The Medicinal Uses of Caffeine

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Disclaimer.  I am not a licensed health practitioner.  This is just another post on an item you might wish to have available if needed so that a physician can treat you and your family as best as possible.  No medication, including those available over the counter, should be taken without consulting a physician.  Information shared here is for educational and entertainment purposes only.  It is not medical advice nor a substitute for licensed medical care.  A qualified, licensed physician or other medical provider should be consulted before beginning any herbal or conventional treatment.

Disclaimer #2:  I firmly believe it is a bad idea to be addicted to caffeine.  And I'm well aware that there is loads of research showing that caffeine can prevent all kinds of diseases.  There are also studies showing the harmful effects.  People have to make their own choices and live with the consequences.  This post is strictly about the medicinal uses and some contraindications of caffeine. 
   

OK, so most everyone knows by now that caffeine, especially in the form of coffee, soda, and energy drinks, stimulates the central nervous system. It wakes people up and provides a boost of energy. It is also a diuretic, increases acid production in the stomach, increases blood pressure, and may interfere with the absorption of calcium. Some dentists also recommend a caffeine drink for their patients after they've received dental work to help metabolize the anesthetic faster and restore feeling to the mouth. What a lot of people don't realize is the role these effects play in managing some medical conditions.

First off, caffeine is a vasodilator--it dilates blood vessels. It is a wonder drug in the treatment of migraines and tension headaches. (Caffeine is not effective in treating other kinds of headaches.) That is why pharmaceutical companies make tablets with aspirin and/or acetaminophen and caffeine. You can buy them that way for a lot of money, or you can DIY things and take some aspirin and/or acetaminophen and caffeine together and save yourself some dough.

Caffeine can also be administered to help improve airway function in individuals with mild to moderate asthma. And in this case you are really going to want coffee, very strong coffee. It's going to get into the bloodstream faster than any tablet ever will. And in an asthma attack, time is of the essence. Because caffeine is a bronchodilator, it also works for mild to moderate coughing (dry cough) and wheezing. If you're not a coffee drinker, collect some of the single-serving coffee envelops provided when you stay in hotels/motels. Of course, make sure it's regular coffee. Decaf won't work here.

Caffeine (along with cherries, blackberries and other dark berries, and purple grapes) has been shown to lower uric acid levels and is thus useful in treating gout.

If someone develops low blood pressure, a physician may advise using caffeine to raise the patient's blood pressure to a more normal level. Blood pressure sometimes drops in older people after they eat, so caffeine is recommended to keep blood pressure in a healthy range.

Caffeine is also administered orally or intravenously to slightly premature infants with shortness of breath. 

Studies also show that caffeine may improve athletic performance by increasing physical strength and delaying exhaustion in endurance activities like cycling, running, and soccer. It's not effective for short-term, high-intensity exercise like sprinting or weight-lifting. So this might find application in your future. But it only works if you do not already consume caffeine regularly.

 

Caffeine levels in the blood peak one hour after taking it, and the effects last for four to six hours.^[i]

PREPARATIONS

Drinks.  A cup of coffee contains 150-200 mg. Most cola drinks contain 30-40 mg. Energy drinks contain 60-70 mg. Tea (chai, black, green, white, oolong, jasmine) contains 25-50 mg. Herbal teas contain 0 mg.^[ii]

Tablets. Over-the-counter tablets usually contain 200 mg of caffeine.

MODERN USAGE

• Cardiovascular
• Low blood pressure^{[iii] [iv]}
• Particularly when it occurs in elderly individuals after meals
• Musculoskeletal
• Athletic performance in endurance activities^{[v] [vi]}
• Especially cycling, running, soccer
• Not effective for short-term, high-intensity activities like sprinting or weight-lifting
• Only effective if caffeine is not already consumed regularly
• Neurological^[vii]
• Migraines
• Tension headaches
• Caffeine not effective against other kinds of headaches
• Respiratory
• Asthma, mild to moderate (strong coffee, because it will get into the bloodstream faster than a tablet)^[viii]
• Bronchitis^[ix]
• Dry cough^[x]
• Slightly premature infants with shortness of breath^{[xi] [xii]}
• Wheezing^[xiii]
• Urogenital
• Gout^[xiv]

Side effects: Most people can consume up to 400 mg of caffeine per day without side effects. Others are more sensitive. In these people and in those consuming more than 400 mg, the following side effects are possible: restlessness, insomnia, dizziness, headaches, dehydration, anxiety, and abnormal heart rhythm.

Contraindications: Do not use in children under the age of 12 years. Caffeine may affect blood sugar levels in diabetics. In some people, caffeine may cause dizziness. Do not operate machinery or drive until you know how caffeine affects you. Caffeine should be avoided by pregnant and nursing women, individuals with sleep disorders, anxiety, insomnia, GERD, ulcers, irregular heart rhythms, high blood pressure, as well as by people taking asthma and heart medications and some antibiotics.

Symptoms of withdrawal include headaches, drowsiness, nausea, irritability, and difficulty concentrating. If you are addicted to caffeine and your supply is gone, the kind thing to do is warn those around you that you will be going through withdrawals. If you have some time and recognize your supply is diminishing, be kind to yourself and everyone around you, and gradually decrease your consumption. The pain will be less for everyone.

The cheapest place that I have found to get caffeine pills is on Amazon, but Walmart was pretty competitive, too.

Links to related posts:
OTC pain relievers
Cough and cold medications 
Dandelion
Peppermint-Lavender-Rosemary Headache Balm
Food Fatigue

For further reading:
Armageddon Medicine, by Dr. Cynthia Koelker, MD
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-979/caffeine
https://www.drugs.com/caffeine.html
https://medlineplus.gov/caffeine.html

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[i] Caffeine, WebMD, https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-979/caffeine (accessed 16 March 2023).

[ii] Caffeine, MedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine, https://medlineplus.gov/caffeine.html (accessed 16 March 2023).

[iii] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 2012, 555.

[iv] D. Heseltine, et al., The effect of caffeine on postprandial hypotension in the elderly, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, February 1991, Vol 39 No 2, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1898434/ (accessed 16 March 2023).

[v] KEO Carmo, et al., Caffeine improves biochemical and specific performance after judo training: a double-blind crossover study in a real judo training situation, Nutrition and Metabolism, January 2021, Vol 18 No 1, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33485363/ (accessed 16 March 2023).

[vi] Bruno Ferreira Viana, et al., Caffeine increases motor output entropy and performance in 4 km cycling time trial, PLoS One, August 2020, Vol 15 No 8, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32790792/ (accessed 16 March 2023).

[vii] Joseph Alton, Survival Medicine Handbook, 2013, 424.

[viii] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 2012, 128.

[ix] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 2012, 128.

[x] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 2012, 118.

[xi] Amir-Mohammad Armanian, et al., Caffeine administration to prevent apnea in very premature infants, Pediatrics and Neonatology, October 2016, Vol 57 No 5, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26976495/ (accessed 16 March 2023).

[xii] Sara Rostas, et al., Caffeine therapy in preterm infants:  The dose (and timing) make the medicine, Neonatal Network, November 2019, Vol 38 No 6, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33485363/ (accessed 16 March 2023).

[xiii] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 2012, 118.

[xiv] Cynthia Koelker, Armageddon Medicine, 2012, 357.

5 march 2019

27 october 2019