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caffeine

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A study published in the BMJ Evidence Based Medicine journal, suggests that pregnant women and women trying to get pregnant should avoid caffeine entirely.

Prof Jack James, of Reykjavik University in Iceland, conducted a study on 48 women and their baby’s birth outcomes, which led him to believe that drinking coffee while pregnant or while you’re trying to get pregnant can lead to increased risks.

These include miscarriage, stillbirth, lower birth rate and/or small for gestational age, childhood acute leukaemia and childhood overweight and obesity. 

This is a blatant contradiction to the current medical advice, which encourages women that it is perfectly safe to consume 200mg or two medium-strength cups of coffee a day. “Consequently, current evidence does not support health advice that assumes ‘moderate’ caffeine consumption during pregnancy is safe,” he said.

The study found that the risk of miscarriage increased by between 32% and 36% among caffeine-consuming pregnant women. “Of nine studies reporting results for small for gestational age (SGA) seven reported caffeine-related increased risk and two reported no association,” according to Prof James.

He also found “maternal caffeine consumption is associated with an increased risk of childhood acute leukaemia”. The study concluded that a high maternal caffeine consumption was associated with a 65% increase in the risk of acute lymphocytic leukaemia and a 58% increased risk of acute myeloid leukaemia, the most common cause of cancer death in children.

However, it’s important to take this advice with a pinch of salt, as experts have described this study as alarmist and extreme. Prof Jack James has admitted that this study is purely observational and provides no legitimate evidence to support his claims that caffeine is dangerous to pregnant women.

The study neglects to show cause-and-effect links between the results, or take into consideration other confounding factors, such as cigarette smoking or wider dietary issues.

Dr Luke Grzeskowiak, a pharmacist at the University of Adelaide, Australia, described the paper as “overly alarmist” when he spoke to the BBC.

“There are so many dos and don'ts associated with pregnancy and the last thing we need is to cause unnecessary anxiety,” said Grzeskowiak. “At the end of the day, women should be reassured that caffeine can be consumed in moderation during pregnancy.”

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If you’re giving up or reducing your coffee intake for your New Year’s resolutions – my deepest sympathies go out to you.

If you’re thinking about cutting the caffeine – listen up, I’ve already done the hard work and went cold turkey for one long week and here’s how I got on.

I must confess that on a good day I will have one or two cups of coffee and on a bad one, that number will creep to three, maybe even four.

So kicking the habit, I knew might be a little bit of a challenge, but I didn’t think it would make a massive difference – oh, those famous last words…

Day one was relatively easy. I had three coffees the day before which might explain the ease of which I got through the day.

However, the next day was an entirely different story. My mood was so low and I was experiencing palpitations.

This was only made worse when I dined out as usually I would order an espresso to round up the meal as it helps digestion.

Of course, my little shot of heaven was forbidden, but lucky enough for me, my fellow dinner guests weren’t interested in ordering any teas or coffees, so I didn’t feel like I was completely missing out.

Day three, I watched my mother add cream to the expensive coffee I treated the household too. I did everything to distract my brain whilst she expressed just how delicious her coffee was – it was torture.

Our day was scheduled to stop in a coffee shop, but again, I was given a lifeline as thanks to the festive period, they were closed.

Day four was a challenge. I did a coffee run with my mother and I finally caved and had a decaffeinated coffee.

I was hoping the placebo effect would kick in and I would get some sort of buzz – I have no idea why I thought it would work as obviously without the caffeine, coffee quickly loses its appeal and energy boosting properties.

I knocked down the warm brown liquid with a sulky look on my face.

I really thought the reactions people experienced from giving up caffeine were fake. I have since learnt that they are all too real.

Day five was a day I had been dreading the whole week. I was working and I usually rely on coffee to give me my morning energy to get into the office.

I knew my coffee crutch would be very hard to ignore, so I made myself a deal. I wouldn’t go near the kitchen until my shift was finished.

