Caffeine IS harmless:
The stimulant, long ridiculed by those who believe it to be harmful,
is safe - even for pregnant women and young children,
a new review concludes
Myth-busting review reveals powerful
stimulant is safe to take
The stimulant has long ridiculed by those who believe
caffeine to be harmful
- New study found sticking to the recommended daily
- amount of 400mg is safe
- Some 44 trials were reviewed to dispell the widespread
- beliefs about the drug
It's blamed for sleeplessness, anxiety, frequent toilet trips
and worse - but caffeine is harmless, a new study shows.
The stimulant, long ridiculed by those who believe it to be harmful,
is safe - even for pregnant women and young children.
A review of 44 trials dispelled the widespread myth that caffeine,
found in tea, coffee and fizzy drinks, is bad for the body.
It found that sticking to the recommended daily amount of 400mg -
the equivalent four cups of coffee or eight cups of tea -
has no lasting damage on the body.
Conducted by a leading British dietitian, the paper also shows
the substance boosts both mental and physical performance.
In recent years, clean-eating blogs have been full of advice on
how to avoid caffeine due to mixed research results on its dangers.
Dr Carrie Ruxton, who has previously advised the NHS and
European Food Safety Authority, was behind the myth-busting review.
Calling time on the caffeine cops, she described the stimulant as
'one of the most polarising dietary substances around'.
Dr Ruxton, who sits on the Tea Advisory Panel, said: 'Unfortunately,
there is an enormous amount of myth and misinformation
surrounding caffeine. In her report published in the journal Complete
Nutrition, she argued evidence proves the drug to be safe - despite
the 'bad rap' it gets in the media.
'The reality is that people who cut out tea and coffee may
miss out on the potential health benefits of the compounds
they contain.
'Tea is the best way to get your hit of caffeine as it has half the
amount of coffee and is packed with a variety of health-boosting
polyphenols and antioxidants.'
What did the review find?
Another 29 randomised controlled trials that were assessed
confirmed caffeine enhances sports performance. Such studies
also hinted that it influences the release of dopamine, which is
thought to enhance mood and prevent the blues.
As such, figures estimate that three out of four elite athletes
use caffeine supplements to boost their performance.
Recommended intake
European health officials state adults should consume no more
than 400mg of caffeine each day - the equivalent to four
mugs of instant coffee.
This amount can be found in eight cups of tea, or five cans of
energy drink Red Bull.
A small bar of plain dark chocolate has up to 50mg of caffeine,
while milk chocolate has around half that.
Coke, a drink often perceived as being high in caffeine,
has just 30mg per can. While the drug is also often added
to painkiller pills to given them an extra kick.
A huge review conducted by the International Life Sciences
Institute (ILSI) in April confirmed this amount of caffeine was
safe on a daily basis.
They assessed more than 740 studies into the effects
of caffeine on humans to make the claim.
(The Mail, UK)
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