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Caffeine : More Than A Quick Pick-Up |
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Looking at caffeine from a health perspective, should one be concerned about caffeine in excess? Caffeine, when taken in small amounts, is not harmful. Large amounts of caffeine, however, can cause harmful health effects. Caffeine can wake us up and stimulate mental alertness at all hours of the day or night.
WHILE IT DOES NOT INCREASE BLOOD PRESSURE OR HYPERACTIVITY, CAFFEINE MAY CAUSE: - headaches
- anxiety
- nervousness
- gastrointestinal distress
- insomnia and
- increased symptoms in women with premenstrual syndrome and/or fibrocystic breast disease
For women, low intakes of caffeine are allowed during pregnancy and lactation; however, large amounts can be harmful. Limit caffeine intake to one cup of coffee or cola drink per day to be safe. It is recommended for anyone who has a high intake of caffeine (more than 4 cups of coffee or cola drinks every day) and who want to reduce their intake, that the amount of their consumption be gradually reduced over a period of several weeks. This will help reduce headaches that can develop when usage suddenly stops. Although coffee is the primary source of caffeine in the Australian diet, it is not the only source. Other sources contributing to a person's total daily intake of caffeine include: - teas
- chocolate
- colas and other soft drinks and
- medications
Soft drinks that are caffeine-free will usually indicate this on their labels. Article #6906 Copyright (c) 2002 McKesson. All Rights Reserved. |
