Coffee and Caffeine FAQ

I teach pharmacology to respiratory therapy and nursing students and I'd like to address some misperceptions being shared on this forum, the information provided is my educated opinion, if you have any concerns about how this may affect your health contact a MD; anything stated here is not meant to replace consultation with a MD (sorry- this is legalise for "If you think you have any medical condition related to or aggrevated by caffeine contact a doctor". 1- Caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline belong to a class of drugs called xanthines (or methylxanthines) and they all exert pretty much the same effect on the human organism- i.e. increased pulse, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, bronchodilation, diuresis, diarrhea, etc.(see GOODMAN & GILMAN, Textbook of Clinical Pharmacolgy), but ONLY IN RELATION TO THE DOSE CONSUMED and EACH INDIVIDUAL'S RESPONSE TO CAFFEINE (Put more simply: your response is based mainly on how much caffeine you consume and how your individual metabolism reacts to caffeine), 2- There are many studies that show that the physiologic response to caffeine decreases with prolonged consumption, resulting in the need to consume more caffeine to get the same response, and 3- Don't confuse psychological dependance (i.e. "I don't feel good if I don't get my caffeine fix.") with true addiction (a change in the function of the brain in response to continued exposure to the "drug" in question). There have been dozens of studies done in so-called caffeine addicts where they are given decaf coffee and the report no ill effects. Yes, your body can become dependent on the effects of caffeine, but in my experience they are short-lived and go away over time.

Now, all this being said, if you experience any of the following with your consumption of caffeine...CONTACT A DOCTOR: Rapid, fluttering heartbeat; chest pain, fainting, weakness,
or any change in your mental status (i.e. difficulty concentrating, speaking, etc.)

There are some reliable sources for information about drugs everyone should know about:
1- Contact your local pharmacist (local first, hospital second), 2- Google E-Medicine and look-up the drug in question.