How to Drink Caffeine Tablets: Why It's Better Than Coffee and 4 Magical Effects of Caffeine in Tablet Form

Where is caffeine found?

This substance is contained in about 60 different types of plants and their products, which are often used as food additives and components for medicines.
For example, mate and guarana extracts, which are included in popular dietary supplements, contain caffeine. Personal experience

Takzdorovo.Ru editor Snezhana Shabanova tells how to get rid of coffee addiction, and the portal’s regular author Maria Skatova shares her personal experience of giving up coffee.

In addition, caffeine is added to colas and energy drinks. Synthesized caffeine is found in medicines, usually for headaches or colds. And yet, the most traditional source of caffeine in the modern person’s diet is coffee and tea.

Children and adolescents - it is better to abstain

There is clearly insufficient data on safe doses of caffeine for children and adolescents. According to European experts, 3 mg/kg of body weight per day will not harm young consumers. In Canada, a dose of no more than 2.5 mg/kg/day is considered safe. In accordance with these standards, children, depending on age, are allowed to:

• 4-6 years - 45 mg/day
• 7-9 years - 62.5 mg/day
• 10-12 years - 85 mg/day.

Not everyone agrees with this opinion. Thus, in 2013, a group of distinguished American doctors sent a letter to the US Food and Drug Administration calling for a ban on the sale of caffeinated drinks in schools. Scientists note that energy drinks are reliably correlated with adverse health effects in children, adolescents and young adults.

So the safe level of caffeine for children and adolescents has been determined, but some medical organizations are calling for more thorough research into this problem, and until data is collected, the less caffeine a child consumes, the better.

What determines the caffeine content in coffee?

Type of coffee.
Robusta coffee, which is used in instant coffees, contains twice as much caffeine as Arabica coffee, the most common type of coffee bean on the world market.
Thus, a cup of Robusta espresso with a volume of about 170 g contains up to 200 mg of caffeine. A similar cup of Arabica contains about 110 mg. Roasting.
Many people believe that dark roast coffee is stronger because it has a more pronounced taste and aroma.
However, heavily roasted beans contain less caffeine because prolonged processing at high temperatures breaks down the caffeine molecules. Grinding
Different methods of preparing coffee require different degrees of grinding of the coffee beans.
For example, to make Turkish coffee you need to grind the coffee almost into dust, but for a drip coffee maker or press the coffee is ground quite coarsely. Please note that the finer the coffee grind, the more caffeine will be in the finished product, since the substances contained in small particles are more easily washed out with water. Cooking time.
The longer the coffee is brewed, the higher the caffeine level it will contain. For example, coffee from a press brewed over a long period of time contains more caffeine than coffee brewed instantly using ristretto steam.

Instructions for use

In medicine, indications for taking caffeine include the following conditions:

• enuresis in childhood;
• headache associated with poor circulation;
• drowsiness;
• fatigue;
• depression of the nervous system (for example, with excessive use of sleeping pills) and others.

The product is taken in sports to increase endurance, for fat burning as it activates metabolic processes. In everyday life, it helps maintain performance at the required level, prevent or eliminate fatigue and improve attention and concentration. It is recommended to take caffeine before meals, as the substance activates the work of digestive enzymes and the release of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. The dosage is selected individually, but you should start with a smaller amount, 100 mg.

For the purpose of losing weight, 200 mg per day is enough, and the dosage of caffeine before training can reach 500 mg. On average, the optimal amount of a substance is calculated based on 5 mg per 1 kg of weight. When taking it, you need to take into account that it takes less than an hour for the effect to appear, and the effect of caffeine ends after about 5 hours (individually).

Exceeding a single dosage (more than 0.5 g) causes symptoms such as:

• facial hyperemia;
• heart rhythm disturbance;
• muscle contractions;
• increased urination;
• excitement, anxiety;
• disturbance of mental activity.

