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I have had way way way WAY too much caffeine today.Which, luckily, meant I accomplished more today than I have in a week. Hurrah! Accordingly, I’ve (respectfully) made an addition to Jorge Cham’s grad student motivational graph:If that little peak were obnoxiously loud red or manically hot pink, it’d mimic my mental state pretty darn closely. UPDATE:All right, in response to a comment that was just posted on caffeinated soap, I’ll cite this article that assessed the permeability and transdermal absorption of three difference compounds – one of which is caffeine – on human skin grafts (yes, ew).The most relevant results are found on the graph on p828, where the permeability of caffeine (abbreviated ‘CF’ and marked w/ filled triangles) is measured over time. I’m no pharmacologist, but that looks like a pretty puny amount of trans-dermal absorption. And check out the timeframe.Nevermind how much absorption to expect in a running shower with a bar of lightly caffeinated soap that you’re slathering all over your body. The water bath used for the skin grafts was 37 degrees C, which is shower-able, but the time frame used in the study is just a tad bit longer than I think Al Gore would like us to shower for (first timepoint on graph is 2hr). The soap manufacturer’s state that each “serving” contains 200mg of caffeine, which is a solid two cups of coffee, but I’d like to see some measurements of serum caffeine levels after all’s said and done.So there you have it – caffeinated soap, debunked.UPDATE: William Saletan of Slate commented on this, too…but I beat him to it (Source: The Anterior Commissure)

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Filed under: Type 2, Adult Onset, Diet, Research, ProductsCaffeine intake makes insulin more resistant to changes in blood sugar levels, Canadian researchers report.
The researchers evaluated sugar metabolism in 23 men before and after a three-month exercise program. Before and during the exercise program, the men were given caffeine or a placebo. The subjects included 8 sedentary lean men, 7 obese men with type 2 diabetes, and 8 obese men without diabetes. Before the exercise program, caffeine reduced insulin sensitivity by 33% in the lean and obese men and 37% in the obese men with diabetes compared to placebo. After the exercise program, insulin sensitivity fell 23% after caffeine intake in the lean men, 26% in the obese men, and 36% in the obese diabetic men. Comparison of the two study phases showed that exercise did not improve insulin resistance related to caffeine intake. It seems that caffeine weakens or offsets any of the beneficial effects of exercise or weight loss on insulin resistance. While the clinical implications remain unclear, the findings are a “red flag” for doctors and are particularly important for obese patients and those with diabetes.
Don’t go throwing-away your Starbucks gift card – although the effects of caffeine on insulin were duly noted, the fact remains that coffee may cut the risk of diabetes. Although the findings seem to contradict recent reports that coffee intake may cut the risk of diabetes, coffee contains several other substances that may affect sugar metabolism, such as antioxidants, potassium and magnesium. Caffeine without all of the other substances that are found in coffee produces a different result. Like peanut butter and chocolate – peanut butter by itself is a high-fat protein. When you combine it with chocolate you have a melodic mix disdainfully referred to as candy but happily celebrated in the form of a REESE’S Peanut Butter Cups. It’s all in the delivery, folks. Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments (Source: The Diabetes Blog)

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Filed under: Type 1, Type 2, Childhood, Adult Onset, Diet, Lifestyle, ProductsUnless public health takes urgent measures, the Institute of Medicine warned in a report one in five children in the United States will be obese by the year 2010.
In response to this alarming message, Just Different Specialty Tea Company now offers Captain Teao’s organic Tea for Kids – a calorie and caffeine free kid-friendly beverage. The tea is a refreshing drink that provides a healthy beverage option in the fight against childhood obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. It is made with organic rooibos and is available in several flavors, such as: Very Vanilla, Orangie Orange, Lip Licking Lemon, Mango Madness and Peachy Keen Peach.
Captain Teao is the first character of his kind. He is a fictional, fun loving superhero who’s on a mission to help kids fight the effects of childhood obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. While on his mission Captain Teao invented Tea for Kids as a great tasting, healthy and refreshing alternative to high calorie sodas and fruit juices. Unlike sodas and juices — Tea for Kids contains no sugar or caffeine and is loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Cheers to Captain Teao for brewing such a socially responsible message. Here here! Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments (Source: The Diabetes Blog)

