caffeine Archives - Page 8 of 10

Finding Nemo: Caffeine can only help you focus IF… : Book Excerpt of the Week

January 16, 2017September 7, 2019greeneyedguide

You know how people say caffeine helps you focus? That’s only true if you’re focusing on ROUTINE tasks.

Our Book Excerpt of the Week is about the ways caffeine can (and can’t) help you.

There are limits to caffeine’s powers, according to research by Bichler, Swenson, and Harris [2006, Amino Acids]. Caffeine stimulates the nervous system; it doesn’t help you with mathematical reasoning, logic, or short-term memory. Caffeine provides a boost of energy to do routine maneuvers but makes it harder for a person to patiently tackle complex mental challenges.

How well caffeine works depends on a few different factors. One of those factors is what you are trying to accomplish when you consume caffeine.
This puts the HOW in the book title, “Are You a Monster or a Rock Star-A Guide to Energy Drinks: How They Work, Why They Work, How to Use Them Safely”

Book Excerpt of the Week from PART TWO: Do They Work Energy Synergy and the WHO, HOW, & WHEN.

http://amzn.to/2bjHRbk

Caffeine-Taurine Interactions, Husky puppies and emergency breaks — Book Excerpt of the Week

January 9, 2017September 7, 2019greeneyedguide

Ever wonder whether there’s an interaction between caffeine and taurine? Caffeine and taurine both influence something called angiotensin II, which raises blood pressure. Caffeine augments the action of angiotensin II, but taurine tones it down [source: European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Food, 2003].

So what happens to your blood pressure and heart rate when you consume an energy drink with caffeine and taurine? How do these two ingredients work with each other?

In one study, a drink with 80mg caffeine and 1,000mg taurine increased blood pressure and heart rate of the study participants. On the seventh straight day of the study, heart rate increased by 11% after consuming the drink. However there were no significant electrocardiogram (EKG) changes. It’s worth repeating that you should LIMIT CAFFEINE if you have heart or blood pressure conditions.

This study also suggests you shouldn’t have an energy drink every single day… (#moderation!)

Maybe taurine keeps the heart rate from escalating further, but it’s hard to say because this study wasn’t blind or placeo controlled, and there was no taurine-free caffeinated drink to compare the results against.

Caffeine-Taurine interaction remains questionable and unproven.

The Missing Piece – Book Excerpt of the Week

January 2, 2017September 7, 2019greeneyedguide

Whether the other ingredients in an energy drink accentuate the caffeine boost also depends on whether the consumer is missing anything.

If someone eats a well-balanced diet and doesn’t limit their food choices to 1 or 2 food groups, they probably get enough vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to make the extra ingredients in an energy drink irrelevant.

Taurine is naturally found in meat, so if you regularly eat meat, getting more taurine with your caffeinated drink won’t really affect you. The same goes for VITAMINS – HOPEFULLY you’re getting enough through food but IF YOU’RE NOT, the extra doses of vitamins can boost the effects you feel from the caffeine.

Get your copy of my book on Amazon and wherever books are sold: http://amzn.to/2bjHRbk 

What do energy drinks, aspirin, and multivitamins have in common? Book Excerpt of the Week

December 12, 2016September 8, 2019greeneyedguide

You wouldn’t eat 5 multivitamins or take 10 aspirin a day because that could make you sick. How frequently you consume an energy drink is just as important to your safety. There are many energy drinks* that are not bad for your health nor dangerous if consumed in moderation.

[*And then there are caffeinated supplements, including powder pre-workout supplements and liquid drinks like REDLINE that have so much caffeine per serving they are dangerous/too caffeinated even when consumed as directed]

This Book Excerpt of the Week comes from PART ONE: ABCs of Caffeine Safety, C= Consumption Specifics.

For more information, check out “Are You a Monster or a Rock Star-A Guide to Energy Drinks: HowThey Work, Why They Work, How to Use Them Safely”, available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

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How much caffeine can I have a day? Book Excerpt of the Week

November 21, 2016September 8, 2019greeneyedguide

This Book Excerpt of the Week is from PART ONE: ABCs of Caffeine Safety – B=Biological Sensitivity. Did you know a healthy adult can consume up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day? This magic number is the conclusion of a massive study on caffeine intake and what amounts trigger side effects and health problems.

capture-mon — PS – I also post the Book Excerpt of the Week every Monday morning on my Instagram page! Find me ‘greeneyedguide’

Obeying this this limit is SO IMPORTANT because it means the caffeine should not cause any side effects of bone health and calcium balance, heart health, changes in behavior, incidences of cancer, or male fertility. Going above this magic limit is, well, pushing it. It goes without saying that your personal limits may vary depending on your own sensitivity. Also, I should not have to point this out, but it would be unwise to consume your whole day’s worth of caffeine in one sitting.

As I mentioned with the Book Except of the Week from last week (Caffeine and Panic Attacks), THIS IS WHY IT DRIVES ME CRAZY when people talk about energy drinks WITHOUT DISCLOSING THE AMOUNT OF CAFFEINE. ~~Energy drinks~~ caffeinated beverages and supplements are definitely not for everyone but it’s important to include these details so people can make informed choices about which products work and don’t work for them.

Help me share my story– An energy drink is like your favorite song: what works for YOU might not work for me, and what works for you on a Monday morning may not be your go-to for a Friday night. As the GreenEyedGuide, I use food science to teach people how to calculate what they need and when, whether it’s water, a nap, or some healthy beverage in between.

For more information:

Get your copy of my book “Are You a Monster or a Rock Star-A Guide to Energy Drinks: How They Work, Why They Work, How to Use Them Safely” http://amzn.to/2bjHRbk