Caffeine And Its Effects On Joint Pain
As a stimulant, caffeine can have multiple effects on your overall health, both positive and negative. A study from 2000 suggested a connection between caffeine and rheumatoid arthritis, a common source of joint inflammation. Subsequent research has produced mixed results. A more recent study in Finland indicates there may be a link between how many cups of coffee people drink daily and their joint pain. In the article below, Los Angeles spine surgeons discuss a few of the ways caffeine can negatively affect joint pain.
Are Nsaids Safe To Take If You Have Kidney Disease
NSAIDs are usually safe for occasional use when taken as directed. However, if your doctor has told you that you have low kidney function, NSAIDs might not be right for you. These medications should only be used under a doctor’s care by patients with kidney disease. Also, they might not be the best choice for people with heart disease, high blood pressure or liver disease. Some of these drugs affect blood pressure control. High doses over a long period of time can also lead to chronic kidney disease and even progress to kidney failure.
For people without kidney disease, the recommended dose of aspirin can be safe if you read the label and follow the directions. When taken as directed, regular use of aspirin does not seem to increase the risk of kidney disease in people who have normal kidney function. However, taking doses that are too large may temporarily and possibly permanently reduce kidney function. In people with kidney disease, aspirin may increase the tendency to bleed.
Symptoms You May Experience
The areas around your kidneys may feel sore after you drink alcohol. This is the area at the back of your abdomen, under your ribcage on both sides of your spine. This pain may be felt as a sudden, sharp, stabbing pain or more of a dull ache. It may be mild or severe and can be felt on one or both sides of the body.
Kidney pain may be felt in the upper or lower back or between the buttocks and lower ribs. The pain may be felt immediately after consuming alcohol or after youve stopped drinking. Sometimes it gets worse at night.
Other symptoms include:
There are many causes of kidney pain. Its important to understand the reason for your discomfort in case its a sign of something serious. Read on to learn more about these conditions and how to treat them.
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How Much Kombucha Tea Should You Drink Per Day
Though kombucha is safe for most people, its best to limit your intake for several reasons.
It can be high in calories and sugar, so overindulging isnt the best choice for your health.
To reap the benefits of kombucha without consuming too many calories, limit your intake to one to two 8-ounce servings per day.
Its important to note that most kombucha bottles contain two servings 16 ounces or about 480 ml.
Choose high-quality, low-calorie, low-sugar products stored in dark glass containers. This packaging protects the probiotics from light damage.
Pick a kombucha that delivers no more than 50 calories per serving to keep liquid calorie intake in check.
Summary Limiting your kombucha intake to one or two servings per day is best. Focus on products that are high in quality and low in calories and sugar.
Energy Drink Manufacturers’ Stand
Currently, most manufacturers participate in voluntary and mandatory reporting on the adverse effects of their respective energy drinks.
The current official line from the manufacturers seems to be that insufficient data exist with regards to most ingredients found in major energy drinks and therefore a cause and effect relationship between any energy drink and death/illness cannot be conclusively established.
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Heartburn And Stomach Upset
Caffeine can aggravate the production of stomach acid, Czerwony says. The result: uncomfortable heartburn symptoms.
Acids in coffee can add to the problem, but coffee isnt the only culprit. Caffeine in soda and other sources can also trigger acid reflux. Too much caffeine can cause stomach issues, she adds.
How Much Caffeine Is It Safe To Consume
The research is not clear, but it is likely that healthy adults can generally consume around 400mg of caffeine a day that is 2 espresso coffees or 5 energy drinks.
Children should consume less than 3mg for each kilo of body weight a day. For children aged 9 to 13, this is about 120mg a day, or 2 cans of cola. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding it is a good idea to limit your intake to 200mg per day that is 1 espresso, 2 instant coffees or 4 cups of tea.
But some people are particularly sensitive to caffeine if you find that 1 coffee per day gives you a racing heart, then give it up.
People with health conditions should talk to their doctor about caffeine as part of any discussions about a healthy lifestyle.
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Symptoms Of Too Much Caffeine
Although caffeine can act as a diuretic, it is no longer believed to cause dehydration. Research shows that your body adjusts to your caffeine intake, which means that drinking caffeinated beverages is not likely to increase your need for water.
The stimulant properties of caffeine increase your blood pressure and heart rate. Consuming too much may give you that jumpy and slightly alarmed feeling known as the jitters. Larger amounts of caffeine may make you irritable, sleepless, and possibly trigger anxiety, cause diarrhea, and prevent the absorption of calcium in your body. Other side effects include:
- Nervousness
- Heart palpitations or fast heartbeat
- Incontinence
- Muscle spasms
- Upset stomach
In rare cases, a condition known as rhabdomyolysis can occur with the overconsumption of caffeine. This breakdown of muscle tissue occurs when protein from damaged muscle fibers enter the bloodstream, which may cause kidney damage if left untreated.
