Side effects of caffeine pills include a variety of things.
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Caffeine is your friend when you feel groggy in the morning or tired mid-afternoon. Many people find that a cup or two of tea is enough, while others turn to over-the-counter coffee and caffeine pills.
Despite being addictive, caffeine is generally considered safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Caffeine pills are approximately 100 to 200 mgs of caffeine per capsule (about the same amount as a cup coffee). However, it is important to ensure that you use the right dosage. (Read on for more information).
The FDA decided to ban highly concentrated and pure caffeine powder from the market in April 2018. This was due to the difficulty of measuring the right dosage, which ranged from 1/64 to 1/16 teaspoon or 50 to 200 mgs of caffeine. Caffeine pills are legal and still available, however, because the caffeine in them is already measured and packaged so that the consumer doesn’t have to measure it.
How Do Caffeine Pills Work?
Your body reacts the same way to caffeine, regardless of whether it is in pill or liquid form. Caffeine mimics adenosine which is a compound produced by your neurons firing when you are awake.
Your body believes it is getting ready to go to sleep when your levels of adenosine decrease. Caffeine targets the A1 receptor. It takes 5-6 hours for your body’s to process caffeine. This means that you will stop feeling the effects.
However, what you will feel is stimulation of your central nervous systems, which is what gives energy that extra boost. The peak effects of caffeine will begin to manifest around one hour after you take a pill. There are other effects that caffeine can have:
* It is a diuretic and will make you urinate more.
* It can cause stomach acid to rise, which can cause heartburn or stomachache.
* It raises your blood pressure.
* It can inhibit your body’s ability to absorb caffeine.
What is the Correct Dosage of Caffeine?
The daily recommended intake of caffeine is 200-400 mgs. You can find caffeine in the following forms:
* 14-ounce coffee: 210 mgs
* 2-ounce espresso: 150 milligrams
* 16-ounce decaf coffee: 10-25 milligrams
* Black tea 8 ounces: 47 mgs
* 12-ounce diet coke: 46 mgs
* 16-ounce energy drinks: 160 mgs
* 1 tablet NoDoz/Vivarin: 200 mgs
* 2 tablets Excedrin Migraine: 130 milligrams
* 1/16 teaspoon caffein powder 200 mgs
The safe amount of caffeine you can take depends on your body composition and genetic history. Talk to your doctor before you start using caffeine daily.
Side effects of Caffeine Pills
Although caffeine pills can be helpful for keeping you awake during sleep, they have side effects. Some mental conditions, like bipolar disorder and anxiety disorder, can be made worse by caffeine pills.
Caffeine can also cause problems such as epilepsy, irritable bowel syndrome and diarrhea. Caffeine can raise blood pressure in people who already have high blood pressure. It also increases the amount of calcium excreted in the urine, which can lead to osteoporosis.
Yes, caffeine pills can be overdosed.
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Can You Overdose on Caffeine Pills?
It is possible to take too many caffeine pills. According to the FDA, the maximum daily intake should not exceed 400 mg. Mark Jabro M.D. is an intern medicine specialist at Sharp Health Care in San Diego. He recommends that pregnant women consume no more than 200 mg.
Because the caffeine in pills and powders is extremely concentrated, be careful. The FDA warns consumers against overdosing on caffeine powders and pills. One teaspoon of pure caffeine is equivalent to 25 cups of coffee.
A caffeine overdose could lead to:
* Dizziness
* Agitation
* Confusion
* Convulsions
* Breathing problems
* An irregular heartbeat
* Nausea or vomiting
* Rapid heartbeat
* Diarrhea
* Fever
A caffeine overdose can cause death in severe cases.
Caffeine can temporarily boost your mental alertness by increasing heart rate and blood pressure. People who are unable to travel for long periods of time, such as students or long-haul drivers, love this product.
Weight loss can also be aided by caffeine. Dr. Jabro says that caffeine can boost the resting metabolic rate, suppress appetite, and increase adrenaline levels. This signals the breakdown and energy of fat tissue. Although the effects of caffeine are not significant, they can be useful when combined with a healthy diet or exercise program.
Dr. Jabro suggests that caffeine may give you a temporary boost in your athletic performance. This could make it seem like you are working less to complete your workout. This generally means that caffeine should be consumed an hour before a workout.
Are you referring to the caffeine or the coffee with the health benefits?
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The benefits of caffeine have been long documented, mainly by using coffee as a vehicle. Coffee contains many chemical compounds so it is possible that positive effects could be attributed to just one of them.
Harvard Health Letter 2012 highlights the fact that not all studies have shown the same results for decaffeinated and caffeinated coffees.
However, coffee and other forms caffeine are linked to many health benefits. This includes an impact on:
* Insulin resistance. In a 2002 Diabetes Care study, researchers looked into how caffeine (from coffee) can help insulin sensitivity. This is a major concern for diabetics. This improvement may have been due to increased adrenaline levels from caffeine.
* Depression. Dr. Jabro claims that increased adrenaline has been shown to protect against depression and suicide.
* Alzheimer’s. An analysis of 2015 studies in The Journal of Nutrition Health and Aging revealed evidence of a positive effect of caffeine, coffee and tea on dementia. However, more research is necessary.
* Parkinson’s Disease. Women did not experience the same effect.
* Multiple Sclerosis. This is a review of two large studies that were published in 2016 by the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry. They concluded that caffeine reduced multiple sclerosis risk.
Interaction of Caffeine with Drugs and Alcohol
Although there are many health benefits to caffeine, people with multiple conditions should not use it.
* Uncontrolled hypertension (high bloodpressure)
* Cardiac arrhythmia
* Seizure disorder
* Liver or kidney disease that is severe
* Insomnia
* Panic/anxiety disorder
* Unstable heart disease
* A recent stroke or heart attack
* Gastric ulcers.
Mixing caffeine with alcohol can increase your risk of having an adverse reaction, or risky behaviour. Dr. Jabro cites a 2008 Academy of Emergency Medicine study that highlighted the danger of alcohol-related adverse consequences when you mix caffeine and alcohol.
Although you might not be inclined to order a Red Bull mixed with vodka, you may be tempted to take a caffeine pill and enjoy a Chardonnay. Side effects of caffeine can include lightheadedness, fast heart rate, fainting, and rapid heartbeat.
Enoxacin and Cipro, both popular antibiotics, can cause caffeine overdose symptoms. Zanaflex, a muscle relaxer, can also be affected. Caffeine can reduce the effectiveness of medications and even make them more harmful. Mixing caffeine with Lithium can lead to blood Lithium toxicity, which can lead to nausea and tremors.
Take only the recommended dosage of caffeine pills or pure caffeine powder. You should consult your doctor if you are concerned about side effects and contraindications to other medications or supplements.
