Coffee consumption linked to lower melanoma risk

Sunblock you can drink? A new study suggests that drinking coffee could reduce the risk of developing melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, by as much as 20%. Researchers from the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health and the Yale School of Public Health found that the more coffee people drank, the lower their melanoma risk. 

Coffee Drinking and Cutaneous Melanoma Risk inthe NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study

Dr David J. Marcon
463 Ohio Pike, Suite 104
Cincinnati, Ohio 45255
513-474-1111
www.marconchiropractic.com

Too much coffee may result in ‘caffeine intoxication’ but specific risks and benefits are still up for debate

It is possible to die from too much caffeine—if you drank 14,000 milligrams or around 140 8-ounce cups of coffee in one day?

“Caffeine intoxication” became official in the medical community when the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,” known as DSM-5, added the diagnosis last year.
So do cappuccino lovers need to worry about limiting their consumption?
One expert, Matthew Johnson, associate professor in the department of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University, explains how caffeine works in the body and when to cut back.
Caffeine works by blocking adenosine, a neuromodulator in the brain that puts the brakes on excitatory neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine. “Caffeine allows these stimulating chemicals to flow, which can have a rousing effect, even at very low doses,” says Dr. Johnson, a psychopharmacologist who studies the influence of drugs on behavior and mood.
Some people will get edgy from a weak cup of tea. For others, a double espresso is required to get them into the shower in the morning.
Most coffee drinkers are familiar with at least some symptoms of overindulging—nervousness, excitement, insomnia, rambling thoughts. But a large majority of people who consume caffeine don’t experience severe consequences, Dr. Johnson says.
There are some case reports of students experiencing major anxiety after drinking a dozen cups of coffee, Dr. Johnson says. But overdosing would be difficult, “unless folks took multiple caffeine pills or drank many cans of energy drinks” such as Red Bull.
It is possible for a person to die from too much caffeine, “but that would mean about 14,000 milligrams, or around 140 8-ounce cups of coffee in one day,” Dr. Johnson says. Consuming that much would be difficult because of coffee’s self-limiting nature. “One cup makes you feel good and alert, but five cups may make you feel like your stomach is cramping,” he says. “You feel wired and you wouldn’t typically be able to go overboard.”
While clinicians may observe benefits and risks of caffeine intake, the effects are still being debated in academic circles, Dr. Johnson says. “The evidence that unfiltered coffee increases LDL cholesterol levels is convincing,” he says, referring to the “bad” type of cholesterol. “But it’s the mortality studies that count the most,” he says.
One study suggests mortality benefits at up to six cups of coffee a day, Dr. Johnson says. Another suggested mortality risks in people under 55 who drink more than four cups a day. As a result, “I would be hesitant to say that we’ve reached any final answer,” he says.
Current research into depression has looked closely at glutamate, one of the neurotransmitters affected by caffeine, Dr. Johnson says. “In a recent study, those who drank two to four cups of caffeinated coffee had fewer depressive symptoms, and the opposite was true for those who lowered their intake,” he says. That doesn’t mean depressed patients would benefit from a steady diet of triple lattes. “If a patient is depressed and predisposed to panic attacks, for example, caffeine might make the condition worse,” he says.
The most convincing evidence indicates you’re probably not at risk for major side effects if you consume up to about four 8-ounce cups of filtered coffee, or around 400mg, early in the day, Dr. Johnson says. “If you’re drinking under four cups a day and not having any side effects, then you’re probably OK,” he says.

Email questions to burning@wsj.com

David Marcon, DC
463 Ohio Pike, Suite 104
Cincinnati, Ohio 45255
513-474-1111
www.marconchiropractic.com

Does drinking coffee help protect against developing type 2 diabetes?

