A Small Dose of Caffeine

• An Introdouction into the Health Effects of Caffeine

CAFFEINE DOSSIER

• Name: Caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine)
• Use: most widely used stimulant in the world
• Source: coffee, tea, cola and other soft drinks, chocolate, stimulant pills, some analgesics
• Recommended daily intake: the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advised pregnant women to "avoid caffeine-containing foods and drugs, if possible, or consume them only sparingly."
• Absorption: rapid following oral consumption
• Sensitive individuals: fetus, children, some adults
• Toxicity/symptoms: high dose - agitation, tremors; withdrawal - headache
• Regulatory facts: GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe)
• General facts: long history of use
• Related xanthines - Theobromine (3,7-dimethylxanthine) and theophylline (1,3-dimethylxanthine)
• Environmental: contaminates sewage discharge
• Recommendations: be thoughtful about consumption

Caffeine Chapter

• A Small Dose of Caffeine - chapter pdf

PowerPoint presentation

• A Small Dose of Caffeine - PowerPoint presentation

More Information and References

European, Asian, and international Agencies

• International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation (accessed: 16 July 2008). IFIC's mission is to communicate science-based information on food safety and nutrition to health and nutrition professionals, educators, journalists, government officials and others providing information to consumers. IFIC is supported primarily by the broad-based food, beverage and agricultural industries.

• England - Department of Health - Committee on toxicity of chemicals in food consumer products and the environment -Reproductive Effects of Caffeine 2008. (accessed: 16 July 2008). Excellent report on the reproductive effects of caffeine.

North American Agencies

• U.S. MEDLINEplus Health Information. (accessed: 16 July 2008). Medline has multiple references on caffeine, including a number of useful web based links.

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - Medicines in My Home: Caffeine and Your Body. (accessed: 16 July 2008). This FDA document provided general information on caffeine.

• U.S. Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction - Caffeine. (accessed: 16 July 2008). The U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP) and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) have established the NTP Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction in 1998. The Center provides scientifically based, uniform assessments of the potential for adverse effects on reproduction and development caused by agents to which humans may be exposed.

Non-Government Organizations

• Center for Science in the Public Interest - Nutrition Action - Caffeine - The Good, the Bad, the Maybe (March 2008). (accessed: 16 July 2008). Article on caffeine and its health effects.

• March of Dimes - Caffeine in Pregnancy Fact Sheet. (accessed: 16 July 2008). March of Dimes has a number of fact sheets including this one on caffeine.

• I Need Coffee: Non-commercial Caffeination Information. (accessed: 16 July 2008). A humors but factual look at coffee consumption.

• In Pursuit of Tea. (accessed: 16 July 2008). Company web site dedicated to "Exploring remote regions of the world to supply the finest Teas".

• Caffeine - The Vaults of Erowid. (accessed: 16 July 2008). The Erowid web site has a wide range of information on caffeine.

• Caffeine and Pregnancy. Organization of Teratology Information Specialists. (accessed: 16 July 2008) Advices women to limit caffeine consumption during pregnancy.

Reference

• The World of Caffeine - The Science and Culture of the World's Most Popular Drug. By: Bennett Alan Weinberg and Bonnie K. Bealer. Routledge, New York and London 2001.

• Caffeine & Health. By Jack E. James. Academic Press - Harcourt Brace Jovanovish, Publishers. New York, 1991.