Comments on: Think Twice Before Drinking Energy Drinks!

By: Asinus Asinum Fricat

Asinus Asinum Fricat — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 01:42:40 +0000

Just this: spectacular. I was impressed enough to write a separate review, which will be posted here on the weekend.

By: Gnasher1

Gnasher1 — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:52:11 +0000

I’ve just been allowed back on the coffee HURRAH!! Had to go off for 2 years while I had clear braces on my choppers – all I can say is that it is instantly addictive (bless it)but you can keep the canned goop. I’ve seen what it does to school kids who chuff into it for breakfast…..
What say you of the spectacular Poverty Hill wines AAF???

By: Anne Hawley

Anne Hawley — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 06:06:06 +0000

You mean those caffeine counts may not include the guarana? Wow. I’ve taken guarana in the past, and it packs a wallop–and I’m a regular coffee drinker.

The use of Red Bull seems to be kind of a signifier of an addictive personality. I’ve seen it used on TV shows that way–the character who’s about to go off the wagon, or secretly already has, is seen chugging down the Red Bull.

I’ll stick to espresso, thanks.

By: Kate Petersen

Kate Petersen — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 13:54:41 +0000

My philosophy has always been that if you are going to ingest any kind of psychoactive drug, caffeine is the one to use. It’s relatively harmless, and while it is addictive, the withdrawal is fairly mild.

That said, I did overdose and “poison” myself once in college, trying to stay up all night to study for a final. I still vividly remember the sensation of (invisible) insects crawling on my skin. I took a shower, took a nap, took my final, and vowed never to do that again.

Caffeine also has an important use in headache control. One theory of migraine pain is that the migraine itself is the result of constricted blood vessels in the brain. This doesn’t hurt per se, but as the blood vessels rebound and dilate, certain neurotransmitters are released and these are what cause pain. Caffeine, a vasoconstrictor, can be used to help “undilate” those blood vessels, shutting off the release of the pain-causing neurotransmitters.

That’s a simplistic view and one that isn’t held by all researchers, but I can personally testify that my secret migraine cure of Sudafed (the real stuff, not PE) and caffeine will work to relieve a migraine when absolutely nothing else will. I don’t sleep for about a day, but hey, it’s a small price to pay to get rid of the headache.