For many people, the day does not officially begin without that morning cup of coffee. Without it, the routine is broken, and the first noticeable sign is a headache.
Whether you are a coffee addict or an energy drink fanatic, a sudden halt to your daily caffeine dosage will likely elicit this headache, which is the most notable withdrawal symptom of caffeine.
And as many students would agree, entering class with a strong headache is definitely not a good idea.
The question now is whether there is a need to halt the intake of this caffeine.
Elizabeth Lohrman, a dietitian at the Seretean Wellness Center, said coffee isn’t bad in moderation.
“Coffee poses little or no threat to health for individuals without medical problems, but it should be consumed in moderation just like other foods,” Lohrman said.
Most experts agree that 200-300 mg of caffeine is a moderate range of caffeine consumption. This translates to about 2-3 cups of coffee per day, or a cup of coffee and a couple of soft drinks.
Depending on the type of coffee, caffeine content can range anywhere from 50-150 mg of caffeine per 8-ounce cup, according to the International Food Information Council Web site. Soft drinks range from 30-60 mg per 12-ounce can.
“The most widely used sources of caffeine would be coffee, tea, and, to a smaller extent, cocoa,” Melissa Xia said. Xia is a graduate student and Lohrman’s assistant.
This, however, does not eliminate energy drinks and soft drinks from the picture. They are just not quite as popular as the other products worldwide.
But despite what many people call their caffeine “addiction,” caffeine is not an addictive substance in the scientific use of the term. When there is a sudden stop to someone’s usual intake of caffeine, the side effects are not strong enough to designate caffeine as an addictive substance, according to the Web site.
However, Lohrman and Xia offer some tips on how to monitor your caffeine consumption if you think you may be taking in too much.
They suggest that you pay attention to how much caffeine is in the foods and beverages you consume, because you may be consuming more than you imagine.
Also, if you decide to cut down your caffeine intake, Lohrman recommends doing it gradually. This will help your body get used to the lower levels of caffeine, and thereby the withdrawal effects will not be as strong.
Another suggestion is that you use the decaffeinated alternatives to caffeinated drinks.
And if you’re big on tea, they recommend brewing it for less time. This will cut down on its caffeine content.
But there are also some upsides to caffeine. As most people already know, it increases alertness, and some studies even show that it enhances physical and mental performance.
Each person has a different level of tolerance for caffeine. One cup of coffee can be enough to keep someone up all night, while another person may need four or five to experience the same effect.
It is important to monitor yourself and make a decision on how much is too much.
So when that first exam comes along and you’ve been up all night studying, make yourself that cup of coffee. Just don’t drink the entire pot.
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Your picture is mis-captioned. The employee’s name is John Sebesta, not Josh Varner. I’m not aware of a Josh Varner employed at the Third Place. As one of only two employees on staff at the time of this picture, your journalistic ability seems pathetic.
I was there at the time. I was photographed and my name was recorded– likely that the two names just got mixed up.