Have we become the Caffeinated Generation? Whether you love to drink soda, coffee, tea, cocoa, or energy drinks, one thing you and 90% of the population are imbibing with every gulp is caffeine. Given the fascination in America with “super sizing” beverages, some people risk consuming too much, which can lead to health effects. However, in moderation, caffeine can be beneficial to your health.

Many studies about the impact of caffeine center around black coffee, served without milk, sugar, sweetener, or other additives. The caffeine in other drinks, such as tea, soda, or may have some of the same effects based on the amount of caffeine. However, sugar, artificial sweeteners, and other components of these items pose additional concerns you should consider.

Benefits Of Caffeine

Are you unable to start your day without a cup of coffee? The caffeine in coffee, which is a mild central nervous system stimulant, does wake you up and offers several other health benefits that decaffeinated coffee and even tea may not even offer. In addition, studies suggest that having four or five cups of coffee have these benefits:

Reduces risk of Alzheimer’s, dementia, and strokes in older adults
Reduces suicide risks
Reduces risks of mouth and throat cancer, as well as tooth decay
Reduces risk of cirrhosis of the liver for those who drink alcohol
Reduces risks of the Type II diabetes up to 50%

In addition, the antioxidants in coffee exceed what is found in fruits and vegetables and are useful in preventing heart disease and cancer.

Risk of Being Over Caffeinated

Excessive caffeine does pose some health risks that might include:

Disrupted sleep patterns in some people
Interactions with some medication, including psychiatric and depression drugs, antibiotics such as Cipro, heartburn drugs, such as Tagamet, and thyroid medication
Increased blood pressure
Increased blood sugar levels, a problem for those with type II diabetes.
Bone loss in postmenopausal women who don’t get enough calcium.
Stomach problems such as heartburn and acid reflux.
Increased LDL cholesterol levels, due to the presence of cafestol

How Much Caffeine Should You Have Per Day

If you wonder how to balance the conflicting studies about the use of caffeine, the answer lies partly in your own health history and partly in moderation. Assuming that you have no health condition that caffeine aggravates, how much caffeine should you take in per day?

For adults, the research on how much coffee to drink per day has not produced standard data. Canadian standards promoted by Health Canada suggests that healthy adults should take it no more than 400 milligrams while heavier individuals might be able to handle more. The Waverley Health Center in Iowa suggests that three cups of coffee that contain 250 milligrams of caffeine represents average or moderate usage, while 10 cups might be excessive.

If you get your daily dose of caffeine from coffee, the amount you consume changes based on where you get your coffee. An 8-ounce cup of coffee that you brew at home might offer 95 – 200 mg, while McDonald’s brewed coffee offers 50 mg and Starbucks has 165 mg per ounces. Other sources of caffeine you might consume, include:

Tea – 22-74 mg (depending on concentration)/ 6 ounces
Coke Classic – 34 mg/12 ounces
Pepsi Max – 69 mg/12 ounces
Mountain Dew – 54 mg/ 12 ounces
Jolt Cola – 140 mg/12 ounces
Red Bull – 120 mg/12 ounces
Hershey bar (milk chocolate) – 10 mg/1.5 ounce bar
Hershey’s Special Dark- 31 mg/1.5 ounce bar

Caffeine And Kids: The Caffeinated Generation

Recommended maximum milligrams of caffeine per day for children include 46 mg for those who are 4 to 6, 62.5 mg for those who are 7 to 9, and 85 mg for those 10 to 12. While children do not typically drink coffee, the caffeine in soda and candy can quickly put them over recommended limits. Even medications such as cough syrup and cold tablets often contain caffeine, so make sure to read the label and select products with lower concentrations of caffeine.

If you are concerned about how much caffeine you should include in your diet, or about how much you should let your kids have, the primary care providers at Raintree Medical and Chiropractic Center can offer recommendations. For information or to schedule an appointment, call 816-623-3020.