‣ restricted to elites

xocoatl

◦ mayan word for chocolate

◦ soanish conquistadores and missionaries transcribed as chocolate- bitter water

◦ may have been bitter water but held in high esteem maya modify word to food of the gods

brief history of cacao

chocolatiers and the world of imagination

• 75 years major chocolate houses came into existence

• 1765 ce irish chocolatiers introduced chocolate to the us and by 1780 ce bakers chocolate factory opened

• iin 1852 ce ghiradelli begins production in sf

• 1866 ce nestle was founded by 2 illinois brothers in cham switzerland

• 1884 hershey

• 1926 belgian- godiva

energy drinks

◦ consumption of caffeinated sodas has increased in the us

‣ concentration of caffeine per ounce in sodas much lower than coffee or tea

‣ serving size of soda is 12-24 oz which is double or quadruple that of coffee or tea

‣ diet drinks tend to contain the same or more amount of caffeine than their regular counterparts

• ‣ bit of misnomer

  ‣ beverages do not produce more energy but generate a feeling of alertness and very distinct buzz due to their caffeine content

  ‣ concentration is often 2 or 3 times as higher as other caffeinated drinks

  ‣ serving sizes are generally much smaller

  • north america is major consumer

    • target 18-35 year olds

blackout in a can

• 4 loko- alc and energy

• stimulants and caffeine get you drunk faster but you do not feel it because the alcohol masks it

yerba mate

• stimulant equivalent to caffeine in coffee

  • missionaries associated with idolatry - elixir of sorcerers

  • beverage of natives seen as offensive

• mate became transformed into beneficial paraguay tea

• 620 ce consumption reached high levels even when prohibited

guarana

• found in southern tributaries of the amazon

• caffeine concentration twice as much as mate, coffee, or cola by volume

• did not get much negative attention bc was deep in jungle

• become important with energy drinks, weight loss, brazils top export

• producing caffeine with high concentration is defensive toxin

koalnut

• in nigeria beleived to be first tree on earth

• caffeine rich nut that is native to tropical africa

• symbol of hospitality and kindness

• tasteless on own but synergic with caffeine

• oldest forms used for natural remedy for chest colds and weightloss

• increases bodys metabolic rate by 118% and can burn calories