“Need that Caffeine Boost?”
By Jane B. Yap

Early this year, a 14 year old boy showed up at a Minneapolis emergency room complaining of respiratory distress after taking caffeine pills with energy drinks so he could play video games all night; he ended up in the Pediatric ward’s Intensive Care Unit and Doctors tried to revive him by washing down the caffeine from his system.

Over the years the “coffee culture” has become so much part of the 21st century culture. Places like “Starbucks,” “Coffee Bean,” “San Francisco,” “Coffee Club,” and the likes have become THE PLACE to be seen. It is as if being seen with your friends in places like these and holding a latte in your hand is the coolest thing to do and to be in. In Malaysia, this culture has slowly crept in to the minds of everyone, with all the local coffee shop turning their places into this posh-contemporary-wi-fi-free hub.

To some, a caffeine boost is a must in order for them to go through the day – the pressures of the modern urban lifestyle are driving them to stimulant drinks such as coffee, tea, soda, etc., while to others, it is a message that they belong to the “in crowd;” or to some, it is a way of “chilling out” with friends.

According to a report done by STAR (10 June 2007, p.SF2) in the past 3 years, the number of 18-24 year olds who drink coffee daily has doubled from 16% to 31%, and energy drinks have mushroomed to an RM 12.25bil industry.

You might be wondering what’s the hype about caffeine anyway?

For one, it is a potent stimulant. Most people use coffee as a “perk me up” in the morning or to stimulate their brain when they are tired. The truth is when the brain sends a message to us that we are tired; the healthy response would be to take a rest so that our mind & body can recuperate. By reaching out for a cup of coffee, we are forcing our body to overwork (www.8-treasures.com).

As the world’s most popular habit-forming stimulant, caffeine fights fatigue, brightens mood, eases pain and causes sleep deprivation. Chronic high-dose caffeine intake may lead to nervousness, irritability, anxiety, insomnia, muscle twitching & palpitations. Heavy intake of caffeine (e.g. more than 150 mg of caffeine/day) also increases the risk of miscarriage or a low-birth weight baby; therefore pregnant women are encouraged to be aware of their dietary caffeine intake and to consume less than 150mg of caffeine everyday (a cup of coffee will give you 90 – 150mg of caffeine while cola drinks contain 45 mg).

The fact is that caffeine is not all-together bad. Research has shown that caffeine reduces the risk of Parkinson’s disease; and because coffee contains potent anti-oxidants, it appears to reduce the risk of colon cancer, gallstones, & liver cancer, among other illnesses. The report also said that in 2005, Harvard researchers have found that drinking six cups of coffee or more daily cut the risk of getting type 2 Diabetes by half in men and 30% in women. Also, in one study among 80,000 women showed that those who drank more than 2 or 3 cups of coffee daily reduced their suicide risk over 10 years by a third.

The bad part is that it is addictive!

So you be the judge, the next time you take that cup of “starbucks latte grande,” ask yourself if you can do without it? Self awareness of your caffeine intake is very crucial.