caffeine - www.hangover.org

Are caffeine pills dangerous?

The truth is anything can be dangerous if you abuse it. Caffeine pills are no different. The average caffeine pill contains about 200 milligrams of caffeine. Most healthy adults can tolerate 200 mg to 300 mg of caffeine a day. This equates to about one caffeine pill or two to three cups of strong coffee.

Are caffeine pills dangerous? Uses

Caffeine is most commonly used to promote mental alertness. It can also be very effective in treating headaches. Caffeine can even be used to treat an acute asthma attack. Caffeine is chemically similar to a common asthma medication and it relaxes the walls of the respiratory system. Even a little bit of caffeine can improve lung function for up to 4 hours.

Some people use caffeine for gallbladder disease, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and low blood pressure. It can also be used for weight loss and type 2 diabetes.

Are caffeine pills dangerous? How it works

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. It increases heart rate, muscle contraction, and blood pressure. Caffeine also acts a diuretic- increasing urine flow. When people use caffeine regularly, they can be tolerant of it and it may not have all these effects.

Are caffeine pills dangerous? Considerations

If you consume more than 200 to 300 milligrams a day, you may experience some unpleasant and even dangerous side effects. These include insomnia, nervousness, irritability, upset stomach and fast heartbeat. While it’s easier to overdose on caffeine pills, excessive caffeine intake is dangerous in any form.

Are caffeine pills dangerous? Caffeine Intoxication

Caffeine intoxication is a state of central nervous system stimulation due to high intake of caffeine. This can lead to hospitalization and even death. The nervous system becomes overworked. This can lead to excessive neural activity and possibly seizures.

Are caffeine pills dangerous? Health problems

While caffeine pills are generally safe to consume in appropriate dosages for healthy people, people with certain health problems should not take them. Pregnant women should not take caffeine pills because they increase the risk of certain complications, including miscarriage. Anyone with heart problems or high blood pressure should also steer clear of taking caffeine pills. It is important to discuss all over the counter medications with your doctor so they can assess any potential risks based on your personal medical history.

Are caffeine pills dangerous? Precautions

If you are going to take caffeine pills there are certain precautions you can take which will make it safer.

– Drink plenty of water: Caffeine pills can act as a diuretic, so water is essential so you don’t dehydrate your body.

– Try to avoid taking caffeine pills late in the day: If you take caffeine pills in the late afternoon or evening, it can make it harder for you to get a good night’s sleep.

– Cut back slowly: If you have been taking caffeine pills for some time, your body could’ve become dependent on the caffeine intake. Cutting back slowly over a period of a few days will help you avoid withdrawal symptoms.

If you need help with your addiction give us a call now at 1-800-984-4003.

Four Loko

Four Loko

Four Loko is an alcoholic beverage that is part energy drink. The “Four” in the name “Four Loko” refers to the four main ingredients in Four Loko, namely alcohol, caffeine, taurine, and guarana. In 2010, the company that manufactures Four Loko, announced that the drink would be reformulated, removing the caffeine, taurine, and guarana, in response to the drink being banned in several states and an FDA directive.

What is the danger of Four Loko?

The Food and Drug Administration launched a year-long investigation into caffeine-containing alcoholic beverages like Four Loko. At its completion, the FDA determined that Four Loko, and seven other drinks were “unsafe.” They gave the manufacturers fifteen days to change the formula or pull their products from the market.

The investigation into Four Loko began after being involved in a rash of incidents in months in which people were hospitalized or died. Doctors say that caffeine-containing drinks like Four Loco mask the effects of alcohol, leading people to drink more than they normally would.

What is blacking out?

Drinkers of Four Loko have nicknamed the drink “blackout in can,” because of the frequency of overindulgence with caffeinated alcoholic drinks. Four Loco produces a “wide-awake drunk,” so drinkers continue to drink when they would have normally passed out. Then the effects of the caffeine and other stimulants wear off before the effects of the alcohol, producing a blackout.

Binge drinking alcohol can cause memory loss similar to amnesia. These periods of alcohol-related amnesia are generally referred to as blackouts. Blackouts are periods of time when the drinker is completely conscious, having conversations and performing sometimes amazing feats, but later they have absolutely no memory of the events that transpired.

Though repeated episodes of blacking out will lead to permanent changes in the brain, blackouts are more psychosocially damaging than physically damaging. Many people report engaging in high-risk behavior during a blackout. They drive while intoxicated, get into fights, or engage in unprotected sex. During a blackout, normal restraint of emotions, impulses, and desires is impaired and that may result in enormous harm to self and others. Blackouts inhibit your ability to control your impulses. This can be very dangerous.

How much alcohol does a can of Four Loko contain?

Four Loko (before it was reformulated) contained 12 percent alcohol and have something in the range of 200mg of caffeine. This is equivalent to five or six beers and four or five colas in one can. An averaged sized woman who drinks one can of Four Loko will have a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) twice the legal limit. Four Loko’s have kept the alcohol content, but removed all the stimulants.

Some criticize the brightly colored packaging and sweet flavor of Four Loko because they claim that its marketing is geared towards underage consumers. The drink is also relatively cheap, and available at most convenience stores. The manufacturers of Four Loko deny that they are trying to market to underage drinkers, but there is a lot of anecdotal evidence that the drink is most popular among kids in their teens and early twenties.