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Recent research shows that coffee drinkers come in two flavors: “fast” metabolizers and “slow” metabolizers. People with a particular gene variant are more vulnerable to it’s effects. The gene in question controls the production of a key enzyme, known as CYP1A2, responsible for metabolizing coffee in the liver. People who inherit the slow version face a greater risk of non-fatal heart attacks at high levels of caffeine intake.“The association between coffee and myocardial infarction [heart attack] was found only among individuals with the slow CYP1A2 allele [gene variant], which impairs caffeine metabolismm, suggesting that caffeine plays a role in the association,” the authors wrote in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).The University of Toronto’s Ahmed El-Sohemy, a co-author of the published study, told the Associated Press that metabolic differences might help to explain why previous studies of caffeine’s cardiovascular effects have proven to be contradictory and inconclusive.*Unfortunately, at present only an expensive lab test will reveal which variant a given coffee drinker has inherited.Sources:–Cornelis, Marilyn, C., et al. “Coffee, CYP1A2 Genotype, and Risk of Myocardial Infarction.” Journal of the American Medical Association. 295 10: 1135 March 8, 2006.–”Coffee May Spell Heart Trouble for Some.” Associated Press. March 7, 2006.——————–*Drugs are broken down into their constituent waste products by specific sets of enzymes. A subset of the human population, variously estimated at 3% to 7%, are categorized as “poor metabolizers.” For them, a drug’s recommended dosage is often far too high.The culprit is a genetic variant that codes for a liver enzyme called cytochrome P450 isoenzyme 2D6, known in shorthand as CYP2D6. Poor metabolizers produce less of this crucial enzyme, which means that drugs are broken down and excreted at a much slower pace. In these people, the recommended dose results in higher drug concentrations. This obviously can make a crucial difference in how a person reacts to the drugs.About one out of 20 people has a mutation in the 2D6 gene that causes a lack of the enzyme, according to UC-San Francisco biochemist Ira Herskowitz. “Those people are really getting a whopping dose.” In addition, if a person with normal CYP2D6 levels is taking several drugs that are broken down by CYP2D6, then the enzyme’s ability to degrade one drug can greatly inhibit its ability to degrade the others. This increases the possibility of adverse drug interactions, particularly among the elderly, who may already be suffering from liver disease or impaired renal function. Drugs of abuse severely complicate these enzymatic issues, since addicts and alcoholics are not known for volunteering information about their condition to medical or hospital personnel. Poor metabolizers often have little or no reaction to codeine-based medications. Screening tests for CYP2D6 variations are becoming cheaper and more widely available.Enzyme interactions can work the other way, too. St. John’s Wort, for example, is suspected of activating another drug breakdown enzyme, CPY3A, thereby accelerating, rather than retarding, the destruction of other drugs. The herb can alter the metabolization of Phenobarbital, tamoxifen, oral contraceptives, and antiviral medications. Drugs must be combined with caution, and people need to monitor dosages, because of the tremendous degree of metabolic variation that exists.“Start low and go slow” is still the best advice.–See the web site for ”Addiction: The Search For a Cure,” By Dirk Hanson. (Source: Addiction Inbox)

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I was in Starbucks a little while ago, and the woman behind me in line ordered a drink that was literally 20 words long. There were so many specifics that barista had to take a breath three times while calling it out after it was made. As soon as the door closed behind this particular customer, the entire cafe burst out into laughter. * * * * * *While out doing some last-minute Christmas shopping a couple of days ago, I discovered a drive-through Starbucks. I haven’t tried it out, but I’m intrigued! * * * * * *Seeing as my parents live in a little tiny town where there is a gas station and a general store and not much else, I’ve been in Starbucks-less-ness while I’ve been visiting. Consequently I’ve developed my own recipe for specialty coffee:1. Fill 1/3 of a cup with freshly brewed strong coffee (so that it can sort of double as an espresso shot).2. Fill the rest of the cup with skim milk, and add hot chocolate powder. 3. Microwave for 2 minutes. 4. Stir, add whipped cream and cinnamon, and enjoy!(It’s yummy, but definitely not very good for you! I tried making a peppermint version of this today using mint extract, but it did not work out very well at all so I don’t recommend it!) * * * * * *There you go, probably the most random useless post I’ve ever written. Coffee doesn’t work terribly well as a theme. I’ll try to come up with something better tomorrow. Image credit (Source: I’m Not Anti-Social, I’m Just Pre-Med)

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