Caffeine

Caffeine can be a useful drug if it is not abused. Those occasions where you find yourself needing to stay awake for a very important reason is a perfect time to use this drug (if you are in good health). It is important not to use it on a daily basis because it can be highly addictive (for many people) and can lead to the following problems.
Caffeine increases the production of stomach acid, alters the metabolism of fat, temporarily raises blood pressure and can cause insulin to be released. It can cause heartburn and stomach upsets and may trigger migraines and benign breast tumors. Heavy caffeine consumers may develop stomach disorders, heart palpitations, anxiety and insomnia. When addicted, caffeine users must have it every day or suffer headaches and fatigue.
The Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, Edition 17 (pg. 288) says the following about caffeine: "An alkaloid present in coffee, chocolate, tea, many cola drinks, cocoa, and over the counter medicines such as Anacin, Excedrin, No-Doze, and Vivarin... The pharmacological action of caffeine includes central nervous system stimulation; stimulates gastric acid and pepsin secretion; elevates free fatty acids in plasma; acts as a diuretic; increases basal metabolic rate; decreases total sleep time; and may increase blood sugar level.. The possibility that caffeine contributes to cardiovascular disease, various cancers and birth defects has been investigated. These studies have not provided definitive answers."
Research at St. Georges Hospital in London, has shown that caffeine can cause the muscles around the bladder to contract, resulting in pressure on the bladder. This produces frequent urination in some individuals.
The stimulating effect of caffeine can also lead to sexual dysfunction in men by preventing relaxation in the smooth muscles and nerves of the penis. These nerves need to be relaxed in order to allow blood to flow to the organ. In fact, Viagra works by causing the smooth muscle cells in a man's reproductive tract to relax, just the opposite of caffeine.
Coffee, which is high in caffeine, also contains oxalic acid, even when it is decaffeinated. Oxalic acid binds to minerals in the digestive tract and prevents their absorption, a process which has been linked to facilitating osteopenia and osteoporosis. Oxalic acid has also been linked to the formation of kidney stones.
In the book, Poison with a capital C, by Agatha Thrash M.D. and Calvin Thrash M.D., the authors state, "There are at least 100 harmful chemical compounds in coffee including acetaldehyde, acetic acid, ammonia, carbon disulfide, catechol, ethanol, methanol, naphthalene, phenol, and hydrogen sulfide, all combining to make your body an unwitting and perhaps unwilling apothecary...Many people take about 1/10 the lethal dose every day, and even in one cup of coffee lurk substances that seriously alter the body. Women who drink only one cup of coffee per day have almost three times greater risk of getting bladder cancer than abstainers!"
Many people are finding that caffeine has a highly stimulating effect when cooked, but not when eaten raw. One experiment conducted with a decoction of roasted ground cacao beans in boiling water produced an excitement of the nervous system similar to that caused by black coffee. An excited state of circulation was demonstrated in this case by an accelerated pulse. Notably, when the same decoction was made with raw, unroasted cacao beans neither effect was noticeable. I occasionally indulge in raw cacao and find it to be rather satisfying. It never gives me the jitters, but when I have indulged in much smaller amounts of cooked cacao (chocolate), I became jittery.
So why ingest a drug such as caffeine? I find that a healthy diet and a good yoga set provide me with more energy than I usually need and I never have a problem sleeping!