This is basically how I start my day, everyday. But it doesn't start with just one cup. One cup turns into two and then two turns into "make that a double, triple, etc..." I am coffee addict and I have been for over 20 years. So what's the big deal? Well... coffee contains caffeine and contrary to what most believe, caffeine is a drug... and drugs carry the potential risk of an overdose.
The purpose of this blog is to identify what caffeine is, supply current information about caffeine, discuss behaviors and risks of caffeine overdose.
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References
Untitled photograph of coffee mug. Retrieved March 4, 2014, from http://www.recapo.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/caffeine-od-.png
Hi Gina, Anthony here. I too, didn't do well on the caffeine quiz. A few of the questions were somewhat abstract though. What is a moderate dose of caffeine (for example)? Hmmm, I would say if you're in the caffeine or soft drink industry or with the FDA then having an immediate answer standing by just makes sense. I knew that 100mg is roughly equivalent to a 12oz cup of primo and so my answer to the moderate question was 100-200mg. Wrong!! :( LOL! I've been drinking coffee with regularity since roughly 2009 (about a cup per day), but only lately have I been noticing the effects. Heightened alertness, caffeine-type energy versus cellular energy (ATP) and on the negative side, flushing, headaches which may be related to missing a few days of coffee. I've totally cut out soft drinks and have never subscribed to energy drinks. Too many chemicals making up the list, especially high fructose corn syrup. Anyway, since this is a caffeine blog, I'll stick to the subject. As I began slowly compiling information about the substance I was able to produce some really good questions. For instance, how is caffeine behaving when introduced into my body, other than simply perking me up? One answer is that its binding to the glucose molecules circulating in my blood. That could be a problem for someone with high energy requirements or who is prone to low blood sugar. I suppose, like any other stimulant addict, I finally had to ask myself how I got mixed up with this particular beverage in the first place. Was it the lure of the coffee culture? Was it simply a quietly recognized family tradition? Learning what we have been over the past couple weeks I plan to be extra careful as caffeine does rank higher on the scale of addiction than LSD, ecstasy, and mescaline. Perhaps the caffeine industry just disguises it as a fun and harmless substance when in actuality its stimulating the same reward/control pathway as the illicit substances.
ReplyDeleteYikes!!!