HEALTH
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JONESING FOR JAVA
WHY BEING A CAFFEINE ADDICT ISN'T SO BAD
// JUSTINE PATTON
It is 7 a.m. My ear-piercing alarm interrupts my dream, causing me to roll over and moan in sleep-deprived annoyance. Mornings are not my thing. Once I've snoozed about 10 minutes too long, I make a slow, trudging beeline to the kitchen. I take out my coffee grounds, pour tap water into the coffee maker, hit "Brew Now," and wait impatiently for my liquid energy, just like I do every morning.
With each delicious gulp, I feel the hazy cloud around my head being lifted. By the end of my first cup of java goodness, I feel alert and ready to take on the day. My fatigue is long gone.
I have a confession to make: I am a caffeine addict. Or at least that's what I've convinced myself. But is caffeine addiction actually an "addictive disorder?" What is caffeine anyway? Is it really such a bad thing?
For "caffeine addicts," like myself, there's good news. Staci Hendrickson, a registered dietitian in Lawrence, says taking caffeine in daily can be perfectly healthy, as long as it's done correctly.
Caffeine is a chemical compound that is naturally found in a lot of foods that already have some health benefits. Coffee, tea, and cocoa, which all contain caffeine, also contain antioxidants, which can help prevent a number of problems, including diabetes and heart disease. So when you drink a cup of coffee or tea, you're doing more than just fighting fatigue, Hendrickson says.
Caffeine can also help your brain function, which for students is a pretty good deal. Studies have shown that caffeine can help individuals think and recall information more efficiently. Hendrickson says.
However, not everything with caffeine in it is healthy — not by a long shot. Hendrickson says she usually advises individuals to stay away from energy drinks, such as the popular 5-hour Energy, because products like that aren't
always well regulated, and it's hard to tell what is actually in them. "You literally don't know what you're getting." Hendrickson says.
Hendrickson suggests that people stick with foods that naturally contain caffeine, such as coffee. "We have a really good idea about what's in coffee and what effect it has on the body," Hendrickson says.
That's good news for Erika Meltzer, a junior from West Bloomfield, Mich., who drinks iced coffee with soy milk about four times a week. Meltzer says she likes to drink the iced java drink in the summer especially, because it's refreshing and a nice substitute for soda. She also drinks it when she needs an energy boost.
But can a person actually get addicted to those daily jolts of energy?
Nancy Hamilton, an associate professor in psychology at the University of Kansas and a "coffee addict" herself, thinks so. Hamilton says for people to have an "addictive disorder," they must meet the follow criteria:
1. They like to use the substance
Photo Illustration | Ashleigh Lee Caffeine recall: Studies show that drinking coffee can help students remember information learned while studying.
recreationally, because it affects the dopamine pleasure centers in the brain. Hamilton says caffeine definitely does this.
2. When they don't get the substance, they don't feel normal and suffer withdrawal symptoms. Marissa Gedis, a freshman from Plymouth, Minn., can vouch for this. During her first semester of college, Gedis drank caffeinated beverages frequently. She slowly weaned herself off of them starting in January, and she says in the process, she suffered headaches. Hamilton says headaches are common, and people often get irritable and cranky as well.
3. Lastly, people have to use the substance habitually, or do it on a regular basis. Hamilton says, for example, many people get into a habit of having their first cup of coffee when they wake up.
Hamilton says being addicted to caffeine isn't necessarily a bad thing, as long as it doesn't get too severe. She says drinking too much caffeine can increase cortisol, a stress
hormone, and it can also increase a person's heart rate and blood pressure, which can cause heart complications.
What exactly classifies as "too much" caffeine varies from one person to the next. Hendrickson, the dietitian, says people respond differently to caffeine just like people respond differently to alcohol and illicit drugs. Some individuals' brains react stronger than others. The trick is to pay attention to the body. Hendrickson says drinking some caffeine to get the day going is fine, but if individuals continue needing it throughout the day to ward off headaches and mood swings, they may want to reexamine their diets.