Taking very large doses can lead to clouding of mind, hallucinations, disorientation in space, necrosis of the trunk muscles and other disorders. The amount of caffeine that can be fatal is about 0.2 g per 1 kg of body weight. It is almost impossible to consume such a volume of coffee (approximately 90 cups), however, when taking the substance in its pure form, caution must be exercised, especially if phenotropil (phenylpiracetam) is used together. Contraindications to taking caffeine include the same as for other mental stimulants. This:

• high blood pressure;
• insomnia;
• diseases of the heart and blood vessels of organic origin;
• atherosclerotic disorders;
• glaucoma.

In addition, it has been established that in polycystic disease the substance promotes accelerated progression of the disease.

What determines the caffeine content in tea?

There is no caffeine-free tea.
Coffee can be completely freed from this substance.
However, any type of real tea, both black and green, will contain caffeine. Type of tea.
Varieties of teas vary in caffeine content. Black teas contain the most of this substance: a 200 g cup contains from 60 to 85 mg of caffeine. White teas confidently occupy second place: a cup of the same volume contains up to 75 mg of this substance. A cup of regular green tea contains 30 to 60 mg of caffeine.

What dose is too much?

There is no exact answer to this question - a safe dose of caffeine depends on your health condition. Some people drink strong coffee all day long without any harmful consequences, while for others, just a single cup causes their blood pressure to rise, their sleep to be disturbed, headaches, and nerves. The nervousness caused by caffeine can be alleviated by the amino acid L-theanine, which is found in green tea leaves. Interestingly, similar symptoms are observed in people with caffeine withdrawal. They also yawn, complain of fatigue, runny nose, muscle stiffness, and find it difficult to concentrate. Unfortunately, caffeine cannot be considered a completely safe product.

Type of tea.

Cheap teas made from ground or crushed leaves packaged in tea bags produce a drink that contains more caffeine than tea made from whole leaves. In addition, tea made from the top young leaves and tea buds is also richer in caffeine than teas made from the “old” leaves. By the way, rolled leaves release caffeine more slowly than regular leaves. Brewing temperature.
The caffeine content in a cup of finished tea largely depends not on the type of tea, but on the method of brewing it.
For example, if you brew green tea with water that has cooled to 70-80 degrees, the caffeine content in the drink will be lower than in one brewed with boiling water, since the infusion (the amount of extractive substances released into the water) will not be too strong. A similar rule applies to black tea. Iced teas.
Sweet bottled teas also contain caffeine. It is formed when brewing tea or added additionally. On average, such drinks contain from seven to 15 mg of caffeine per 100 g.

Coffee and white teeth

Frequent consumption of coffee and coffee drinks makes tooth enamel yellow. Find out how to keep your teeth white if you can't imagine your day without a cup of coffee.

Caffeine – what is it, mechanism of action, benefits and harms (side effects)

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant of plant origin with analeptic, nootropic, and cardiotonic effects. Belongs to the group of alkaloids (methylxanthines). Its molecular structure is similar to adenosine, which explains its physiological effect. Caffeine anhydrous (caffeine) is isolated from plants (cocoa beans, coffee, tea, mate and others) or obtained synthetically. The effect of caffeine on the body occurs through several mechanisms, the most important of which is its binding to adenosine receptors in the central and peripheral nervous system. The latter has an inhibitory effect on nervous processes, preventing excessive activation of the central nervous system.

Due to the similarity of molecules, caffeine blocks adenosine receptors, which leads to the opposite effect - nerve activity increases. The substance has the ability to overcome the blood-brain barrier, so it quickly penetrates the brain. Caffeine is used in everyday life, sports, and also for weight loss. Once in the body, the compound has the following effects:

• increases mental and physical performance;
• eliminates drowsiness;
• enhances concentration;
• increases endurance;
• activates metabolic processes;
• promotes fat utilization;
• improves coordination of movements;
• accelerates the processes of transmission of nerve impulses and others.

