Today, I thought I’d talk a bit about something Americans hold near and dear, and it isn’t Obama, death, or taxes. I thought I’d write about this because of something someone told me yesterday, about someone I know pretty well, who is having a bit of a rough time communicating with his staff, particularly as it gets later in the day.

His top staff people are ready to bail on him, because he’s an addict, and he doesn’t realize it. His addiction makes him jittery, irritable, forgetful, profane, and temperamental, just to throw a few adjectives out there. His problem isn’t alcohol, pain killers, or cocaine.

If you asked 99 out of 100 people they would tell you it isn’t a drug, but it IS.

What I’m talking about is caffeine, most readily available at almost every corner in the country. If you drink a great deal of coffee, the chances are pretty good that you could be a caffeine addict yourself, and that’s not a good thing.

When coffee first entered the culture, it was served in 6 ounce cups, and that was considered a “cup of coffee.” People had a “cup of coffee,” or two. Medical people had more than that, but the problem began a decade or two back, when the sizes of portions really started to explode.

Now, in most 7/11’s, for instance, the smallest cup for coffee is 16 ounces, which amounts to 2 and 2/3 cups of Coffee, and the “normal” size is 20-22 ounces, which is roughly 3 and a 1/2 cups.

That volume corresponds to about 350 mg of caffeine. If you stopped there, you would minimize the damage, but the problem is that millions of people have more than one 22 ounce serving, which means that we are now talking about ingesting 700 mg of caffeine, just from coffee. That isn’t good, and at that level, you risk heart disease, stroke, psychological disorders, and many types of gastrointestinal disease.

That isn’t the end of the list, by a long shot.

There’s also fatigue, depression, muscle tension in your neck, shoulders, jaw, hands, legs, insomnia, bruxism (grinding your teeth), anxiety and…the list could go on, ad infinitum.

This is definitely not stuff they want to hear at Starbucks, or Seattle’s Roast, or 7/11.

But it’s true, and it happens every day.

The gentlemen I was talking about at the start of this post is never seen without a large coffee in tow. He’s an addict, and he may need medical help to detoxify him. Hopefully, that can be done before his whole office walks away, but sometimes, interventions aren’t successful.

Green tea is a much better alternative, and you don’t need it in a 32 ounce container.

Many people who are caffeine addicts go to the doctor, presenting all these problems I listed, but they don’t tell the doctor about their coffee consumption, or exactly how much coffee they are sucking down their gullets. Then, they end up getting drugs for what ails them, and combine them with the caffeine. This only serves to make their problems worse.

If you’re going to drink coffee, keep the amount reasonable, and drink a good amount of water. And make sure you take a pharmaceutical grade fish oil, to make sure that you are getting all the omega-3 fatty acids you need, which will help to keep you balanced.

My best advice would be to quit drinking anything with caffeine in it. I did. It IS a drug, and a powerful one, at that. It has a bigger downside than most people realize, in spite of all the good publicity it gets.

Dr. Bill is an orthopedic surgeon and author. He recommends this pharmaceutical grade fish oil for more energy, reduced joint pain and increased heart health.

Supposedly Americans consume an average of 280 milligrams of caffeine per day. That would be about three cups of coffee. Then again, we’re not all taking in our caffeine by way of Coffee…

So What is Caffeine?

Caffeine occurs naturally in many plants and serves as a mildly addictive stimulant that our country appears more than mildly addicted to.

We now manufacture the chemical and so we don’t have to rely on plants to get it anymore. We then market it to kids, teens and adults for a hefty profit. Some people think this is horrible. But others cannot survive in our fast-paced modern society without it.

Are Energy Drink Caffeine Levels Too High?

Here are the energy drink caffeine contents of some popular brands:

Brand / Mg of Caffeine per Ounce

Rockstar: 10
Monster: 10
Redbull: 9.5
Coffee: 7-51
Coca Cola Classic: 2.9

It is said that anywhere between 200-300 milligrams of caffeine has little effect on the average adult. On the other hand, push 600 milligrams and you could experience the side effects many have reported including nausea, insomnia, heart arrhythmia, irritability, nervousness, anxiety, muscle tremors and headaches.

In the case of caffeine overdose, factors such as age, weight, stress, drug use (legal and not), smoking habits and other conditions play a significant role. But no matter what your lifestyle is and no matter what your biology, you are still vulnerable to caffeine overdose.

