Some say caffeine a friend; others call it foe

Many students like to start their mornings with coffee or tea, but not many are aware of the potential dangers that float around a good cup of coffee or tea.

Caffeine, the main ingredient in coffee and tea, is addictive and has been found to both raise blood pressure and increase the risk of heart disease and heart irregularities.

Yet almost 80 percent of the Western world's adult population swears by its power to wake people up or boost concentration after a long day's work.

"I need two cups of coffee in the morning before I can even think about school," said Christofer Huseby, a computer engineering major at Cal State Long Beach. "When I don't have any, I get headaches and become irritable."

Depending on intake and the individual's tolerance level, caffeine can put heavy demands on kidneys and can cause confusion, irritability, nausea, nervousness, insomnia, sweating, migraine attacks, tremor and panic attacks.

Studies have shown that the equivalent of four to five cups of coffee raises blood pressure and heightens the risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke.

On the other hand, caffeine has also been shown to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke, and some studies have shown that ingesting around four cups of coffee (3-400 mg) per day has no effect on a person's health.

High coffee consumption is linked to an increased risk of heart disease and also has been associated with high levels of homocysteine, an amino acid and a normal by-product of the metabolism of protein. Homocysteine promotes atherosclerosis, or thickening of the artery walls, which impedes the flow of blood to the heart.

Unfiltered coffee is also well known to contribute to atherosclerosis, through an increased cholesterol content. These lipid substances are present in boiled, percolated and espresso coffee.

Tea, containing around 50-100 mg of caffeine, has in some studies been reported to be good for blood pressure, and in other cases the opposite.

Confused?

There's a jungle of different studies out there, and experts will most likely continue to argue for and against the effects of caffeine for years to come.

Certain countries have taken steps to protect their citizens. For example, in health-conscious Norway, a caffeine limit has been set for soft drinks containing caffeine.

"I think it needs to be regulated," said Arngeir Svingen, a researcher at the Norwegian Department of the Interior. "We don't know enough about the substance. It's better to be on the safe side and limit content until there are some conclusive answers."

In Norway, soft drinks such as Red Bull are banned because of their high caffeine content. Caffeine pills and herbal "energy" pills are also restricted, Svingen said.