Pubdate: Tue, 07 Mar 2000 Source: San Jose Mercury News (CA) Copyright: 2000 San Jose Mercury News Contact: 750 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, CA 95190 Fax: (408) 271-3792 Website: http://www.sjmercury.com/ Author: Stephanie Allmon, Cox News Service WAKE UP AND SMELL THE DRUG ON A TYPICAL morning in Anytown USA, men and women flip on the coffeemaker before hitting the shower. College students stop at the vending machine to buy a soda on the way to class. Commuters sip steamy tea while they wait in traffic. Caffeine is as much a part of millions of Americans' routines as bathing or getting dressed. Many people recognize the extra ``boost'' it gives them, and some claim they can't start a good day without it. But most drowsy drivers and sleepy students probably don't think about the health benefits, or consequences, caffeine has on their bodies, said Glenn Pack, director of counseling services for the Baylor University Health Center. ``It's interesting that most people don't consider caffeine a drug,'' he said. ``It's so accepted and ubiquitous in our society, that we just don't think about it.'' Caffeine is one of the most researched drugs in the medical world, yet one of the most confusing to the public. One study says it's addictive; another says it's not. One report says it raises metabolism; another says it lowers hydration. It's the new drug of choice for children, then it's not. The bottom line about caffeine's health effects is that its users probably have to take the good with the bad, Pack said. ``It's an enjoyable drug to use, and it does have some benefits in terms of enhancing performance,'' Pack said, ``but doing too much can cause problems. It's a relatively benign drug, in that it takes large doses to have large side effects.'' The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recognized caffeine as a generally safe drug since 1958. The American Cancer Society's Guidelines on Diet, Nutrition and Cancer indicate that caffeine poses no risk for cancer, and other studies show there is little connection between moderate caffeine intake and heart disease or blood pressure. A study published by the International Journal of Sports Medicine in August 1999 found that attention, psychomotor skills and long-term memory all improved during the few hours after volunteers drank caffeinated beverages. Another benefit of caffeine was discovered last summer when the San Francisco Headache Clinic reported that it increases the effectiveness of analgesics such as aspirin and acetaminophen by up to 40 percent. But before anyone thinks caffeine should be a new food group, experts warn that too much caffeine can still have adverse effects on just about everyone. The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence reports that in extreme cases, caffeine can cause seizures, convulsions and psychological problems such as anxiety and depression. Continued use can disrupt sleep patterns, hinder academic performance and lead to bone disease from poor absorption of calcium. Studies have shown that most adults consume about 200 milligrams of caffeine each day, which Pack said is a healthy amount. But many people become ``addicted'' to caffeine if they have five or six cups of coffee a day, he said. The jury is still out on whether caffeine addicts can experience actual withdrawal symptoms, but Pack said some definitely feel anxiety and depression when they wean themselves off caffeine. - --- MAP posted-by: Eric Ernst