Watching Caffeine Intake? Look Beyond Coffee

Do you need an extra jolt in the morning to get going? Does a quick midafternoon pick-me-up seem necessary to get you through the rest of the day?

If so, you probably turn to coffee. Every day, almost 130 million Americans reach for a cup of caffeinated java, according to the National Coffee Assn., a trade organization for the coffee industry.

But it’s the caffeine that perks you up, not the coffee. An alkaloid found in the leaves, seeds or fruits of more than 60 plants, caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, cardiac muscles and respiratory system. Just 50 to 100 milligrams (less than the amount found in one cup of coffee) can produce a temporary increase in mental clarity and energy.

Caffeine can also open breathing passages, improve muscular coordination for routine tasks such as typing, and increase muscle strength and endurance even as it increases the body’s ability to burn fat as fuel.

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But there are risks as well as benefits. Although the Food and Drug Administration classifies it as “generally recognized as safe,” caffeine is mildly addictive. Excessive amounts can produce irritability, fatigue, headaches, heart palpitations, feelings of anxiety and sleeplessness.

And it can be found, often unexpectedly, in a variety of common foods.

Michael Jacobsen, executive director of Center for Science in the Public Interest, has petitioned the FDA to require the declaration of caffeine content on food and beverage labels. “Labeling just helps people control the amount of caffeine they consume,” he says, “and also can help guide people who want more caffeine.”

Especially of concern is the amount of caffeine that children and young adults are consuming. Two Cokes a day, a cup of coffee-flavored yogurt or coffee ice cream and a couple of chocolate chip cookies could bring a child’s caffeine intake to over 200 milligrams--possibly starting them on the way to a caffeine addiction.

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“While soft drink companies contend that they add caffeine to their products for flavor,” Jacobsen says, “it’s a great way to get them [kids] hooked on the product.”

Dr. Harvey Wolinsky, clinical professor of medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, says sensitivity to caffeine varies, but that an adult can exhibit symptoms of caffeine dependence or habituation with regular use of 350 milligrams a day.

Caffeine does speed up our basal metabolic rate, which can help burn calories, but it can also lower our blood sugar--leading to increased hunger or craving for sweets.

It is a diuretic that relaxes the smooth muscle in the colon and some reports show that consuming more than 100 milligrams a day effects a loss of potassium, magnesium, zinc, B vitamins and washes out vitamin C. It also accelerates fluid loss through increased urination.

Just last month, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine reported that drinking the equivalent of one to three cups of coffee a day can increase the risk of miscarriage by 30%. This research reinforces the FDA’s official policy warning that pregnant women should consume caffeine in moderation, usually recommended to be less than 200 milligrams a day.

And although researchers at Pennsylvania State College of Medicine recently reported that habitual caffeine intake did not affect bone density or increase the risk of osteoporosis in women, other studies have found that caffeine interferes with the absorption of vitamins and minerals, especially calcium and iron.

Despite these potential problems, some people want even more caffeine. A trend that began 10 years ago with the launch of Jolt Cola, which has twice the caffeine as regular soda, has led to an array of new energy drinks.

Caffeine is a main ingredient in the leading brand, Red Bull, with 80 milligrams in an 8.3-ounce can. Edge 2O water contains nearly 9 milligrams of caffeine per ounce. Many Wall Street types report using these waters to make their drip coffee; which could up the caffeine to 200 milligrams in a single 8-ounce cup of coffee.

Everyone seems to agree that too much caffeine is a bad thing. What they don’t agree on is just how much is “too much.” The best advice is to pay attention to how your own body reacts at what level of caffeine, and read those ingredient listings.

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Phil Lempert hosts a national syndicated radio show and is the food correspondent for NBC’s “Today” show. He can be reached by e-mail at PLempert@aol.com. His column appears the first and third Mondays of the month.