The severity of the effects of caffeine is individual and depends on body weight, characteristics of the nervous system, susceptibility to the compound and other factors. But regardless of this, in all cases, with frequent use of a substance, addiction occurs to it. As addiction develops, many of the physiological effects become less pronounced, requiring gradual dosage increases. During the process of weaning off caffeine, a person may experience withdrawal symptoms, the intensity of which also manifests itself in different ways. Among them are often noted:

• sleep disorders (from lack of sleep to constant drowsiness);
• stomach ache;
• aching joints;
• disturbances in concentration;
• headache;
• depression;
• increased anxiety and irritability.

How much caffeine is in sweets and drinks?

• Various types of cola contain from 15 to 20 mg of caffeine per 100 g.
• A standard can of energy drink (230g) delivers between 70 and 300mg of caffeine. When purchasing this drink, be sure to study the composition - the manufacturer must indicate the caffeine content in their product.
• A 200g cup of cocoa contains about 20mg of caffeine.
• A piece of dark chocolate weighing about 30 g - 20 mg of caffeine.
• A piece of milk chocolate weighing about 20 g contains six mg of caffeine.
• White chocolate does not contain caffeine.

Pregnant and lactating women - handle with caution

The European Food Safety Authority recommends that lactating and pregnant women, as well as those planning a pregnancy, limit their daily caffeine intake to 200 mg. Some experts allow 300 mg/day, however, according to some reports, caffeine causes nausea in pregnant women and, much worse, the risk of miscarriage.

There are very few clinical studies on the effects of caffeine on pregnant and lactating women, and in such a situation it is wiser to limit the consumption of the alkaloid. In pregnant women, the time required to remove caffeine from the body increases by more than three times, so caffeine can accumulate: what you drink in the evening is added to what was stored in the morning, and the total dose of the substance circulating in the blood turns out to be higher than calculated.

So, pregnant and lactating women should not exceed the daily dose of 200 mg, although they are allowed 300 mg.

Content

• 1 Wikipedia
• 2 Wiktionary 2.1 Morphological and syntactic properties
• 2.2 Semantic properties 2.2.1 Meaning
• 2.2.2 Hypernyms

Caffeine

- an alkaloid (purine No. 7 - caffeine), found in plants such as the coffee tree, tea (the caffeine contained in or extracted from tea is sometimes called theine), mate (sometimes called mateine), guarana, cola, and some others. Also produced synthetically. Contained in various drinks, in small doses it has a stimulating effect on the nervous system. In large doses it causes exhaustion. In very large doses (average lethal dose is 10 grams) it causes death.

For those suffering from cardiovascular diseases, consult your doctor.

Caffeine increases blood pressure for 3-4 hours, this is a proven fact. However, with regular consumption this effect is not so noticeable. In healthy people who do not exceed the permitted 400 mg, the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases does not increase. But for people with high blood pressure or those who have already suffered cardiovascular disease, in other words, for patients who are contraindicated for stimulants, the effects of caffeine intake are not so obvious. A moderate amount will not harm them, but it is better to consult a doctor about specific doses.

So, people with high blood pressure or a history of cardiovascular disease are not advised to regularly drink caffeine-containing drinks. There should be no harm from small portions, but it is better to seek advice.

How much do you need to drink to reach your caffeine limit?

To answer this question, you need to know how much caffeine is in each cup/can/bottle you drink. This information is contained in Figure 1, but for those who find it difficult to concentrate without caffeine, as well as for adherents of a mono-diet (like starting the day with coffee from McDonald's, they won't take anything else caffeinated in their mouth) there is also Figure 2.

Rice. 2 How many and what drinks can you drink so as not to exceed the daily caffeine limit of 400 mg.

A little history. How and by whom was caffeine discovered?

Friedrich Ferdinand Runge is a German chemist and brilliant scientist who was the first to identify caffeine. He began his scientific experiments in his youth. But real fame and success came to him thanks to the writer Johann Goethe, a cat and coffee beans. It was Goethe who gave Runge a bag of rare coffee beans. He did this after a scientist demonstrated to him the effect of belladonna on the pupils (he conducted the experiment on a cat). Runge conducted a series of experiments with grains and in 1819 identified this alkaloid.

