News You Can Use
Caffeine may not be worth the trouble
University Relations
News Bureau (662) 325-3442
Contact: Dustin Barnes
March 8, 2004
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Many people justify their morning coffee by saying the rich, hot beverage wakes them up. Others who consume caffeine drinks throughout the day claim they do so to “keep going.”
But what does America’s No. 1 drug really do for consumers?
“Caffeine is a stimulant, so it does help you feel more awake and alert,” says Virginia Braddock, a registered dietitian and nutrition instructor at Mississippi State University. “If consumed in moderate amounts, it’s not likely to cause problems.”
She adds, however, that caffeine can also result in anxiety, insomnia and a loss of body fluids. Additionally, it may be addictive; although she says that caffeine withdrawals typically result in headaches that go away in a few days.
Braddock refutes the claim by some that caffeine helps with weight loss. No meaningful evidence has been found to link the two, she adds.
She also listed some other warnings related to the excess consumption of caffeine, including:
--A possible correlation between caffeine consumption and the absorption rates of calcium in the body, according to some research.
--The potential for increased levels of tension and irritability.
--No effect, despite popular belief, in countering the excess consumption of alcohol; only time can neutralize alcohol’s impact on the body.