Let’s look now at how much caffeine there is per can of some popular energy drinks:

Brand / Mg of Caffeine

Rockstar 16 ounces: 160
Monster 16 ounces: 160
Redbull 8 ounces: 80
Coffee 8 ounces: 57-145
Coke 12 ounces: 35

Still nothing wrong here, right? We’re nowhere near that 600 milligram mark…

Wrong.

People don’t slowly sip their energy drinks like they do their piping hot coffee. They pound them. And they don’t drink one over the course of an hour like they do their coffee either. Many people, young people especially, chase one can with another and chase that one with yet another.

And since some energy drink companies are beginning to package their liquid energy in larger and larger cans, these kids are beginning to take in dangerous levels of caffeine.

This is scary when combined with the fact that many energy drinks market themselves towards the party crowd and the sports crowd. How healthy can it be to be pumping these kinds of energy drink caffeine levels into our bodies when it’s proven that caffeine raises our heart rates and gives us headaches amongst other things?

What Should We Know About Energy Drink Caffeine [http://energydrinkvault.com/energy-drink-caffeine] Levels? Limiting yourself to one serving from time to time should be no harm to you. But beware of the ever-increasing size of the cans and do a quick calculation of how much caffeine you’re consuming in total.

What You Need to Do: Before you buy your next bottle or can, inform yourself about what you’re consuming and consider an alternative healthy energy drink.

Everyone needs a boost from time to time. We just deserve to know about what we choose to consume.

The healthcare community has done its fair share of investigating the effects of drinking coffee, and a subsequent array of health warnings and encouragements have been issued regarding its regular consumption.

Since the liver processes all that we ingest, people living with liver disease, including hepatitis, must be extra vigilant in watching everything entering their digestive system. Coffee is turning heads as a liver cancer and cirrhosis preventative. It has also been noted as a factor in reducing insulin resistance, a prominent liver disease risk factor. The keys to accentuate coffee’s benefits while avoiding any harm are to stay within moderation, be aware of conditions contraindicating its consumption, and be careful of what you add to your brew.

“Overall, the research shows that coffee is far more healthful than it is harmful,” says Tomas DePaulis, PhD, research scientist at Vanderbilt University’s Institute for Coffee Studies, which conducts its own medical research and tracks coffee studies from around the world. “For most people, very little bad comes from drinking it, but a lot of good.”

Benefits of Coffee

The latest research confirms that moderate coffee consumption harbors several benefits, including:

· Reduces the risk of alcoholic cirrhosis

· Decreases risk of type 2 diabetes

· Reduces risk of developing gallstones

· Discourages the development of colon and liver cancer

· Improves cognitive function

· Reduces headache/migraine severity

· Reduces the risk of Parkinson’s disease

· Improves endurance performance in long-duration physical activities

· Reduces the risk of liver damage in people at high risk for liver disease

Liver Benefits

In a Japanese study, researchers looked at the association between coffee consumption and liver cancer among the middle-aged and elderly. Those who drank coffee daily, or close to it, had about half the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a type of liver cancer, than people who never drank coffee. Among daily coffee drinkers specifically, the liver cancer rate was over 200 cases per 100,000 people over 10 years. Among those who never drank coffee the rate rose to nearly 550 cases per 100,000 people. The more coffee consumed, the lower the HCC risk.

Based on data collected from more than 125,000 people, researchers from the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program in California recently reported a 22 percent daily reduction of liver cirrhosis risk from alcohol with each cup of coffee consumed. Hepatitis c and other liver disease can also cause cirrhosis. Study co-author, Dr. Arthur Klatsky reports that the study found coffee did not protect the liver against those other causes of scarring.

Several studies have demonstrated that drinking coffee lowers the liver enzyme GGT, especially among heavy alcohol drinkers. Although GGT is a relevant indicator of cirrhosis risk, the liver enzyme ALT is a more specific marker of liver injury. Several population-based surveys from Italy and Japan have found a similar inverse relationship between drinking coffee and ALT levels.

Diabetes Benefits

Type 2 diabetes and one of its precursors, insulin resistance, have been making headlines in various health reports as a leading cause of fatty liver disease. (Read the posted article, How to Prevent a Fatty Liver.) After analyzing data on 126,000 people for as long as 18 years, Harvard researchers calculated that compared to those who do not partake in America’s favorite morning drink, people who consume one to three cups of caffeinated coffee daily can reduce diabetes risk by up to 10%. Having six cups or more each day slashed men’s diabetes risk by 54% and women’s by 30% over java abstainers.

Coffee is loaded with antioxidants, including a group of compounds called quinines that when administered to lab rats, increased insulin sensitivity. This increased sensitivity improves the body’s response to insulin. Coffee also has large amounts of magnesium and the antioxidants, chlorogenic acid and tocopherols. Each has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism, reducing the risk and severity of diabetes.

