National Caffeine Awareness Month: What's all the buzz about?

OK, I admit it.  I am somewhat dependent totally addicted to diet soda and have had difficulty kicking the habit over the years. If the very first thing you reach for each morning is a hot cup of Joe or diet soda, you may want to put your drink down before you read this. 

 

In order to raise awareness about the effects and risks of caffeine abuse, addiction and withdrawal syndrome, March is National Caffeine Awareness Month in the United States.

 

Over the years, caffeine has been linked to various health issues including headaches, shakiness, irritability and mood swings to more serious health concerns.   "Caffeine Awareness Month provides us with an opportunity to call attention to the very serious effects caffeine has on our livelihoods," says Marina Kushner, founder and CEO of the Caffeine Awareness Association.  "Caffeine is not only considered habit forming, but also addicting -- and we drink, on average, more than 2 servings of caffeinated beverages every day. During this month, we hope to reach out to educate businesses and consumers about the threat of caffeine addiction and to raise awareness about the impact it has on society." 

 

The Caffeine Awareness Association, a non-profit organization, is dedicated to provide evidence-based information, awareness, advice and help regarding caffeine-related issues. The Association selected the Worst Caffeinated Product of the year.  The 2009 “winner” is Crackheads 2, a type of candy that , according to the website, has 600 milligrams of caffeine in each box. And how much, exactly, is 600 milligrams of caffeine?  600 milligrams is "equivalent to 6 cups of coffee, 11 cans of Mountain Dew or 7.5 cans of Red Bull" all wrapped up in one little box of candy. 

 

If you are curious how much caffeine you consume each day, be sure to check out the caffeine calculator.  To find out if you are at risk, take the risk test.