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A 70-page letter and petition, submitted to the US Food and beverage per day, such as coffee, tea or soft drinks, were more Drug Administration (FDA) on 31 July 1997 by the CSPI and prone to PMS. And the more caffeine they consumed, the more based on more than 40 scientific studies, highlighted that caffeine, severe their PMS symptoms."* in addition to being an addictive substance, may cause Likewise, Dr Gary Null's Natural Living radio show, focusing miscarriage, insomnia and other problems.*® The CSPI and on power ageing, mentions a study on the relationship between prominent scientists from various universities including Johns caffeine and fertility which found that just one caffeinated soft Hopkins, Yale, Harvard, Duke, Michigan, California (Berkeley), drink per day was associated with a reduced monthly chance of and others as well as the Association of State and Territorial conception of 50 per cent. The combination of caffeine and Public Health Nutrition Directors, the National Women's Health carbonation in soda pops also makes it a poor choice for people Network, the Boston Women's Health Book Collective and the with intestinal problems.* Society for Nutrition Education urged the FDA to require the caffeine content of . . The choice is yours foods, including soft drinks, to be declared The combination of In a nutshell, the fact is that, every so on labels. It appears that the FDA put the caffeine and carbonation often, medical Professionals release proposal on hold. . research outcomes that cause a brief media The CSPI filed another petition with the In soda pops also makes buzz. Research studies involving FDA on 13 July 2005, asking the agency to A A carbonated beverages abound. It would be require health notices on a range of drinks,” ita poor choice for more appropriate, however, if, instead of a and more recently is urging the FDA to people with intestinal temporary interest in these outcomes as enforce stricter standards for "energy" bl "new" stories for an ever-seeking media, drinks and other so-called functional pro ems. the general population were stirred into foods.” action—to redefine and restyle their lives Roland Griffiths, professor in the to incorporate the results of medical Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns research, especially when the findings present a compelling case Hopkins University School of Medicine, sums up the need of the for lifestyle modification. hour quite well. His words are aimed at Americans but apply to The choice is yours. Colas, energy drinks, etc., are yours for all global citizens who are unaware of the potential outcome of the asking. Once they have wreaked irreversible damage on your caffeine: "Americans should be mindful about their caffeine health, though, you will not be able to ask beverage companies to consumption. Drinking the caffeine equivalent of several cups of return your well-being. Think about it. oo coffee a day can lead to insomnia, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating. Ceasing the consumption of caffeine often leads to | About the Author: withdrawal symptoms, such as headache and fatigue. Caffeine is _ Charu Bahri is an author and freelance writer living in India. a mildly addictive drug, and parents might wish to limit their | She also works part-time for a charity in the health sector. children's consumption of it." Charu strongly advocates a simple, healthy lifestyle. Her In her book Food — Your Miracle Medicine, health and nutrition —_ article "The Ugly Truth about Beauty and Hygiene Products" expert Jean Carper warns women about caffeine. She says: was published in NEXUS vol. 14, no. 1. Charu may be "...those consuming at least one cup of a caffeine-containing contacted at charubahri@gmail.com. beverage per day, such as coffee, tea or soft drinks, were more prone to PMS. And the more caffeine they consumed, the more severe their PMS symptoms."* Likewise, Dr Gary Null's Natural Living radio show, focusing on power ageing, mentions a study on the relationship between caffeine and fertility which found that just one caffeinated soft drink per day was associated with a reduced monthly chance of conception of 50 per cent. The combination of caffeine and carbonation in soda pops also makes it a poor choice for people with intestinal problems.* in soda pops also makes it a poor choice for people with intestinal problems. About the Author: Charu Bahri is an author and freelance writer living in India. She also works part-time for a charity in the health sector. Charu strongly advocates a simple, healthy lifestyle. Her article "The Ugly Truth about Beauty and Hygiene Products" was published in NEXUS vol. 14, no. 1. Charu may be contacted at charubahri@gmail.com. drinking soda", op. cit. http:/Avww.drinkcocaine.com 38. Henkel, John, "Sugar Substitutes: Americans Opt for Sweetness and 46. Johnson, "Energy drinks wire youths...", op. cit. Lite", FDA Consumer, November-December 1999 (revised December 47. CSPI, "Soft Drinks Undermining Americans’ Health”, op. cit. 2004), http://www fda.gov/fdac/features/1999/699_sugar.html 48. Mercola with Droege, "The Real Dangers of Soda...", op. cit. 39. CSPI, "Liquid Candy’ Highlights", 49. Cohen, "Schoolhouse Rot", op. cit. http!/www.cspinet.org/sodapop/highlights.htm ; 50. CSPI, "Label Caffeine Content of Foods, Scientists Tell FDA: Health 40. American College of Emergency Physicians, "Caffeine Abuse Activists Say Caffeine Causes More Than a ‘Buzz’, 31 July 1997, Among Young People Discovered in Examination of Poison Center http://www.cspinet.org/new/caffeine.htm Calls’, 16 October 2006, http:/Avww.acep.org/webportall 51. CSPI, "CSPI Calls on FDA to Require Health Warnings on Sodas", Newsroom/NA/general/2006/101606b.htm 13 July 2005, http://www .goodnutrition.org/new/200507131..html 41. Johnson, Carla K., "Energy drinks wire youths, and experts see 52. CSPI,"FDA Urged to Stop Claims for ‘Energy’ Drinks", 5 December trouble: Misuse of the popular beverages is linked to health problems", 2006, http:/www.cspinet. org/new/200612051 htm! Associated Press, 30 October 2006, pb) . Eade ihi http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/290422_energydrinks30. a ae Caeine rc aera How Food Can html : : hee A Prevent and Cure over 100 Symptoms and Problems, HarperCollins, 42. Birchard, Karen, "Irish concerned about health effects of stimulant New York, 1993, quoted in Adams, Mike, ‘The health effects of soft drinks", The Lancet 356(9245):1911, 2 December 2000, ann . : http:/Avww.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/ drinking soda’, op. cit. PIISO14067360573470X/fulltext 55. Null, Gary, quoted in Adams, Mike, "The health effects of drinking 43. Finnegan, Derek, "The health effects of stimulant drinks", Nutrition Soda’, op. cit. ni ; Bulletin 2003; 28(2):147-155, http:/www.blackwell-synergy.com/ 56. Tresca, Amber, "Avoid Carbonated Beverages, doi/abs/10.1046/j.14673010.2003.00345.x?journalCode=nbu http://ibdcrohns.about.com/od/irritablebowelsyndrome/qt/ibstip19.htm 44. Ward, Andrew, "A case of can do: Red Bull is on a roll", 11 57. Zimmerman, Marcia, The ADD Nutrition Solution: A Drug-Free November 2005, http:/Avww.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/ 30-Day Plan, Henry Holt & Co., New York, 1999, Adams, Mike, "The 0,20867,17204119-27654,00.html health effects of drinking soda", op. cit. 45. Mason, Michael, "The Energy-Drink Buzz is Unmistakable. The 58. "What | need to know about Kidney Stones”, Health Impact is Unknown", 12 December 2006, http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/stones_ez/#avoid NEXUS = 33 The combination of FEBRUARY — MARCH 2007 www.nexusmagazine.com