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Caffeine
Just a couple o' comments (questions/answers) regarding the subject of the possible effects of caffeine on gout and sports physiology.
I found a HUGE Website on coffee (etc.) which included chemistry etc. of caffeine. Correct me if I'm mistaken in my interpretation of their information: specifically that caffeine is a purine that is normally metabolized to uric acid. Therefore I'd imagine that gouty people should certainly limit their intake of it (as well as beverages containing related chemical stimulants, tea with theophylline and chocolate with theobromine), though I've never found any recommendation of that (not even in your dietary restrictions for gouty people). Next, regarding enhancement of sports or exercise physiology, true that it enhances burning of fat, but my experience has been that the over stimulation (say from a cup o' coffee or worse still from a power-drink, like black booster, consumed about 30 min before exercise) is likely to cause more injuries from "Superman" (or "Superwoman") effect. You feel you can push much more than what you would normally (ought to be) training with!! By the way, thanks for the WONDERFUL contribution you are making to global fitness and health. It still doesn't cease to amaze me how MUCH valuable information one can fetch at the flick o' a switch. One almost doesn't need a doctor for diagnosis of common minor or major ailments. Best regards! Caffeine is not a purine. Caffeine belongs to a group of chemicals called xanthines which include theophylline (used in the treatment of lung diseases like emphysema and asthma) and theobromine. Xanthines stimulate the nervous system and can cause people to feel restless, nervous or unable to fall asleep. Caffeine is exreted in urine as methylxanthine and methyluric acid as a product of metabolizing caffeine.
Uric acid which causes painful gout, is by product of purine metabolism which occurs in the liver. In persons with gout, an excess amount of purines is produced and the end product which is uric acid, crystalizes in joints which causes painful arthritic symptoms. A diet high in protein seems to accelerate this process; therefore proteins are limited in a diet for gout. However, the main treatment is drug therapy. Caffeine containing beverages are not limited in purine restricted diets for persons with gout. The quantity of xanthines in caffeine is very low (less than 15 milligrams per 3 1/2 ounces) compared to the purine contribution by some proteins. So while xanthine from caffeinated beverages may contribute to uric acid production, it's contribution is very small. FYI, beverages containing caffeine have been found useful in the treatment of attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity, which work, in tandem with stimulant drugs like Ritalin. They are absorbed within 30 - 60 minutes after drinking and half the effect lasts for 3 - 6 hours afterwards. On the other hand, caffeine passes into breast milk and becomes a stimulant for a nursing infant. Half the effect of caffeine can last 30 to 210 hours in infants up to 6 months of age. With regards to caffeine use prior to exercise, please read my sports nutrition topic and search for caffeine. Caffeine spares glucose in endurance aerobic sports. Conversely, then caffeine may increase fat burning if glucose is spared, but that would depend on the exercise (aerobic or anerobic). So it depends on what exercises you are doing and whether or not you should be drinking caffeinated beverages or sport drinks. Does caffeinated pop give us hiccups?
Caffeine would not give you hiccups. The carbonation in the pop (also called soda) you drink may though.
It seems that when I drink coffee I get a headache. I could never understand this. I drink 2 cups per day (caffeinated) regular coffee. The headache starts hours after I drink the coffee or sometimes the next day. I would appreciate any input you would have concerning this problem. It certainly is a problem for me as I LOVE coffee. Thanks.
Does decaffeinated coffee give you headaches? How about caffeinated carbonated beverages like Coke, Pepsi, Jolt, Mountain Dew, Dr. Pepper, Mr. Pibb, Mellow Yellow, Big Red, Aspen, Kick? How many cups of caffeinated beverages to you consume in a 24-hour period? Do you use any medicines that contain caffeine, including over the counter drugs like Excedrin, No-Doz or Vivarin?
Caffeine often improves symptoms for persons with headaches or migraines. However, you can get headaches if you suddenly quit consuming caffeinated beverages in one-day (cold turkey). Do you drink enough Fluids? You should be drinking about 8 cups of water per day. You should write down any caffeine containing foods that you eat, including coffee, tea, carbonated beverages and chocolate (include chocolate candy or desserts, chocolate milk or cocoa) to determine if coffee is giving you headaches. On day 1, drink your usual 2 cups of coffee. On day 2, do not drink any caffeine containing beverages. When did you get headaches? Then drink usual 2 cups of coffee for 5 days in a row. When did you get headaches? Take this documentation to your doctor to discuss your headaches. He / she is the appropriate person to diagnose the cause of your headaches. I prefer tea to coffee, but I've heard that tea has as much caffeine as coffee. Is that true? I make about two cups of tea from one tea bag. I've been reading a lot about caffeine lately.