This article by Dr Briffa shows there is some association between coffee consumption and reduced risk of type II Diabetes.  Could it be that caffeine in coffee boosts our energy levels to a point where we don't feel the need for simple sugars?  Does it have to do with vasodialation that is associated with caffeine or perhaps the stereotypical coffee drinker is constantly active utilizing more calories
I read an interesting study this week that examined the relationship between changes in coffee and tea consumption and risk of developing type 2 diabetes over a 4-year period [1]. The authors found no association between tea consumption and diabetes risk, but it was a different story for coffee: increasing coffee consumption was associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes over the 4-year study period. Also, overall, in individuals who reduced their coffee consumption, risk of diabetes went up.

The authors suggest that a possible explanation for the latter finding is ‘reverse causality’. Essentially, the idea here is that as people get sick, they then reduce their coffee consumption. In other words, illness leads to reduced coffee consumption, not the other way round. However, even then the analysis was performed to adjust for this (by excluding those with other illnesses), the results were pretty much the same.

The authors also found that the benefits associated with coffee consumption only existed for caffeine coffee (not decaffeinated). However, as they explain, decaffeinated consumption was generally low and the numbers of relevant people in the study may not have been enough to pick up any effect.

Other evidence has found a link between caffeinated coffee and reduced risk of type 2 diabetes (but no such link for decaffeinated coffee) [2].

Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, I feel it’s worth reminding ourselves here that these studies (so-called ‘epidemiological’ studies) cannot be used to conclude that drinking caffeinated coffee reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes (only that there is an association).

However, we do have some ‘clinical’ evidence that suggests that coffee may indeed be protective. In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the effect of coffee-drinking on a variety of biochemical markers of disease was assessed [3].

A group of coffee drinkers were asked to abstain from drinking coffee for a month. The following month they were asked to drink four cups of coffee a day (a total of 600 mls of coffee a day). The month following this they were instructed to drink 8 cups of coffee a day.

Compared to drinking no coffee, drinking 8 cups a day was associated with significantly reduced levels of inflammatory markers (interleukin-18 and 8-isoprostane), as well as significantly raised levels of adiponectin. This hormone is secreted by fat cells, and has been shown to have generally beneficial effects on the body’s physiology including an ability to help the functioning of the hormone insulin. Broadly, these effects from drinking coffee would be expected to translate into relative protection from type 2 diabetes.

While the evidence is not definitive, there is I think significant evidence that supports the idea that drinking coffee may help to reducerisk of succumbing to type 2 diabetes. There is some type 2 diabetes in my family, and I do drink coffee. I imagine I’ll continue to drink it (and enjoy it) for some time yet.

References:
1. Bhupathiraju SN, et al. Changes in coffee intake and subsequent risk of type 2 diabetes:
three large cohorts of US men and women. Diabetologia DOI 10.1007/s00125-014-3235-7
2. Floegel A, et al. Coffee consumption and risk of chronic disease in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Germany study. Am J Clin Nutr 2012;95:901-908
3. Kempf K, et al. Effects of coffee consumption on subclinical inflammation and other risk factors for type 2 diabetes: a clinical trial. Am J Clin Nutr 2010;91:950-957

David Marcon, DC

Caffeine Withdrawl

Interesting piece in June 11th 2013 Wall Street Journal regarding caffeine and the side effects when reducing or eliminating coffee.

Here are some points:

• Because of genetics, some people metabolize caffeine slowly, needing eight hours to rid half of it from the body.  Other people require just two hours. 

• Quitting caffeine usually brings withdrawal symptoms, including headaches that can last roughly two to nine days. 

• People typically consume about 280 mg a day of caffeine, equal to about two average cups of coffee.  Heavy consumption is about 400 mg a day.

• Smoking speeds up caffeine metabolism.

• To kick the habit, doctors recommend Tapering off gradually over two to four weeks.

• Quitting caffeine is now listed as a Mental Health Disorder.  This occurrence is very rare.

Dr David Marcon

Marcon Chiropractic & Wellness Center

www.marconchiropractic.com

Is This the End of the Soft-Drink Era?

