I drank my first cup of coffee around age 15. I love the smell, taste, and the culture of it, particularly abroad. For my inaugural Science-Backed Sunday Snippet, let’s talk about the double edge sword that is caffeine.

Caffeine is the most unregulated drug in the world; it is easy to forget that caffeine is a drug.[1] It increases neuron activity in the brain, feelings of alertness/focus, and your desire to consume it, leading to addiction.[2] The FDA recommends no more than 400mg/day for “healthy adults.”[3] In 2023, two people died after consuming a Panera drink with 390mg,[4] raising questions about the safety/health of caffeine.

Fun Facts

Caffeine is not recommended for individuals taking antidepressants (prescribed for anxiety too),[5] antipsychotics, or medications for asthma, Alzheimer’s, blood pressure, cold or allergy, diabetes, thyroid, and osteoporosis.[6] Considering how stressed,[7] depressed,[8] and anxious[9] Americans are…well, let’s just say we all know someone taking such a medication (if not ourselves), or someone who should be. At the same time, 90% of Americans consume caffeine daily.[10] Hmm…

Real Talk

We know far less about energy drinks, to include the long-term impacts of daily consumption, than coffee. Americans (adults/adolescents) are consuming more energy drinks annually,[11][12] and although they are advertised as healthy, they have more caffeine than coffee (1 cup), sometimes double!

Limited research suggests energy drinks are not as healthy as marketed and could impact vital organs and bodily functions, including the heart, sleep, stomach, brain, liver, kidneys, and teeth.[13] Although there may be some benefits (increased alertness/endurance), the literature is mixed.[14] Lastly, because energy drinks are not regulated, exact ingredient quantities (vitamins, extracts, caffeine) and their interactions are unknown, particularly when consumed daily/regularly over time. As such, some researchers/physicians are discouraging frequent energy drink usage (5-7 energy drinks per week).[15]

Key Takeaways

Bottom line: Everything in Moderation.

Hot take: Drink more water; Be decaf curious!

Application

Thank you for reading. To apply this Science-Backed Sunday Snippet, reflect on the three S’s below:

See: Calculate your daily/weekly caffeine intake (coffee, tea, soda, energy drinks, chocolate, vapes, dip, etc.). Read the sources below for more information.

Suppose: What is the role of caffeine in your life, why do you consume it?

Switch: Swap out caffeine slowly. Use your “why” above to determine when you will consume it.

[1] Drugs@FDA Glossary of Terms | FDA

[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3680974/

[3] https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/spilling-beans-how-much-caffeine-too-much

[4] https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/12/06/panera-caffeine-lawsuits-deaths-risks/

[5] Current and Novel Psychopharmacological Drugs for Anxiety Disorders | SpringerLink

[6] 10 Medications That Shouldn’t Be Taken With Coffee (health.com)

[7] https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/news-releases/americans-anticipate-higher-stress-at-the-start-of

[8] https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/12/12/at-least-four-in-ten-u-s-adults-have-faced-high-levels-of-psychological-distress-during-covid-19-pandemic/

[9] https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/news-releases/annual-anxiety-and-mental-health-poll-2023

[10] Prevalence of caffeine consumers, daily caffeine consumption, and factors associated with caffeine use among active duty United States military personnel | Nutrition Journal | Full Text (biomedcentral.com)