The caffeine content of a tea bag brewed for five minutes is about 46 to 60 milligrams for a five ounce cup, according to the FDA. Compare that to coffee made from brewed grounds. The caffeine content is about 80 to 115 milligrams for a five ounce cup, depending on the amount of ground coffee added to a five ounce cup of water. So, tea contains about 52 percent of the caffeine found in coffee. If you make two cups from one bag, the total caffeine you get will probably closer to 60 milligrams.
I'm worried that I'm drinking too much coffee. How much is too much?
The current recommendations regarding caffeine are three cups of coffee or tea per day or less. Whenever a person tells me, he or she drinks more than three cups per day, I recommend a gradual reduction in coffee or tea drinking to three cups. An immediate switch to the same amount of decaffeinated coffee or tea will produce symptoms of caffeine withdrawal (irritability, headache and inability to work effectively, nervousness, restlessness and tiredness). If you currently drink more than three cups, cut down by one cup per day every three or four days until you are down to three cups per day. This will help reduce the symptoms of caffeine withdrawal. While you are cutting down, you can replace one cup of caffeine-containing coffee for one cup of decaffeinated coffee. Sometimes, it is hard to keep track of how many cups of coffee you drink per day. Limit yourself to one cup of caffeine-containing coffee per meal. If you want more coffee, switch to decafe. Also, try to avoid drinking all three caffeinated cups at the same time.
I work shift work and my doctor told me to cut down on coffee. I bring a thermos of coffee to work, so I do need the caffeine. But, it's giving me irregular heartbeats. Should I just cut the coffee out cold turkey?
Symptoms of too much caffeine (headache, tremor, nervousness, irritability, increased sensitivity), results from an intake of 200 to 500 milligrams of caffeine daily (two to six cups of coffee or three to eight cups of tea). Depending on the size of your thermos, you may be drinking six cups just at work. In addition, how much coffee do you drink when you are not at work?
If you are having irregular heartbeats, you need to follow your doctor's advice. But don't stop cold turkey or you will probably suffer from caffeine withdrawal. In addition to the irregular heart beats, you will feel some of the other symptoms of caffeinism listed above. Persons who work different shifts do have problems adjusting and often use caffeine-containing beverages to stay awake. Eat a meat meal before work to help you stay awake easier. Meat and other protein foods will help you stay awake. Breads, fruits and dairy products are high in carbohydrate and will make you sleepy. Make sure you get enough sleep before work, especially when you work 11 P.M. to 7 A.M. These are the most difficult hours to stay awake. I'm having problems getting to sleep at night. I'm worried that my dinner coffee may be keeping me awake. How much coffee is too much at night?
Caffeine only takes 15 to 20 minutes to get into your blood and the caffeine effect lasts for 3 1/2 hours. If you have problems falling asleep at night, avoid all caffeine-containing foods for 3 1/2 hours before bedtime. The effect of caffeine in foods lasts this long. Foods that contain caffeine in addition to coffee and tea are cola containing beverages (Mountain Dew; Dr. Pepper; Mr. Pibb; Mellow Yellow; Big Red; Aspen; Kick) and beverages or foods containing chocolate or cocoa.
I am going to be in a 100-mile bike race in July and have heard that some caffeine may help me last longer and go faster. Is that true? If so, how much caffeine should I take?
Sports nutritionists are studying the positive effects of small amounts of caffeine on athletes. A dose of five milligrams per kilogram of body weight seems to improve endurance by reducing glucose burning and increasing fat burning. Caffeine spares glucose, which is in limited supply in the body, both as glucose and glycogen. There are two over-the-counter prescriptions that contain 100 and 200 milligrams each. Caffeine-containing beverages like unsweetened coffee, tea or diet cola beverages have also be used in research studies. I would not recommend using caffeine for glucose sparing until the word is in from researchers because of the potential for serious side effects of caffeinism. Individual tolerance does vary according to caffeine sensitivity. Do you drink caffeine-containing beverages on a regular basis? If not, even a small dose would cause you significant nervousness.
The International Olympic Committee has banned the use of caffeine in their competitions. Also, it may impair hand steadiness, which may be a concern for some athletes. |
