Heavy caffeine consumption may lead to health concerns

The one drug commonly used by students and their elders is caffeine. The soothing idea of… The one drug commonly used by students and their elders is caffeine. The soothing idea of this mild stimulant has engulfed the country as a quick fix for the lethargy people refuse to succumb to.

Caffeine affects the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) and acts as a diuretic, which increases urine production and excretion.

Certain plants naturally secrete the caffeine that can be found in coffee, tea, chocolate, some sodas and cocoa. Caffeine can also be added as a supplement to energy pills, cold medicines and pain relievers.

One worker at the Cup and Chaucer Coffee Bar in Hillman Library reported that the coffee cart sells about four five-ounce bags of coffee within a seven hour span. Each five-ounce bag of regular coffee is equivalent to about 10 large cups. In total, around 40 large cups of coffee are sold, excluding espresso drinks.

After a seven hour shift, the Cup and Chaucer is lucky to have one or two cups of decaffeinated coffee sold.

As a stimulant, caffeine increases alertness for late-night studying, which is seemingly perfect for college students. However, the boost of energy caffeine gives can stay active in the body for up to eight hours, which can easily disrupt a person’s sleep.

“I don’t drink coffee or tea after 5 p.m.,” Clara Lee said, “otherwise I can’t sleep, and I need all the sleep I can get, unless it’s the weekend, of course.”

As with anything that affects the body, one should only take in a moderate amount of caffeine a day, if any.

Lori Cherok, an instructor in the Clinical Dietetics and Nutrition Program at the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, advised Pitt students on what is a healthy amount of caffeine to consume on a regular basis.

“On average, students shouldn’t go beyond two or three hundred milligrams of caffeine a day, which is about two cups of coffee or 16 ounces,” Cherok said. “Anything beyond that, consumed on a chronic basis, can decrease bone mass and lead to osteoporosis.”

Even though it is not harmful to ingest a moderate amount of caffeinated items, individuals with certain health issues should avoid them as much as possible.

People with abnormal heart rhythms should not consume caffeine because of the drug’s ability to increase heart rate. Also, people on anxiety medication should be wary of caffeine.

Those with stomach and intestinal problems such as stomach ulcers, gastritis and acid reflux disease may experience complications, since caffeine increases stomach acid. Caffeine also stimulates food movement through the colon, which worsens the effects of irritable bowel syndrome in people with the disease.

While some students say they drink coffee because it tastes good, many drink it to cram for exams or finish a paper into the wee hours of the night.

Instead of the obvious choice of consuming caffeine, Cherok has other options that might help students make it through the night.

“Obviously, getting enough sleep is important, as well as exercise,” Cherok said. “Smaller, more frequent meals instead of two huge meals might also help keep students alert. Also, the consumption of more complex carbohydrates and less high-in-fat foods will conserve more energy to study with.”

Since caffeine acts only as a mild stimulant, it is not a highly addictive drug. In excess and over an extended period of time, however, minor withdrawal symptoms could occur, even though the concept of caffeine withdrawal is still debated.

Headache, increased heart rate and stomach distress have all been reported as common withdrawal symptoms of caffeine, but none of them last for more than a few days.

Caffeine may be harmless when taken in moderation, but the potential negative physical effects could make a student rethink his decision for that next late-night latte.