Not Sweet: Too Much Iced Tea Causes Kidney Failure
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Drinking tea is good for your health. It may lower the risk of cancer, it can encourage weight loss, and recent studies have shown tea can help lower blood pressure.
But one Arkansas man discovered there can be too much of a good thing.
In May 2014, a 56-year-old man arrived at Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, complaining of weakness, fatigue and body aches. Doctors discovered that his kidneys were failing. He was placed on dialysis. After questioning the patient, they learned that he drank 16 8-ounce glasses of iced tea daily, which is about 1 gallon.
Iced tea is full of oxalic acid, which, when taken in excess, deposits in your kidneys and mucks up the work of removing waste from the blood, says Scott Youngquist, MD, an emergency physician at University of Utah Health. This patient was drinking 16 8-ounce glasses of iced tea per day for an unknown period of time. This created a load of oxalic acid that his kidneys couldn’t handle, leading to renal failure.
Black tea is rich in oxalate, a compound found naturally in many foods. Too much of it can also lead to kidney stones. The man likely consumed 1,500 milligrams of the compound daily. As a comparison, the average person ingests between 150 and 500 milligrams of oxalate each day.
This kind of kidney failure has also been reported due to excessive consumption of star fruit, cucumber fruit, rhubarb and peanuts, Youngquist says.
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Signs Of Too Much Caffeine In Children
The FDA has not set a limit for caffeine intake among children but states that the American Academy of Pediatrics discourages the consumption of caffeine by both children and adolescents.
According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry , children under 12 should not consume any caffeine and avoid common sources of the stimulant found in food and beverages including soda and chocolate. For adolescents 1218 years old, the AACAP suggest limiting caffeine to no more than 100 milligrams per day. Additionally, both the AACAP and AAP recommend that children and adolescents avoid energy drinks entirely.
Since caffeine affects the central nervous system as a stimulant and children’s brains are more sensitive to caffeine than adults, it may cause the following health issues:
- Anxiety
- Muscle aches
- A feeling of being “addicted”
Keep in mind that caffeine dependency is not the same as drug addiction. Though caffeine does not cause “addiction” in the traditional sense, you may begin to crave the rise in dopamine that’s associated with caffeine consumption. While too much caffeine may be harmful, it is unlikely to result in the same negative consequences as drug addiction.
Top 5 Healthy Drinks For People With Kidney Disease
Many of us love reaching for a refreshing, ice cold drink on a hot summer day, or cozying up with a warm beverage during the dead of winter. But did you know that the drinks you choose to quench your thirst can have a tremendous impact on your kidney health?
As a nephrologist and Kidney Kitchen® contributor, drink-related questions are some of the most common questions I get. Whether you need to watch out for certain nutrients or have fluid restrictions that you need to stick to, there are ways to enjoy healthy drinks for your kidneys. Remember: each person with kidney disease should stick to the food and fluid plan you discussed with your doctor and dietitian, as it addresses your specific kidney function, fluid needs and electrolyte imbalances . Here are five of my favorite drinks that are generally healthy for people with kidney disease:
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Alcohol And Kidney Disease
Drinking alcohol heavily can have several long-term health consequences including type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. These conditions commonly lead to kidney disease. Excessive drinking is considered to be more than four drinks per day. This doubles your risk of developing chronic kidney disease or long-term kidney damage. The risk increases if youre a smoker.
Kidneys that have been overworked due to excess alcohol consumption dont function properly. This makes them less able to filter blood and maintain the correct water balance in the body. The hormones that control kidney function can also be adversely affected.
Heavy drinking can also cause liver disease, which makes your kidneys have to work harder. When you have liver disease, your body doesnt balance the flow and filtering of blood as well as it should. This has a harmful effect on your overall health and can increase the chance of complications.
How Likely Is A Caffeine Overdose
A person might find consuming too much caffeine and experiencing side effects to be easy. However, a life-threatening overdose is rare, and a caffeine overdose as a cause of death even rarer.
In a 2018 review of scientific journal articles, researchers identified 92 reported deaths from caffeine overdose. This review included all journals since online databases began. The researchers believe that around one-third of these deaths are likely to be suicide.
In general, caffeine will begin to affect the body if there are more than 15 milligrams per liter in the blood. A concentration of 80 to 100 mg/L can be fatal.
Caffeine overdose is most likely to result from taking a dietary supplement or caffeine tablets rather than from drinking coffee, especially when people combine these products with energy drinks, sodas, or coffee. Supplements increase the risk due to having higher levels of caffeine than foods and drinks.
