CAFFEINE--A DANGEROUS DRUG

The most commonly used DRUG in America is CAFFEINE! Eighty percent of Americans consume it daily. Fifty tons of caffeine are consumed by Americans each day. Yet very few realize that caffeine is highly addictive, or that a dosage equal to 75 cups of coffee placed into the body at one time would kill a person.

Coffee drinkers usually start out by drinking one or two cups per day. But over time it is not unusual for the habit to increase to between five and ten or more cups per day. "I need a cup of coffee" becomes a common sigh by the coffee drinker. What they don't realize is that the morning coffee is more than a ritual; rather, it is a "caffeine fix" needed by the body to rebalance the blood that is out of balance because of the previous day's caffeine intake.

Ask any coffee drinker what happens when they abstain from caffeine for a single day. The answer is often headaches, fatigue, sleepiness, stomach pain and irritation. These are withdrawal symptoms! The major addictive substance in coffee is caffeine, a white crystalline alkaloid that stimulates the brain and artificially and chemically lessens fatigue. But in reality caffeine is a POISON!

Injected into human muscles, caffeine will cause paralysis, while ten grams of caffeine accumulated suddenly in a human body would result in death. Fortunately, coffee ingested in the common manner of a single cup at a time is not fatal because the kidneys work overtime to eliminate this toxin and prevent accumulation.

However, continuous use of caffeine devitalizes the body to the point that the body cannot function without it, because the adrenal glands have been so over-stimulated that it takes a high level of caffeine just to feel normal. Thus a vicious cycle is created, as the very thing that created the problem becomes the cure, and thus perpetuates the problem.

While not causing paralysis or death, small doses of caffeine do cause bad things to happen within the body. For instance, caffeine causes stomach temperature to rise 10 to 15 degrees, makes the stomach more acidic, and years of over-acidity can lead to stomach ulcers. Caffeine causes the heart to beat faster, lungs to work harder, and the blood vessels leading to the brain to narrow, while increasing the body's metabolic rate. Studies show that caffeine consumption is related to increased bladder and stomach cancers, elevated blood pressure, aggravated diabetes, and damaged stomach lining.

Many people do not realize that most soft drinks are loaded with caffeine, while chocolate and many over-the- counter drugs also contain high amounts of caffeine. Following is a partial list of some commonly consumed products that contain caffeine. The amount of caffeine is in milligrams per 7-ounce cup of coffee or 12-ounce can of soda.

Drip coffee 115 - 117 Brewed coffee 80 - 135 Instant coffee 65 - 100 Decaf coffee 2 - 4 Tea, iced 70 Mountain Dew 55 Coca-Cola 45 Dr. Pepper 39 Pepsi Cola 37 Chocolate bar 30 Stay-awake pill 100 Cold tablet 30 - 200 Diet pills 100 Excedrin 65 Midol 32

Children who drink soft drinks containing caffeine, weighing half as much as adults, are three times more sensitive than the adult to the caffeine. One can of cola in a child is equivalent to three cups of coffee in an adult. This caffeine, combined with the approximately eleven teaspoons of sugar found in each 12-ounce can of soda pop, creates very unmanageable youngsters--not to mention all the physical damage it does in a child's body.

Caffeine penetrates deeply into vital tissue. Reports indicate that caffeine may be linked to male infertility as well as birthing defects, and can even be passed through mother's milk into the nursing child. And when a person realizes that coffee and tea and soda pop have absolutely no nutritional value, that person should certainly question its use.

Following are some words from Kurt W. Donsbach, Ph.D., D.Sc., N.D., D.C.: "Blood sugar can be raised by coffee, heart rates increased, gastric secretions of hydrochloric acid quadrupled, lungs stimulated, kidneys worked overtime, and changes take place in the blood vessels in the entire body.

"Can there be any benefit from such stimulation? If we feel fatigued, the body is trying to tell us something. We may need rest or food to replenish the fuel supply needed for energy. When we use a chemical substitute for either, we are whipping a tired horse. The result will be a temporary speeding up, but eventually the horse will collapse. Sooner or later we all have to accept the laws of nature.

"Intensive tests of caffeine indicate that the effect on the brain and nervous tissues [is] more serious and destructive than doses of morphine. Would you use a small amount of morphine every day? Is it possible that your nervous system could work better without a constant bombardment with a destructive drug?

"Would you agree that everything you put into your body should be for the benefit and use of the body? Coffee does not come in such a category. It has no positive function. It furnishes no vitamins, minerals, enzymes or protein to the diet, but does create many problems which cause the body to expend much energy to overcome. Coffee, tea, cola drinks and chocolate all contain caffeine. There are many herb teas and coffee substitutes, which can be consumed to benefit the body. The elimination of caffeine-containing substances from your diet can be one of the most important health decisions you ever make."

-- Bozo the Clown (Bozo@aol.com), February 23, 2001

Answers

Yeah, I'm hooked and I know it. So does my doctor. I got hooked on caffeine when I was in grad school, and I'm a hopeless caffiend now. So sue me.

I know the health risks, and so does my doctor. But my most recent physical (last fall) didn't reveal anything troublesome at all. I've brought my blood pressure back down to a respectable 130/80 (not bad at all for a 40-year-old) with dietary changes only, I have no digestive problems (aside from lactose intolerance), no problem sleeping and no heart trouble at all. And I slam caffeine like there's no tomorrow. My doctor told me that at my level of consumption, he could be seeing heart palpitations. However, my ticker is rockin' and rollin'. No physical evidence of caffeine addiction or overdosing at all. In fact, my doc told me that he couldn't TELL that I was downing so much java.

