Caffeine is one of the most popular ingredients of energy boosting supplements today. It is a stable of the western diet found in coffee and many energy and dieting pills. It has been shown to suppress the appetite[1] and is a popular ingredient in many energy drinks and supplements.
However studies have shown that caffeine is a "artificial high" based on the fact that caffeine triggers an excess amount
uncontrolled neuron activity which has a cascading effect on the adrenal glands that leads to excess adrenalin production in a little as five minutes. This is where we become "alert" as well as more agitated, i.e. it sets off the stress hormone and we all understand how stress plays an important part maintaining our health. It also stimulates the pancreas to secrete insulin which lowers blood sugar which in turn causes our body to release more stress hormones to create energy using up our fat and glucose reserves to stabilize blood sugar levels.
As this "fight-or-flight" mode wears off you can become
fatigue and irritable and it can lead to a pattern confused thoughts, something you don't want while you are working when need good clear thought to solve problems.
While this type of alertness maybe fine when you find yourself in a challenging or dangerous situation, it's not a mode you want to be in when you are just living your normal everyday life. It can lead to other health related issues including sleep depravation and depression[2] and also to a state of severe adrenal depletion. It has also been shown to actually decrease athletic ability due through long term use[3].
As the body builds a tolerance to it's daily caffeine assault it slowly give way to a dependency on it and withdrawal symptoms can occur when we start to limit our intake. One study has shown that as little as 14 oz of coffee a day can produce withdrawal effects[4].
Other studies have linked heavy caffeine use during pregnancy with a number of problem including reduced fetal growth and miscarriage[5].
This is not the only danger caffeine can pose. It has also been linked to;
As you can see, caffeine is not one of the ingredients we should be looking for in a high quality energy supplement.
Ingredient #2: Sugar High - Click here for the an overview on sugar high as a energy supplement ingredient.
[1]
Malchow-Moller A,Larsen S,Hey H,Stokholm KH,Juhl E,Quaade F. "Ephedrine as ananorectic: the story of the 'Elsinore pill'." Int J Obes. 1981;5:183-7.
[2] Stephen Cherniske, Caffeine Blues
[3] Textbook of Natural Medicine
[4]
Am J Psychiatry, Dec 2005; 162: 2344 - 2351.
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=14847
[5]
N. Engl. J. Med. 343[25]:1839-45, 2000
[6]
Nutrition-today (USA). (Nov-Dec 1987). v. 6(6) p. 244-248.
[7] Toxicological Sciences 2006 93(2):348-356 http://toxsci.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/93/2/348
[8]
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1046/j.1467-3010.2002.00241.x; www.chimachine4u.com/water.html
[9] Holiday Celebration: Depression Served On A Platter. http://www.healthmad.com/
