effects of caffeine
& caffeine withdrawal

Tea and coffee are extremely popular drinks in the UK and worldwide, whether we drink them at work or at home. They are considered to be a wake up drink to help kick start many of our working days, this is due to the fact that coffee and tea have a high caffeine content.

Although we consider a drink of tea or coffee to be refreshing, the caffeine content of these drinks actually has a very mild diuretic effect (mild dehydrating effect) - so have a glass of water after coffee to counteract the effects of caffeine - always a good tip when suffering a hangover!

Each type/brand of tea or coffee has a different level of caffeine content and generally caffeine poses no threat to your health unless you consume excessive amounts (this is generally true for most types of food or drink!).

Scientists are currently working on GM (Genetically Modified) coffee plants specifically aiming to reduce caffeine in the produced coffee by approximately 70%. They will not be able to measure the success of the research until mid-2007 when the GM plants start producing coffee beans.

Caffeine acts as a stimulant and effects the heart and central nervous system. Caffeine can also increase blood pressure in the short-term, although there is no firm evidence of any long-term effects on blood pressure.

Side effects of drinks containing caffeine are most likely when excessive quantities are taken - especially in highly sensitive or hypertensive people. In particular, people who are hypertensive (sufferers of high blood pressure), are advised to avoid caffeinated drinks.

Excessive users of caffeinated drinks and food types will often feel the effects of caffeine withdrawal - these "withdrawal" symptoms can be in the form of anxiety, sleep problems, muscle twitching and sometimes even abdominal pain.

It has been suggested that males suffering from infertility should reduce their caffeine intake to no more than 3 caffeinated drinks per day - the same advice goes for women during pregnancy. Pregnant women are strongly recommended to limit their daily caffeine intake from all sources to a maximum of 300 mg/day.

If you are consuming 600mg or more of caffeine per day then you are reaching an excessive level of caffeine intake (i.e. over 15 cups of tea per day!). The table below lists some of the main every day drinks that are known to contain caffeine and from this chart you should be able to estimate your own consumption of caffeine per day.

Caffeine levels in every day drinks:

Please feel free to contact us to add your own facts / comments / stories / opinions to the effects of caffeine, caffeine withdrawal, or our website - soon we will be introducing a discussion forum / bulletin board.