Coffee

It seems that people are always trying to find the downside of coffee. For those of us who are avid coffee drinkers, we would much rather find the benefits!

There are many different kinds of caffeine and there are also several sources of caffeine, including coffee, cacao, tea leaves, and guarana plants, among others. Two of the best-known sources, coffee, and tea, are addressed in the following.

HISTORY: Sources vary. Some say that the use of coffee goes back to the 1500s and others say it dates back to 1000 AD. Avid coffee drinkers might guess that it dates back to prehistory!

PROPERTIES:

Antioxidant (more benefit with hot coffee), anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, neuroprotectant,

stimulant, antibacterial, antiviral

CONSIDERED USES

Respiratory: Bronchodilator, mild asthma, may help lung function

Eyes: May help slow retinal damage

Cardiovascular: Decreases risk of heart disease, 

Gastrointestinal: May prevent cavities and periodontal disease

Musculoskeletal: Decreases risk of gout, increases bone density

Neurologic: Caffeine may delay Alzheimer's. It may also help delay Parkinson's (1), decrease the risk of MS, and be a mild stimulant (cold coffee has more caffeine, so it is more beneficial as a stimulant than hot coffee). Caffeine is considered a nootropic—a substance that increases attention, memory, motivation, and creativity.

Glucose: Decreases blood sugar risk

Skin: It may increase collagen in the skin, thereby having some antiaging effects. May promote hair growth (topical), May decrease melanoma risk, 

Mental Health: May support improvement of mild depression/sadness

Immunity: May boost immunity in moderate amounts

Cancer: Possibly decreases the risk of colorectal cancer and/or liver cancer, skin cancer from sun exposure (2)

Other: Liver-protective, increases lifespan (less likely to die from various diseases), may decrease the risk of chronic disease. Vitamins and minerals: black coffee contains potassium, magnesium, and niacin, diuretic

Side Effects: Anxiety, restlessness, jitteriness, headaches, rapid heart rate, dizziness, tachycardia (rapid heart rate), arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), dependency, nausea, upset stomach, increased blood pressure, insomnia, chest pain, agitation, diarrhea, possible increased urinary frequency/urgency, dehydration (in excess)

Cautions/Contraindications: Anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, cardiac problems (esp. arrhythmias/irregular heartbeat), caution with diabetes, seizures, glaucoma, osteopenia, osteoporosis, IBS, UTI, Parkinsons, Schizophrenia. Interestingly, caffeine can interact with a number of medications, some of which may increase the effects of caffeine and decrease or increase the effects of the medication you are on. Coffee can be a P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) inducer (increases excretion of certain drugs – that is, medications move out of the system more quickly, so they are less effective). Specifically, some of the more common medication interactions are as follows:

Ephedrine

Quinolone antibiotics (i.e. Cipro, Levaquin, etc)

Tagamet

Clozaril

Phenothiazines/Thorazine/Promethazine - Phenergan/and others (do not take caffeine at the same time)

Cymbalta

Tagamet

Adenosine/Adenocard

Disulfiram/Antabuse

Luvox/fluvoxamine

Lithium

MAO inhibitors

Phentermine

Phenylpropanolamine/Nembutal

Sudafed

Epinephrine

Theophylline

Verapamil

Diflucan/fluconazole

Birth Control Pills

Antidiabetic medications

Terbinafine

May decrease iron absorption

FORMS: Tablets, liquids, teas, gum, powder, inhaled

DOSAGE: As directed

The following are reported doses and may NOT be supported by evidence (reported by various sources, i.e., WebMD, RxList, Epocrates, ConsumerLabs, German Commission E). Read dosages and instructions carefully when available on the label.

• 400 mg of caffeine daily (equivalent to four cups of coffee)