This way my hunger would outweigh my desire for caffeine. Although it’s a method I wouldn’t recommend, it did work and I survived the day without having a breakdown.

Day six and I was STILL experiencing palpations, particularly at night time when they’d come thick and fast. My tactic to get through the day was to constantly distract myself, knowing the experiment wouldn’t last much longer.

One thing I certainly didn’t expect to experience is how much I thought about coffee – not being allowed to have it, made it so much more tempting.

Day seven and I was back working. I kept my head down and powered through the day. Lucky enough for me, a lot of my symptoms had begun to subside and I didn’t feel like total crap. However, I was very much looking forward to finishing the experiment and going back to my relationship with coffee.

The morning had finally arrived and I am not messing – I actually got up earlier to enjoy my cup of coffee AND even treated the family to a coffee run – (though this was mainly out of guilt for being so moody over the week, sorry mum).

It was divine and there’s no way I am ever going back, life is too short not to enjoy at least one coffee a day.

Since giving the challenge a go, I’ve reduced my intake and have been more aware of how much caffeine I am consuming.

Before embarking on a lifestyle change, please contact your doctor first.

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A teenager has collapsed and died at a school in the United States after consuming a high level of caffeine. 

The family of the teen are warning about the dangers of excessive caffeine intake, according to Breaking News.

David Allen Cripe drank a coffee, a large fizzy drink and an energy drink in the space of two hours, and suffered from a 'caffeine-induced cardiac event.'

The 16-year-old didn't have an undiagnosed heart condition, the coroner confirmed.

'Parents please, talk to your kids about the dangers of these energy drinks,' David's father Seán said. 

'Teenagers and students, please stop buying them.'

'There’s no reason to consume then, they can be very dangerous.'

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that adolescents, age 12 to 18, should not consume more than 100 milligrams of caffeine per day.

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Bagels are one of our favourite breakfast treats. And to make them even better, some wonderful genius has caffeinated them.

According to Grub Street, a popular US bagel chain has created what it's calling the "world's first caffeinated bagel" and we really want to try them.

The bagel is called 'Espresso Buzz' and contains around 32mg of caffeine, which is about a third of the amount you'd find in a regular cup of coffee.

The creators, Einstein Bros, have been designing the bagels for the past nine months, and aimed for it to "be a hit with tired hipsters across the country," Fox News reports. 

There has been mixed reactions however, with some people describing it as "chewy coffee," while others say it's the perfect morning treat.

We think they should send some over to us so we could try them for ourselves…

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A study recently published in Food and Chemical Toxicology found that nothing bad really happens if you have 400 or more milligrams of caffeine a day.

The researchers analysed over 700 studies done between 2001 and 2015, and all of them were surveyed to assess the negative effects that could occur from consuming large amounts of drinks and foods that contain caffeine, such as coffee, tea, and energy drinks.

The researchers assessed the effects of “coffee, tea, chocolate, cola-type beverages, energy drinks, supplements, medicines, energy shots, caffeinated chewing gum, caffeinated sport gel, and caffeinated sport bars.” 

attractive, bar, barista

The research looked in to see whether people suffered from behavioural problems or bone issues as a result of caffeine consumption, they also investigated levels of acute toxicity from caffeine. 

Ultimately, the study revealed that a person can consume up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day and you won’t see any long-term damage done to your body, or your brain. 

However, if you’re pregnant, you shouldn’t have more than 300 milligrams of caffeine per day.

The study did highlight the fact that that these studies weren’t being conducted on what would happen if you were to consume well over 400 milligrams (think; 1000mg) of caffeine a day.

Happy Coffee

Just to put the daily allowance into context for you: Starbucks grandes have 310 milligrams apiece. 

So, while caffeine may be good for you in small enough doses, you may not want to down 17 espresso shots – just incase.

Know your body, and if you feel like it can take more caffeine, then go for it – but if you start getting the shakes, you should probably cool off the coffee pot. 