Possible Harm

As reported in the Harvard Women’s Health Watch, coffee is not completely devoid of risks. Caffeine, coffee’s main ingredient, is a mildly addictive stimulant with cardiovascular effects such as increased heart rate, increased blood pressure and occasional irregular heartbeat. Studies have been largely inconclusive regarding coffee and its effect on women’s health issues such as breast health, gynecological cancers and osteoporosis. Coffee has also been reported to aggravate previously existing gastrointestinal ulcers.

Researchers are quick to point out that caffeine is a drug, and can be abused if used in place of a good night’s rest or a healthy diet. We each have our own thresholds for caffeine. Most people can tolerate two cups of coffee each day without a problem. But any more than that may cause nervousness, rapid heartbeat, palpitations, sleeplessness and irritability. It can even lead to health problems such as osteoporosis or high blood pressure. Additionally, skipping your usual morning cup of joe can lead to a caffeine withdrawal headache.

Brew Additives

The greater risk of coffee consumption lies with the ingredients typically added to java. Creating a “light and sweet” drink carries an entirely separate set of hazards. Whipped cream, flavored syrups, half-and-half, sugar, sucralose and aspartame can contribute to diabetes, obesity, fatty liver disease and toxic liver reactions. Below are the statistics for a few common coffee additives:

· 2 tablespoons of flavored liquid nondairy creamer = 80 calories and 4 g fat.

· 1 tablespoon of plain liquid nondairy creamer = 25 calories, 2 g fat.

· 1 tablespoon half-and-half = 20 calories, 2 g fat.

· 1 tablespoon cream = 50 calories, 6 g fat.

· 1 tablespoon whipped cream = 90 calories, 9 g fat.

· A drizzle of Starbucks caramel syrup = 25 calories.

· 2 tablespoons flavored syrup = 80 calories, no fat.

· 2 tablespoons malt = 90 calories, 2 g fat.

· 1 tablespoon mocha syrup = 25 calories, .5 g fat.

· 1 teaspoon sugar = 15 calories.

If you prefer your coffee light and sweet, choose your additives wisely to support the healthful benefits offered by your beverage.

Putting it all Together

Individuals with pre-existing liver disease, or who are at high risk of its development, may want to think twice before sacrificing the enjoyment of a coffee ritual. While the proof of coffee reducing the risk of cirrhosis is limited to alcohol-related cirrhosis, its benefits transcend this one condition. In its entirety, this evidence supports coffee’s role in liver health. When selecting your beverage of choice, consider coffee’s ability to reduce insulin resistance, improve liver enzyme levels and prevent against liver cancer. As long as you do not harbor another risk factor to prohibit java consumption, proceed moderately and are conscious of the additives you chose, feel good about lifting your favorite cup in support of your liver’s health.

References:

http://www.cnn.com, Coffee May Cut Alcohol Liver Damage, Reuters, June 13, 2006.

[http://www.coscic.org], Coffee and Liver Cirrhosis, The Coffee Science Information Centre, 2006.

http://www.health.harvard.edu, Coffee Health Risks: For the moderate drinker, coffee is safe says Harvard Women’s Health Watch, Harvard Health Publications, 2006.

http://www.hivandhepatitis.com, Coffee Consumption Reduces the Risk of Liver Cancer, April hivandhepatitis.com, 2005.

http://www.medscape.com, Coffee, Caffeine Consumption Associated with Reduced Liver Disease, Karla Harby, Medscape Medical News, May 2004.

http://www.mercola.com, Coffee May Prevent Liver Cancer: Should You Add it to Your Morning Routine?, Dr. Joseph Mercola, 2006.

http://www.onhealth.webmd.com, The Buzz on Coffee, Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, LD, WebMD, Inc, March 2006.

http://www.webmd.com, Coffee, the new health food?, Sid Kirchheimer, WebMD, Inc., March 2005.

This article was prepared for LiverSupport.com. Visit us to learn more about liver health, natural liver remedies and the benefits of milk thistle.

Are you taking coffee for that extra burst of energy in the morning? Learn more about an herbal supplement that is clinically proven to aid your body in creating more energy at the cellular level – without the use of stimulants.

