Caffeine May Prevent Cataracts
One of the liabilities of growing old is an increased chance of developing cataracts, a clouding of the clear lens of an eye that prevents light from passing through the lens to the retina. As the cloudiness increases, it can block vision entirely, causing total blindness. Up until now, surgery has been the only way […]
The Politics of Caffeine and Coffee
If you were under the impression that our understanding of caffeine and our laws governing its use originates with mild-mannered, dedicated research scientists, you should think again. No drug has been and continues to be more of a political football than caffeine. An example is the way Jack James, a renouned caffeine researcher, who now […]
Another Caffeine Myth: Caffeine Dehydrates Athletes and Others
Dehydration is a concern of every athlete. When the fluid blance of your body starts to fall below normal, your sports performance will suffer dramatically. For decades, athletes in training and competition have been warned to stay away from caffeine, or at least to limit its intake, because caffeine causes dehydration. This turns out to […]
Caffeine Ruler Reaction Time Test: A Measure of Intelligence, Athletic Ability, and Virtual Age
Here we provide a simple, easy to take test of the speed of your reactions. The purpose of the test is to determine if and how much your reaction time speeds up when you are using caffeine. Why is this interesting? Because the speed of your reactions is a good measure not only of alertness but also […]
Dreaded Caffeine Withdrawal
We’ve all heard that caffeine is addictive and that, if you use it regularly and then stop using it, you will experience the pains and discomfort of drug withdrawal. Dr. Peter B. Dews, Professor Emeritus of Harvard University, the dean of United States caffeine scientists and researchers, told Bennett that stories about caffeine withdrawal greatly exaggerate […]
Caffeine Combats High Blood Pressure
The new study has been completed of nearly 500 men and women, age 65 to 100, who live on a small island called Ikaria, in the Aegean Sea, where more than a third of people live to celebrate their 90th birthday. The study was trying to pinpoint the reasons the people on this island enjoy […]
Coffee Slows the Progression of Liver Disease
New research has found that the caffeine in coffee slows the progression of advanced liver disease in people with chronic hepatitis C, a widespread and often fatal illness. The study was published in the November, 2010 issue of the journal Hepatology. The study included over 750 patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). The participants were asked […]
Caffeine Protects Women's Brains by Lowering Stroke Risk
A new study confirms that the caffeine in even one cup of coffee a day lowers stroke risk in women by about 25%. A stroke is the sudden death of a region of brain cells because of a lack of sufficient oxygen. Strokes are caused by a blockage or rupture of an artery that carries […]
Burned Beans — The Shame of Starbucks
There are two major varieties of coffee beans: arabica and robusta. Robusta coffees are easier and cheaper to grow, but they taste harsher and more bitter. Arabica coffees, from Mocha, to Java, to a dozen other varieties of more costly “gourmet” beans, have a range of subtle and rich flavors. However, there is more to coffee’s […]
Keurig Coffee Maker Attracts Vast Following
A new coffee maker, based on a novel method of brewing single cups of coffee, has been getting a great deal of attention. We admit we haven’t tried it yet, but users’ reviews rave about the quality of the coffee that comes out of this machine. In future posts, we’ll present a complete evaluation. Meanwhile, […]