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We all have that one friend who won't even speak to you without having a few sips of coffee in the morning.

And not that we want to fuel their addiction, but if you buy her one of these gifts for Christmas, let's just say she'll be your BFF4eva.

From personalised coffee stencils to a Luke's Diner coffee mug, you can't go wrong. Now all you need to do is choose one of these presents, because as coffee lovers ourselves, we'd love every single thing on this list:

 

When it's the only option

L-R: Esty apron (€15) and NOTHS Give Me Strength spoon (€22),
Etsy pencils (€5), ASOS Disney PJs (€44).

 

It's a mood booster

 

Just for fun

 

Keeping it personal

 

Happy shopping!

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Naps are deadly and coffee is possibly the best thing on earth, so why has nobody ever thought about mixing the two together?

Now, we're not talking about someone injecting you with coffee while you sleep, but as it turns out having a cup of coffee before taking a short nap does something wonderful to your alertness.

According to Vox, because caffeine takes 10-20 minutes to hit your blood stream (and for you to feel the kick) you can actually take a short nap which leaves you feeling a lot more energised.

The key is to get the caffeine into your body quickly. Having a latte won't do as it takes a while to cool down and for you to sip away; but an iced coffee or an espresso is ideal.

When you finish your coffee, set your alarm for 20 minutes max. You don't want to totally fall into a slumber you can't get out of. Even if you don't fully fall asleep, the rest will still bring your energy levels up and it's better than drinking coffee alone.

Now, go show this to your boss and protest for a nap room. 

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Ah, we all know the deal. You're dying for a coffee, but the queue is so damn long.

It's frustrating, yes, but we don't think we'd become so impatient that we'd resort to THIS.

Two Canadian men have created a bracelet that lets caffeine seep into your skin. *Squirm*

"The Joule Caffeine Bracelet is a bracelet with a slot for you to snap on a transdermal caffeine patch," states the crowd funder site.

"These patches work in a similar fashion to a nicotine patch or other transdermal medication patches. The caffeine is administered gradually for a steady supply of caffeine and energy without any of the typical energy crashes, jitters or other negative effects of consuming your caffeine through beverages.”

This might sound (very) odd but caffeine is a catechin which means it's fat-soluble and small, which makes it easy to go in through the skin. 

As good and scientific as this might sound, we're good with our latte. We're just going to have to put up with waiting in line. 

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Any coffee lovers will know the feeling of wishing your coffee buzz could last all day. Well, as it turns out, we might not have to wait much longer.

Nestlé, the makers of our favourite KitKats, is developing a marvellous type of coffee that will keep your buzz going all day long. Hurrah!

An all-day caffeine high is no doubt alluring, especially to those who want to wave caffeine crashes goodbye. 

According to the brand, the new beverage is currently being developed by scientists at the company's labs in Switzerland, in conjunction with Swiss technical university École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).

The new coffee just simply releases caffeine slower than your average latte. Instead of giving you the caffeine all at once, this will be set free in dribs and drabs to keep you going all day long.

EPFL explained that it is still battling over a few hurdles, but keep spirits high as it's nearly there. 

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We know this can be a touchy subject among coffee lovers – and it pains us to write this as we clutch our own morning coffee – but it’s something that has to be discussed sooner or later.

Not to sound like a health fanatic, but, coffee has no nutritional value whatsoever. It doesn’t have minerals, vitamins or any enzymes, so how could you possibly want something like that in your body?

Yes, it may contain antioxidants, but these are just cancelled out by all of its ‘non-beneficial’ properties that coffee has.

It also contains a well-known and highly addictive drug that can lead to high blood pressure, insomnia and nervousness. People who normally rely on coffee to get by will find themselves fidgeting if they don’t get their fix – the body will just crave the caffeine.

Lastly, since coffee promotes fluid loss, the body’s ability to use water is impaired. It dehydrates the body and sucks all the water from your skin cells –  you don’t want early wrinkles now do you?

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