Unlike drinking coffee, or even taking supplements containing caffeine, using purified caffeine powder is highly dangerous and much more likely to cause an overdose.
The United States Food and Drug Administration warns that a teaspoon of powdered caffeine can be equivalent to 28 cups of coffee. It stresses that pure and highly concentrated caffeine products can have serious health consequences.
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Could Lead To Excess Caffeine Consumption
Kombucha is usually made with black or green tea, both of which contain caffeine.
Although kombucha contains far less caffeine than traditional brewed tea, its possible to consume too much caffeine if youre overdoing it on kombucha.
For example, GTs Kombucha contains anywhere between 8 to 14 mg of caffeine per 8-ounce serving .
While thats a small amount compared to the 47 mg of caffeine found in one cup of brewed black tea, drinking too much kombucha can impact those sensitive to this stimulant .
People sensitive to the effects of caffeine may feel anxious or jittery if consuming too much kombucha (
Plus, drinking kombucha close to bedtime may cause sleep disruptions.
Summary Kombucha contains caffeine, which may cause unwanted side effects in certain people.
What Does Caffeine Do To The Body
Caffeine exerts various effects on the human body, primarily enhancing alertness and prolonging attention, and it does this through direct stimulation of the central nervous system. This is why a cup of coffee can make it much easier to focus on tasks that are often boring!
The stimulant action of caffeine occurs due to its action as an adenosine antagonist and adenosine receptor agonist. Through this action, it plays a role in the regulation of brain activity as well as the states of wakefulness and sleep.
This has caused many scientists to become interested in the many ways in which caffeine consumption may affect human health. The subject is highly controversial, especially with regard to the relationship that exists between caffeine and chronic pain.
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If I Need Pain Medicines What Can I Do To Keep My Kidneys Healthy
Kidney disease caused by pain relievers is often preventable. Here are some things you can do to help keep your kidneys healthy.
How you take these medicines makes a difference:
- Make sure you read the warning label before using any overthecounter analgesics.
- Do not use overthecounter pain relievers more than 10 days for pain or more than three days for fever. If you have pain or fever for a longer time, you should see your doctor.
- Avoid using pain medicines that contain a combination of ingredients, like aspirin, acetaminophen and caffeine mixed together in one pill.
- If you are taking pain medicines, increase the amount of fluid you drink to six to eight glasses a day.
- If you are taking pain medicines, avoid drinking alcohol.
Talking with your doctor about pain medicines can also make a difference:
- If you have kidney disease, ask your doctor before taking a pain medicine, particularly NSAIDs and higher dose aspirin.
- If you have high blood pressure or heart disease, make sure you only take NSAIDs under your doctors supervision. This is especially important if you take diuretic medications or are over 65 years of age.
- Make sure your doctor knows about all medicines you are taking, even over-the-counter medicines.
When To See A Doctor
If a person has any symptoms of caffeine overdose, or if they have taken a large amount of caffeine accidentally, they should seek medical advice.
A person can get immediate advice from Poison Control, a not-for-profit organization that runs a helpline and website to give information on accidental poisoning.
The half-life of a drug is how long it takes for half the drug to leave the body. The half-life of caffeine is 3 to 5 hours.
A person may experience side effects that are unpleasant but not a cause for concern, such as feeling restless or dehydrated. These side effects will usually go away within 3 to 5 hours.
In the case of mild side effects, a person can take the following steps at home:
- not drinking any further caffeine
- drinking water to rehydrate
- taking a walk to use energy and stop feeling restless
A person who has a caffeine overdose may need medical treatment, including intravenous fluids, supplements, or activated charcoal.
Activated charcoal can stop caffeine from entering the gut. If caffeine does enter the gut, an even higher level could get into the blood and cause further health problems.
Regularly consuming high doses of caffeine may cause long-term health problems, including:
- stomach ulcers
- anxiety and depression
Caffeine powder and supplements can contain very high levels of caffeine that may be harmful to health. The strongly advises people to avoid these products.
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Caffeine As A Diuretic
Caffeine, which belongs to a class of substances called methylxanthines, is a mild diuretic. Theophylline, another drug in this class, was actually used as a diuretic until more potent diuretics were developed. Both of these drugs act on the kidneys by preventing absorption of water. Research reported by R.J. Maughan and J. Griffin in the December 2003 “Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics” noted that people who had not had any caffeine for a few days had increased urinary output after drinking the amount of caffeine equivalent to two to three cups of coffee.
Can Drinking Too Much Caffeine Affect Your Kidneys
Caffeine may be the most common drug in the human food supply. That mug of breakfast coffee, the cup of tea in the afternoon and the energy drink or cola on a hot day all contain caffeine. You may think of caffeine as a mild stimulant and use it for that purpose, but caffeine affects the whole body, including your kidneys.
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