200 years have passed since then. Research into caffeine and its effects on the body continued. The result was the isolation of this component from tea in 1827 by M. Audry and its production artificially by G. E. Fisher in 1895. Fischer also became the first scientist to derive the structural formula of caffeine. It shows what caffeine consists of.

How does caffeine work?

It is a well-known fact that caffeine invigorates. But not everyone knows how he does it. By understanding how caffeine works, you can use it much more effectively. In simple terms, you can explain what caffeine does as follows.

During the day, while a person is busy with everyday activities, his body produces adenosine, the level of which is controlled by the central nervous system through receptors. Adenosine is a by-product of the breakdown of the ATP (adenositriophosphate) molecule. ATP, in turn, is the main source of energy in the body. At the moment when adenosine levels rise to a critical level, fatigue occurs and the body gives a signal that it is time to rest. The molecule of caffeine and adenosine have a similar structure, so caffeine is able to enter adenosine receptors and block them, stimulating neurons. As a result, a person feels a surge of strength and vigor.

It is important to understand that caffeine does not have its own energy. By blocking receptors, it provokes the body to use additional ATP reserves. This risks the fact that it will take more time to restore strength, otherwise nervous exhaustion and chronic fatigue may occur.

Morphological and syntactic properties

Caffeine

Noun, inanimate, masculine, 2nd declension (declension type 1a according to A. Zaliznyak’s classification).

Root: -coffee-; suffix: -in-.

What to do if you overdose on caffeine

People who lead a hectic lifestyle and have health problems are more susceptible to symptoms of caffeine overdose. If you feel unwell (for example, with a sharp increase in blood pressure, high heart rate and dizziness) due to excessive consumption of caffeine-containing drinks, you must provide first aid and call a doctor.

To avoid possible death, you need to know what to do if you overdose on caffeine. We also advise you not to neglect calling a doctor, since at first glance, a slight deterioration in health may be a signal of a serious disruption in the functioning of the cardiovascular system.

Treatment of caffeine overdose

If possible, have someone nearby and follow the guidelines for treating caffeine overdose until doctors arrive:

• loosen your tie and/or belt;
• loosen tight clothing;
• open a window or go out into the fresh air;
• drink clean water until completely saturated;
• do not hold back your gag reflex.

Further treatment of caffeine overdose will be carried out by doctors. If the current state of health upon examination raises concerns among physicians, treatment of caffeine overdose will need to be performed in a medical facility. It may include gastric lavage, intravenous administration of magnesium sulfate, diprazine and morphine hydrochloride, as well as drugs to reduce agitation and normalize the functioning of internal organs. In severe cases, plasma substitutes are used to treat caffeine overdose.

Rice. 2. The ratio of patients with pathology of the cardiovascular system per 100 thousand population in the Russian Federation (according to Rosstat).

The best thing you can do

All of the above recommendations are based on the long-term effects of regular caffeine consumption. Higher doses, up to 800 mg, can be taken on special occasions if health permits. So, in one study, different doses of caffeine were taken before training. The alkaloid increased the content of testosterone in the blood, that is, it showed itself to be an anabolic steroid. However, the 800 mg dose also increases the concentration of cortisol, which exhibits a catabolic effect.

The more often you ingest large portions of caffeine, the more likely you are to experience its negative effects. In addition, with frequent use, some of the benefits of caffeine are lost and a kind of tolerance is developed. To avoid this, caffeine is taken periodically. This makes sense if caffeine is drunk for the release of adrenaline, and for the synthesis of dopamine, regular breaks in drinking coffee, tea and energy drinks are necessary. But if caffeine is relied upon as a means of reducing the risk of developing Parkinson's disease or type 2 diabetes, it must be consumed regularly, and it is better not to swallow powders, but to drink tea and coffee. Caffeine lowers blood glucose levels, but this effect is lessened when taken in powder form.

High doses of caffeine improve physical performance, but regularly exceeding the upper limit of consumption is harmful to health. Moreover, both regular and occasional use of caffeine have their benefits. It all depends on the effect you want to achieve.

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