Caffeine and safety concerns

[SandboxGeneral]

Originally Posted by eric/

Am I a reputable source for technical details about Apple products?

Answering questions with questions isn't a good way to prove a point. Maybe you are a good source for tech information, maybe you're not. But that doesn't mean everyone or no one here is either.

If you're going to state that site X isn't a good site, give us some real reasons and examples as to why you think that.

[eric/]

Originally Posted by SandboxGeneral

Answering questions with questions isn't a good way to prove a point. Maybe you are a good source for tech information, maybe you're not. But that doesn't mean everyone or no one here is either.

If you're going to state that site X isn't a good site, give us some real reasons and examples as to why you think that.

Actually. I'll just concede. If you want to take medical advice from the equivalent of Yahoo answers, by all means.

I don't argue over things that are so plainly obvious. And it's plainly obvious that "studyhealth.com", nor it's members, are legitimate sources of information.

I mean, if this is a legitimate source of information, lol to the max:

Hi, let me just say that caffeine interferes with many reactions in our body. It has effect on our brain and many other organs. There are some studies that say that caffeine is a kind of addictive drug. These scientists have proven that it operates using the same mechanisms as, for example, cocaine. The effect of caffeine on our blood vessels is complex. In the brain, caffeine binds with adenosine receptors. Adenosine is a chemical that when bonded with nerve cells, among other things, causes the blood vessels to constrict. This is why many migraine drugs contain caffeine. The constriction of brain blood vessels eases the pain. On the other side caffeine also has a direct effect on the blood vessels in our body, especially on those in kidneys and lungs. The direct action causes the blood vessels to dilate. Because of these antagonistic effects the total result of caffeine effect on blood vessels is unpredictable. Basically, if you have one or two cups of coffee a day you should not feel any negative consequences of caffeine. However, if your daily intake of coffee is greater, you are seriously endangering your health.

[SandboxGeneral]

Originally Posted by eric/

Actually. I'll just concede. If you want to take medical advice from the equivalent of Yahoo answers, by all means.

I don't argue over things that are so plainly obvious. And it's plainly obvious that "studyhealth.com", nor it's members, are legitimate sources of information.

I mean, if this is a legitimate source of information, lol to the max:

All I am trying to say is, if you're going to make a statement like you did, back it up with some good sources or personal experiences.

[eric/]

Originally Posted by SandboxGeneral

All I am trying to say is, if you're going to make a statement like you did, back it up with some good sources or personal experiences.

Well, in my personal experience, websites that have 0 qualifications, and are composed of anonymous community members who also have 0 qualifications, or accountability are not good sources of information for medical related discussions.

[Kissaragi]

Originally Posted by eric/

Well, in my personal experience, websites that have 0 qualifications, and are composed of anonymous community members who also have 0 qualifications, or accountability are not good sources of information for medical related discussions.

I would agree. Think we have a few members here who prove you cant always trust people on forums!

For it to be a valid source they would have to link to a research paper and you would have to be able to find some other sources that back that up.

Medical stuff is a minefield of mistakes, misinformation, old wives tails, crazy people and scam artists. Consumer technology is much, much simpler in comparison and people are able to replicate results quickly and easily themselves.

Having a chronic medical condition means I've looked through a lot of medical stuff over the last 10 years. Its quite amazing what people say about areas we dont fully understand yet, even from doctors.

[Shrink]

Originally Posted by eric/

steadyhealth.com is not a reputable source

Originally Posted by SandboxGeneral

I don't know anything about that site; why is it not reputable?

Originally Posted by eric/

blogs/forums/communities.

If it was the Mayo Clinic or Cleveland Clinic or something, that'd be different

Originally Posted by SandboxGeneral

I guess I still don't understand, why aren't they reputable? MacRumors is also a blog/forum/community, are we not reputable either?

I Googled reviews of the site, and what little I found indicated that the site reviews stated that the site was reasonably reputable.

I hasten to add that the review site is not the be all and end all, but that is what I found...for what it's worth.

I have done quite a bit a reading on medical sites regarding caffeine. It is an "addictive" substance if that is defined as causing withdrawal symptoms, and a substance for which the user developes a tolerance with continued use. It does not firt the definition of addiction in that the level of craving does not really reach the criteria for addictive drugs.

As far as physiological changes goes, it does not function in the same manner as cocaine, although both fall into the category of stimulants. It does not produce the dopamine mediated euphoria that cocaine does. It does increase herat rate, cortisol levels, and has an effect on blood vessels, which is somewhat complex and not worth going into here...and, to be honest, I would have to do more reading to explicate the complex effects on blood vessels.

In sum; caffeine is a substance, like many others, that causes physiological changes. In small to moderate amounts, the research is pretty solid that the effects are generally harmless, and often beneficial. In very large doses, not so good.

[senseless]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-204_162-...cup-of-coffee/

Like I said before, the marketing is getting to be ridiculous.

[Dr McKay]

Not the time to be half way through an oh so refreshing Apple and Kiwi Relentless when reading this article.

I wish caffeine still affected me, I drank so much during Air Force trade training every day just to stay awake. (2010-2011). I can knock back several 500ml cans and not feel any effects

[maflynn]

I typically have 3 maybe 4 cups of coffee and then for the afternoon move on to 3 or 4 cups of tea. I understand some of the concerns but at this point I've not really seen any conclusive reports stating it one way or another so I prefer my cups of coffee

[Squilly]

Finally found it. Fifth to last paragraph.

Another factor in aging is "glycation." It happens when glucose sugar from what we eat binds to some of our DNA, proteins and lipids, leaving them unable to do their jobs. The problem becomes worse as we get older, causing body tissues to malfunction, resulting in disease and death. This may explain why studies in various laboratory animals indicate that restricting calorie intake extends lifespan.

Source: http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/conte...its/telomeres/

[mobilehaathi]

Thank you! I'll have to find some proper explanation of this process.

[mrsir2009]

I reckon MSG is more of a safety concern.

[eric/]

Originally Posted by Squilly

Finally found it. Fifth to last paragraph.

Source: http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/conte...its/telomeres/

While telomere shortening has been linked to the aging process, it is not yet known whether shorter telomeres are just a sign of aging - like gray hair - or actually contribute to aging.

And they certainly aren't being coated. The theory (and keep in mind this is still a theory in regard to aging) is that foods with high glucose inhibit functionality by binding to DNA receptors (think high fructose corn syrup as an example, though it's a different sugar).

I'm no biologist or medical professional so please correct me if I'm wrong, but:

Link

Caffeine impairs insulin action, but doesn't necessarily affect blood sugar (glucose) levels in young, healthy adults. However, if you have type 2 diabetes, the impact of caffeine on insulin action may be associated with a small, but detectable rise in blood sugar levels, particularly after meals. About 250 milligrams of caffeine — or the equivalent of 2 to 2 1/2 cups (473 to 591 milliliters) of plain, brewed coffee — a day may cause this effect.

If you have type 2 diabetes and you're struggling to control your blood sugar levels, limiting the amount of caffeine in your diet may provide a benefit.

And since the article you linked discussed glycation as a problem (which is the metabolism of glucose, which is a sugar) I'm confused as to what exactly I'm supposed to be concerned about in regard to caffeine and the consumption of sugar.

Can anybody chime in here?

[ratsg]

Originally Posted by mrsir2009

I reckon MSG is more of a safety concern.

I'm not certain why you would make this statement.

MSG has been used for more than 100 years to season food. During this period, extensive studies were conducted to elucidate the role, benefits and safety of MSG. At this point, international and national bodies for the safety of food additives consider MSG safe for human consumption as a flavor enhancer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monosod...utamate#Safety