Coffee is loved the world over. There are not too many beverages which inspire the love and devotion that coffee does. In fact, coffee is the second most consumed beverage in the world after water. Just look on the internet – a Google search of “coffee” generates almost 175,000,000 (yes, that is million!) results. So, what is the big deal? Perhaps some interesting facts will give you some clues:

1. The three biggest coffee drinkers in the world are the Americans, the French and the Germans. They consume nearly 65% of the total world’s consumption of coffee. Worldwide annual coffee consumption is over 400 billion cups and continues to grow. In 2005, coffee was the seventh largest legal agricultural export in the world by value.

2. In the United States alone, we consume 400 million cups every day, or 35% of the world’s total. The statistics show that 54% of the adult population drinks coffee cups on a daily basis, and another 25% of all Americans drink it once in a while. This means that more than three quarters of American adults drink coffee.

3. Men drink as much, if not more, coffee than women. In the year 2000, a National Coffee Association survey reported that the average consumption of coffee corresponds to approximately 1.9 cups of coffee per day for men and 1.4 cups per day for women when looking at the total population. However, when looking at Coffee drinkers only, the average consumption is raised to about 3.1 cups per person per day.

4. Coffee is actually a fruit and grows on trees (although often called plants). Coffee trees are not fast growers. In fact, it takes five years for a coffee tree to reach full maturity. Once it’s become mature, each mature coffee plant yields about 5 pounds of green (un-roasted) coffee beans per year. This results in less than one pound of coffee beans after roasting. It takes about 4000 coffee beans to produce a pound of coffee and roughly 50 coffee beans to produce one cup of coffee.

5. Even though it tastes “stronger”, dark roasted coffees actually have LESS caffeine than medium or light roasts. The longer a coffee is roasted, the darker it becomes and the more caffeine burns off during the process. Similarly, contrary to popular assumptions, espresso coffee actually contains about one-third of the caffeine of a brewed cup of coffee. This is partially due to the fact that espresso is typically made using top premium arabica beans which have a lower caffeine content than robusta beans, which are found in many coffee blends used for standard brewing. Also, in the espresso brewing method, water is in contact with the grounds for only 20 to 25 seconds and extracts less caffeine than methods that put water in contact with the grounds for several minutes.

6. A cappuccino is an Italian coffee drink prepared with espresso, hot milk, and steamed-milk foam. The Italian name ‘cappuccino’ comes from the long, pointed cowl, or cappuccino, that was worn as part of the habit of the Capuchin Order of Friars. In Italian, the word cappuccino also describes espresso coffee mixed or topped with steamed milk or cream, because the color of the coffee resembled the color of the habit of a Capuchin friar. Some people also believe that the term relates to the aspect of a friar’s tonsured (white) head, surrounded by a ring of brown hair.

7. The term “joe” when referring to coffee originates with the fact that coffee has long been a favorite drink among American soldiers. Soldiers in the Civil War, for example, were issued rations of coffee which they brewed in water over camp fires. During World War II, American soldiers were given instant coffee rations and were known to consume large amounts of coffee. Since these soldiers were known as “G.I. Joes”, the phrase “cup of Joe” was adapted to describe a cup of coffee.

8. Caffeine can enhance athletic endurance and performance. Until 2004, caffeine was on the International Olympic Committee list of prohibited substances. Athletes who tested positive for more than 12 micrograms of caffeine per milliliter of urine (about 5 cups of coffee) were banned from the Olympic Games. Even though caffeine has now been removed from the list of prohibited substances, the controversy continues as experts differ in their opinions as to whether caffeine consumption on the day of performance can give an athlete an unfair advantage or not.

9. Of all its proprietary products, 7-Eleven sells more fresh-brewed coffee than anything else -1 million cups each day. That’s more than 10,000 pots of coffee an hour every hour of every day of the year. Starbucks’ sales totals are even more staggering. While Starbucks no longer releases its sales information to the public, it is estimated that it sells over 4 million coffee drinks per day.

10. Coffee can be good for you! Coffee can increase the effectiveness of pain killers, reduce headaches and can help fight asthma, possibly due to the enhanced adrenal effect from the caffeine. Coffee may reduce the risk for some cancers and Parkinson’s disease. Recent studies have shown that caffeine reduces the incidence of diabetes by 54% for men and 30% for women. Lastly, coffee’s stimulant effects and fat burning potential has some in the medical field pushing it as a means of lowering the incidence of heart disease.

Coffee is a truly amazing beverage with a long history and a worldwide following. These 10 facts represent only a very small portion of the information related to coffee which touches every conceivable aspect of life – history, culture, health, wealth, business, enjoyment and more. No wonder coffee inspires the awe and fascination that it does!

Rachel Nielsen is a coffee lover and a coffee fanatic. See her website at http://www.thejavapress.com for a more complete coffee resource guide.