What else can we talk about today if not about our beloved everyday “cup o’ joe”! Today happens to be Friedlieb Ferdinand Runge’s birthday who was born on February 8th, 1794[1] (Yes, amaze your friends with your trivia knowledge!). He was a German analytical chemist, who among other accomplishments, identified a substance called caffeine that has become so famous and so omnipresent in our everyday lives!
Scientifically, caffeine is a central nervous system[2] stimulant of the methylxanthine class[3]. Unlike other stimulants it is largely unregulated around the world. In fact, it’s the world most used psychoactive drug[4].
Why do we like it so much?
It’s mostly because of its immediate effect. Although it might take 30 to 60 minutes to reach its full impact, for most of the people the effects are enjoyed in as little as 10 minutes. It’s also true that the effects can linger for up to 14 hours, even though they begin to wind down after 3-4 hours (Keep that in mind the next time you find yourself stumbling upon a late night coffee joint!).
What’s your experience and how do you cope with the need for a coffee or the effects of it?
Are we all created equal?
Yes, we are! Or, aren’t we? We’re not going to debate the human quest for deep understanding of meaning… but we’re going to try to outline some differences among various coffee beverages and other energy drinks!
Not everyone reacts the same: I had a friend of mine who used to have lunch with an espresso coffee and take nap before going back to her afternoon activities. Others instead, would not be able to sleep at night if they had a coffee after 2pm. Various factors that influence coffee’s impact are smoking (apparently smokers metabolize the coffee twice as fast as non-smokers), sex (not how much you have but whether your biological makeup I predominantly male or female) and whether you drink your coffee along with alcoholic beverages (Kahlua anyone?)
How are you and your close to you react to coffee throughout the day?
Where do we find it and how much we do we drink?
Eighty percent of the US adult population (according to an FDA study) consumes caffeine everyday with individual average of 200 mg. This consumption can be in the form of coffee, teas, or sodas: imagine two 5 oz cups of coffee or four sodas a day! Doses of more than 500/600 mg according to the Mayo Clinic could cause insomnia, irritability ad increased heartbeats!
But don’t worry, the US is not the No. 1 in coffee consumption. The crown goes to… Finland with an average caffeine intake of 400 mg a day!
Let us know what is your experience with coffee and what coffee beans of wisdom you have to offer regarding the caffeine a person should imbibe.
Until next time: Be Happy and Make Someone Smile Today!
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedlieb_Ferdinand_Runge
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_nervous_system
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylxanthine
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychoactive_drug