I don't smoke, I rarely drink, I don't smoke weed, crack or crystal meth. And I don't drop acid or shoot heroin. So what do you care if I'm sucking on a triple espresso right now, Bozo?

"Would you agree that everything you put into your body should be for the benefit and use of the body?"

Sure. Caffeine benefits my body by waking it up.

-- Already Done Happened (oh.yeah@it.did.com), February 23, 2001.

Bozo

Several months back I caught a show in Discovery about the effects of caffiene.

They took spiders (I don't remember which particular species) and gave them several different hallucinogenic drugs (THC, herione, acid, etc) and the spiders were still able to weave the perfect web.

THEN they gave the spiders caffiene and all they could do was hang upside down by a strand and spin around like a top.

The spiders actually LOOKED like they were trashed!!

Deano

-- Deano (deano@luvthebeach.com), February 23, 2001.

That should be 'caffeine'.

Not once.

Not twice.

But THREE times!!! (damn dude!!)

Deano

-- Deano (deano@luvthebeach.com), February 23, 2001.

Deano, was the ‘herione’ given to the spiders named 'Little Miss Muffet' per chance? :>)

-- Barry (bchbear863@cs.com), February 23, 2001.

Barry

It's painfully obvious I'm in need of a dose of caffeine........

Geez......TGIF!!

Deano

-- Deano (deano@luvthebeach.com), February 23, 2001.

Wow what an interesting fact, the spidey could do the web high on drugs which make you hallucinate but cant spin a web IF caffeine is given to them?

OK, CERTAIN folks do need to get off my case now, 4-sure:-)

BTW, now I truly understand Charlotte's Web.

-- sumer (shh@aol.con), February 23, 2001.

I love my coffee, and I happen to think there are worse habits out there. I have recently cut down though from about 8 cups to about 2. If you are considering giving it up, do NOT go cold turkey, as you will get the worst headaches you've ever experienced. I believe your body/brain also get confused with sudden caffeine withdrawal and this could mess up your entire being - trust me. Go ever so gradually. Also if you drink a lot of coffee, be sure to drink more water so you don't get dehydrated and have your kidneys shut down. Sorry if this sounds preachy =)

-- (cin@cin.cin), February 23, 2001.

p.s. The darker roasted beans generally have less caffeine. I like the ultra roast. More flavor/less caffeine.

-- (cin@cin.cin), February 23, 2001.

So I hang out with a bunch of drug addicts, huh? Re-evalution time for Bingo.

IME, quitting addiction cold turkey is a great experience. It isn't easy (except in the case of marijuana - piece of cake). But the difficulties - the physical and psychological pain derived are fine teachers.

Slavery to a drug can be subtle. It's hook enters us slowly. Unconsciously, joyfully, willingly, unwittingly we accept it.

Yes, drug addiction is slavery. Pick your poisons carefully.

-- Rich (howe9@shentel.net), February 23, 2001.

Deano, that made me chuckle. Yeah, that's about how I feel (just dangling at high rpm) after my first cup.

Rich, I've stop doing caffeine every now and again (to purify my body :) It only hurts for three days, then you feel much better. But I can never stay away too long. Self-control, I'm working on it.

-- Maria (anon@ymous.com), February 23, 2001.

Self-control, I'm working on it.

Me too, Maria. Me too. Some folks' work is never done. :)

-- Rich (howe9@shentel.net), February 23, 2001.

I'd rather see Colombian farmers growing coffee than growing coca. Just an observation.

-- Already Done Happened (oh.yeah@it.did.com), February 23, 2001.

Maria, Rich, likewise. It is a tough one to kick. It is a tough one to even WANT to kick, for me. I'm working on my next "strategy." My last strategy was "don't worry about it, and you'll just naturally get sick of it." That one didn't work either.

the difficulties - the physical and psychological pain derived are fine teachers

Ya but only if you are awake enough to learn something from them. [SNORT!]

-- Debbie (dbspence@usa.net), February 23, 2001.

ROTFL, Debbie!

I don't actually have a problem with caffeine. Never been drawn to it as a habit. I usually have energy to spare. It's funny in that I sleep very deeply, but when I awaken I am fully awake in seconds. So I only do coffee - espresso! - occasionally, for the fun of the buzz.

In my case the lack of self-control is with nicotine. I can stop smoking for long periods - cold turkey. But sooner or later I pick 'em up again.

-- Rich (howe9@shentel.net), February 23, 2001.

Starbuck's coffee enema Encounter Groups are a great place to meet babes.

-- (nemesis@awol.com), February 23, 2001.

Ever try a coffee-grounds sandwich? If you can get past the gritty texture and the bitter taste, you can fly from Chicago to Miami in four hours, all without an airline ticket!

Try it!

-- Already Done Happened (oh.yeah@it.did.com), February 23, 2001.

(Drip coffee 115 - 117 Brewed coffee 80 - 135 Instant coffee 65 - 100 Decaf coffee 2 - 4 Tea, iced 70 Mountain Dew 55...)

So THAT explains the weird looks I get from people who have never worked midshift when I tell them I can drink 4 cans of Mt. Dew in an 8-hr shift and not feel a thing [g]. And no, that is not a "gut"...its a cleverly concealed lasagna storage facility....

-- JCL Jockey (WeThrive@nStress.com), February 24, 2001.