Coca-Cola Co., Pepsi Co Inc. and Dr.Pepper Snapple Group Inc.have struggled to reverse the decline in soda consumption in the U.S., where shoppers increasingly reach for water, coffee, and other drinks.Now they have a bigger worry: soda revenue.

As U.S. consumption steadily slipped over the past eight years, the beverage giants typically were able to raise prices enough to keep soda revenues from America's favorite drink growing. But soda sales at U.S. stores declined in the second half of last year—including during the holidays, when party goers normally pay up to gulp more.

Read Entire Article: Wall Street Journal

They may not be selling the same amount of pop but they all have their hands in coffee, bottled water, sports and energy drinks which are all, except water, sugar and caffeine delivery systems. 

As divisive as soda is for our long term health, the new offerings have the potential for immediate impact. 
Energy Drinks Blamed For Boost In Emergency Room Visits

Work Smarter; Not Harder!

Dr. David Marcon
Marcon Chiropractic & Wellness Center
Cincinnati, Ohio 45255
www.marconchiropractic.com 

FDA: 5 reported deaths with Monster drink link

Published 4:30 PM EDT Oct 22, 2012

HAGERSTOWN, Md. — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it's investigating reports of five deaths and a non-fatal heart attack linked to highly caffeinated Monster Energy Drinks.

The agency acknowledged the adverse reports Monday, but FDA spokeswoman Shelly Burgess says they don't prove that the drinks caused the deaths.

The news follows last week's filing in California of a wrongful death suit by the parents of a 14-year-old, Hagerstown, Md., girl who died after drinking two, 24-ounce Monster Beverage Corp. drinks in 24 hours.

An autopsy concluded she died of cardiac arrhythmia due to caffeine toxicity. She had an inherited disorder that can weaken blood vessels.

Monster says it doesn't believe its products caused any deaths.

Shares of the Corona, Calif.-based company plunged $7.20, or 13.5 percent, to $46.12 in trading Monday.

Read more: http://www.wlwt.com/news/health/FDA-5-reported-deaths-with-Monster-drink-link/-/9837732/17086780/-/lk03lxz/-/index.html#ixzz2A44HzphH

Dr David Marcon 

Marcon Chiropractic & Wellness Center

8136 Beechmont Avenue

Cincinnati, Ohio 

Pricey Nuvigil competes with coffee—and has a lot more side effects

"Roger Greer, a 45-year-old water treatment plant worker from Coatesville, Pa., was surfing the Internet when he discovered that his constant fatigue had a medical name: shift work sleep disorder. The starting time of Greer’s job rotates weekly, leaving him sleepy on the job and ornery at home. The website had an ad suggesting he ask his doctor if an alertness pill made by Cephalon (CEPH), called Nuvigil, is right for him. A year later, “I don’t have those sleepy moments,” says Greer. “Now at 3 in the morning, the absolute worst time for anybody, I no longer have the fear of missing something here at work.”

Workers like Greer are prime targets for a Cephalon marketing campaign—on the Internet and radio, in doctors’ offices, and at community meetings—that aims to educate America’s 15 million shift workers about the disorder. For the drugmaker, it’s a way to build brand recognition and sales for Nuvigil, a newer version of its blockbuster narcolepsy drug, Provigil, which loses patent protection next year. But the campaign has sparked concern by some doctors about whether a pharmaceutical solution is the best way to stay alert on the job. Nuvigil hasn’t been proved more effective than coffee, is classified as possibly addictive, and carries side effects that can be fatal, according to the drug’s label."

The per-pill cost of Nuvigil is six times the cost of a medium Starbucks coffee D. Hurst/Alamy

Read More...





As stated in the body of the Bloomberg Article, Nuvigil is a new version of a narcolepsy drug, Provigil, which loses patent protection next year. So we can see why there is a big push to find a new and bigger audience for this drug. Make no mistake, shift work is life shortening because of its effect on sleep cycles. But does the risk/reward of Nuvigil make sense?

Dr David Marcon
Work Smarter Not Harder!
Cincinnati, Ohio
wwww.drdavidmarcon.com