HEALTH
From Issue #5
A Closer Look At Caffeine
Caffeine
can increase concentration and counteract fatigue. It is a favourite
drug for late night study sessions and long stints of driving.
In high levels it can cause insomnia, tremors, anorexia, restlessness,
excitement, gastrointestinal disturbance, palpitations, and
irregular heartbeats.
Caffeine is a naturally occurring toxin produced by various plants to ward off fungus and microcrobes and also causes sexual sterility in various insect pests, as well as damaging the growth of weeds and other plants attempting to grow in the soil in the vicinity of caffeine yielding plants. Caffeine is known to be fatal to common pets as well, including dogs, cats and birds. In humans, caffeine's toxicity leads to various responses from the body, as it attempts to counteract and metabolize the poison.
For the average human a lethal caffeine dose is 10 grams (about 200 cups of coffee
all at once). Regular caffeine consumption reduces sensitivity
to caffeine (habituation/tolerance). Caffeine withdrawal is characterized
by irritability, headache, feeling sleepy, and inability to achieve
normal level of work. Aspirin may be effective for withdrawal
headache. Excessive coffee use may lead to heartburn and gastric
reflux (that means fluid in your stomach flows back into your
lower throat...mmmm)
According
to the National Soft Drink Association, the following is the caffeine
content in mgs. per 12 oz (355ml) can of soda:
