‘Tis the season for midterms, ladies, and something important has come to my attention. With all your midterms, papers, problem sets and weeknight shenanigans, how DO we actually stay awake? Some girls turn to lattes; others turn to FratMusic’s workout playlist. Some may turn to over-the-counter caffeine pills, such as No-Doz or Vivran in order to stay awake. But, I was wondering, are they actually that safe, or are they safer than your average macchiato?
The truth is that caffeine pill use is rampant amongst my girlfriends, and I’ve even been known to take one at the end of the week for that last ditch effort to finish 2 problem sets. However, it’s important that we understand what determines “safe” usage versus abuse. With a quick Google search (Google, what would I do without you?), I discovered these four important things about caffeine that could potentially affect women:
According to NY Mag’s, “The Coffee Junkie’s Guide to Caffeine Addiction”:
- Women metabolize caffeine faster then men.
- Smokers process caffeine faster than nonsmokers, according to the same article.
- Women using the Pill metabolize caffeine at one-third the rate that women not using oral contraceptives do. This was news to me, too.
And, according to a September 26, 2011 article in the Los Angeles Times:
- Women who consume more caffeine over a lifetime are reported to have lower rates of depression.
So, what gives? With so much information out there with competing costs and benefits, it’s hard to know what is actually good for us and what may not be so good for our bodies in the long term.
Caffeine pills usually come in doses of 100 mg or “extra strength” 200 mg, which is about the equivalent of 3 or 6 cans of Coca-Cola or 2 to 4 cups of coffee. (Note, caffeine content in coffee differs between brands, roasts, brewing method, etc, so this is only a rough estimate.] Most caffeine people only take one or two during the span of a day, and they can be extremely effective at increasing alertness and cognitive functioning. They may even cause your body to generate more heat and energy, known as thermogenesis.
When girls go beyond the recommended dosage, however, it can be extremely harmful to their bodies, even fatal. Yes, there have been college-aged women who have died from caffeine pill abuse; just check news archives. An overdose on caffeine can be as simple the typical jittery feelings (around 300 mg, differing with BMI) accompanied by a handful of other side effects. Negative side effects may include (but are not limited to) nausea, headache, dizziness, or more extreme bodily side effects, such as heart palpitations and changes to heart rhythm overall.
Bottom line, collegiettes—be safe! That paper is NOT more important than your life, and sleep when you need it most. Enjoy your caffeine in the pumpkin-spice-and-whipped cream way, and if you have to resort to the pill, be aware of your caffeine sensitivity, talk to your doctor and follow the recommended dosage.