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Count the cups

Too much caffeine can lead to health problems

CUPPA CHEER? Be cautious about how much caffeine you are drinking

Is there such a thing as too much coffee? A recent study suggests there is.

Researchers from Penn State have found that when volunteers were asked to perform difficult mathematical computations in a stressful situation, they did better after they were given the amount of caffeine found in two cups of coffee.

But when the volunteers were given twice as much caffeine, their performance slipped.

The main interest, said the lead researcher, Laura Cousino Klein, was whether a simple test for an enzyme in saliva would provide insight into changes in the volunteers' bodies that could have health implications.

The researchers found that the levels of the enzyme, alpha amylase, did rise during the experiment, suggesting that when people drink caffeine while under stress, their bodies may be experiencing a small-scale flight-or-fight response. Over the long term, this can lead to health problems.

The lesson is not that coffee is bad for you. But as Klein said, "One should be cautious about how much caffeine you are drinking when you are stressed."

(NYT)

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