38 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • MARCH 2019
PRESS HEALTH
WITH COFFEE, MODERATION IS KEY, EXPERTS SAY
The Food and Drug Administration
recommends a maximum daily intake
of 400 milligrams of caffeine.
An 8-ounce cup of coffee typically
has 80 to 100 milligrams. Those
drinking five or more 8-ounce cups
of coffee per day could be at risk of
experiencing a caffeine overdose,
which can lead to hospitalization and
even death.
According to a National Institutes
of Health 2017 study, Americans’
average daily intake is about 180 milligrams
per day, about the amount of
caffeine in up to two cups of coffee.
THE GOOD NEWS
Consuming caffeine in moderation
can actually benefit your health.
“Caffeine has a stimulant property on
the human nervous system and it has
a relaxing property on the human
vascular system,” says Dr. Sharma.
It also makes people happy.
“My daughter says that once I take my
first couple of sips of coffee, I begin
to smile and my mood improves,”
says Mary Forbes of East Northport.
“Apparently, I am a little cranky until
I get my caffeine fix.”
A review by research scientist Astrid
Nehlig validates this sentiment by reporting
that one cup of coffee every
four hours can help to increase mood
throughout the day.
Caffeine may prevent early onset
of dementia. Researchers from the
University of South Florida and
the University of Miami studied
the memory and thinking processes
of people older than 65 and
found that in the two-to-four-year
follow-up, those with higher blood
caffeine levels avoided the onset of
Alzheimer’s disease. Their findings
appeared in the Journal of Alzheimer's
Disease.
Caffeine has medicinal benefits.
“It has been used in a class of drugs
to treat asthma and as a medication
in newborns who have breathing
challenges.” Dr. Sharma says.
THE DOWN SIDE
Too much caffeine may have a negative
impact. Caffeine affects the
bladder and gastrointestinal system.
“It’s a diuretic,” says Dr. Ankita Sagar,
primary care physician at Northwell
Health and director of Ambulatory
Quality for Internal Medicine. That
means, by nature, it’s going to dehydrate
the body. So, when considering
your daily liquid consumption, coffee,
tea, etc., should not be counted as
a cup of water, she advises.
People can also experience diarrhea
or the sense of urgency that they have
to go to the bathroom, she adds.
Thinking of quitting caffeine cold
turkey? Drinking caffeine can be
habit forming, notes Dr. Sagar. Heavy
caffeine consumers can experience
withdrawal symptoms — terrible
headaches, fatigue, irritability,
difficulty concentrating — even from
skipping one day or two.
“If you are trying to cut back, do it
slowly and gradually,” she suggests.
Caffeine may also cause “jitters.”
Those sensitive to caffeine may experience
heart palpitations from even
one or two cups. Too much caffeine
exposure can cause jitters.
“If you have insomnia or if you are an
anxious person, caffeine may make
you feel like you are having symptoms
of anxiety, but in of itself it should not
cause anxiety,” Dr. Sharma notes.
Both physicians advise checking
labels for caffeine content. Energy
drinks can have a much higher content
than a typical cup of coffee. Too
much can result in an overdose.
“Caffeine consumption in moderation
is OK by any means,” says Dr. Sagar.
However, if you are having any
questionable symptoms, both doctors
advise seeking medical attention.
continued from page 37
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