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(With the kind permission from UW Madison -
University Health Services, we reprint this letter below. Please note that this materials
was written specifically for Unversity of Wisconsin's student population and in some
cases, the information may not be totally applicable to other age groups, etc. If you may
have any queries, please email to Ms. Theresa Regge, tjregge@facstaff.wisc.edu. The Barista.) Dear Cootie and Schaeffer, I think I have a caffeine problem. For example, when I go to a restaurant, I expect the waitress to fill my coffee cup five or six times. That's just at breakfast. What do you think? Am I drinking too much? Is the caffeine hurting me? Mr. Pink
Dear Mr. Pink, I often imagine how much more time I would have if I never had to sleep. However, since the human body has not yet evolved this ability, we have latched on to the next best thing: Caffeine. In pursuing a college degree, we often find ourselves long on things to do, and short on time to do them in. On late pre-midterm nights, and earlier paper-finishing mornings, we stumble sleepily towards the nearest caffeine center, be it the coffehouses of State Street, or the vending machines at college library. The magic of caffeine draws us to it like moths to the light, a beacon of hope in our never-ending time management struggle. Unfortunately, like so many other things, caffeine is not magic, it's just chemistry. Caffeine is a bitter-tasting alkaloid called a methylxanthine that occurs naturally in cola nuts, coffee, tea, mate, guarana, and cacao beans. It is harvested and processed for our consumption, but it is not intended to be a substitute for sleep. Within our bodies, caffeine acts as a stimulant of the central nervous system, and both the cardiac and skeletal muscular systems. It causes the coronary and peripheral blood vessels to dilate, while it constricts cerebral vessels. It increases acid secretion in the body, and also works as a diuretic. These effects can cause insomnia, restlessness, increased anxiety, gastrointestinal problems, periods of inexhaustibility, and an intense need to urinate. Caffeine can also affect bone mineral density and metabolism. Don't mix caffeine with decongestant or medication for high blood pressure. It sounds like the last thing you need is the waitress bringing you more coffee. If you are consuming more than 10 cups per day, you should seriously consider cutting down, or quitting altogether (As I throw down my 3rd soda before 10 am--oh, the hypocrisy.....). However, quitting cold turkey is not easy, since caffeine is a drug, and your body does become addicted to it. Regular consumption reduces the body's sensitivity. When the caffeine intake is reduced, the body becomes oversensitive to adenosine. In response, blood pressure drops dramatically, resulting in an excess of blood in the head, leading to the 'caffeine headache.' This headache can last from one to five days, and can be alleviated with an analgesic or with caffeine intake. Further withdrawal symptoms may include irritability, muscle tension, inability to concentrate or work, and, in extreme cases, nausea and vomiting. Withdrawal symptoms can begin just 12 hours following your last caffeine indulgence. Symptoms can be countered with lots of exercise and sleep. If you'd like to cut down, but soften the withdrawal effects you could try "Caffeine Fading," which involves a gradual decrease in intake on a daily or weekly basis. For instance, you could try to reduce your intake by 1/2 cup per day, or 2-5 cups per week. Have less-caffeinated substitutes available for drinking. It's time to loosen the white-knuckled stranglehold you've got on your coffee mug. And if you can't, listen real hard. You'll hear the world's smallest violin playing for you........ Cootie's Caffeine Contents
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