CAFFEINE CONTENT FOR
Coffee (8 oz, brewed) 95-200 mg
Monster Energy (16 oz) 160 mg
Full Throttle (8 oz) 144 mg
Rockstar (8 oz) 80 mg
Red Bull (8.3 oz) 76 mg
Vault (12 oz) 71 mg
Mountain Dew (12 oz) 54 mg
Coca-Cola Classic (12 oz) 35 mg
Lipton Iced tea (12 oz) 26 mg
02
24
11
Activities. Dancers Included
Michele Wade Smith, the student
body president, Shade Keys Little,
Chancellor Grey-Little's husband,
and Baby Jay, among many others
ng/KANSAN
ancing
jay; because "you Just have to love Baby Jay"
The winner by popular vote was Matt Rodriguez, a senior majoring in dance as well as a member of the KU Dance Company, with Baby Jay performing a free style number. They opened up with "It Takes Two," by Base Rob and transitioned into "Push It," by Salt-
Rissien's original partner tore her Achilles' heel recently, so Buschini only had a week to learn the complex and fast-paced dance.
Ashlieah Lee/KANSAN
Jim MacAuley, a professional dancer at Paramount, said that it would normally take six months for professionals to master these dances; the performers last night had only one. While a few groups admitted to messing up a few steps, overall every group scored well and
4. Wade "ancing for the spring weather much." be a solved," r. said. 5. I stud- don't 4. but
Baby Jay and Matt Rodriguez perform Thursday night at the first annual SUA Dancing With the Stars. The pair took first place with a free style dance.
-ah Gregory
For more coverage of this story, check out KUJH's newscast today at 4 p.m.
OFFICER | 3A
University hires new officer for non-academic misconduct
POLO | 2A
Nick Kehrwald is filling the newly-created position with hopes of being proactive in student conduct education.
A pair of University alumni and a Lawrencian draw attention to polo by adding bikes to it and bringing it to the streets.
INDEX
Polo gets a bicycle makeover
Classifieds...9A
Crossword...4A
Cryptoquips...4A
Opinion...5A
Sports...10A
Sudoku...4A
WEATHER
All contents, unless stated otherwise; © 2011 The University Daily Kansas
Kirtland's plea differs from the arrangement of the previous six defendants in that he did not enter a plea agreement with the
Kirtland pleads guilty in athletics scandal
Ben Kirtland, a former head of fundraising for Athletics, pleaded guilty in a Wichita court earlier this morning, said Jim Cross, a spokesman for the U.S. district attorney.
TICKETS
The seventh and final defendant in the federal prosecution of several former Kansas Athletics employees has pleaded guilty to involvement in its ticket scandal.
BY ALEX GARRISON agarrison@kansan.com
"Although I do not know the exact value of the tickets I sold, I estimate the total value of the tickets I sold to be in excess of $120,000," he wrote in his petition to change his plea to guilty. "I acknowledge that I was conspiring to commit, and committing, a fraud upon the
government, but rather entered a direct guilty plea, Cross said.
SEE TICKETS ON PAGE 3A
In his plea submitted to the court, Kirtland admitted to illegally selling tickets to KU sporting events for his own financial gain from 2005 to 2009.
MEN'S BASKETBALL | 10A
Which guys are the glue that can keep it together?
Coach Bill Self plays with a lineup to see which combination of players is the most efficient offensively and defensively.
SENATE
Plans for service center delayed
Megan Ritter, student body vice president, said they weren't at the stage they had hoped to be at.
Originally, Student Senate leaders had hoped to have concrete plans in place for the Student Service Center at the conclusion of the semester. Blaming bureaucratic interests, they said that might not happen after all.
One of the major platforms for KUnited coalition — the Student Services Center — won't be met this year because of unexpected delays in the process.
The hope, she said, is that all platforms get done in a year but that isn't always the case.
"We just kind of entered into it not knowing really how much work it would be, but it's been a really good learning experience," Ritter said.
amcnaughtonkansan.com
The center would encompass a variety of services, such as academic achievement and success, disability services and a writing center, that the leaders of Student Senate believe would
BY ANGELIQUE MCNAUGHTON
From the beginning, the top three choices for the site are the Burge Union, Anschutz Library and the parking lot across from the Kansas Union. Renovations or additions to existing structures would accommodate the new building but temporarily displace or relocate staff and faculty.
improve student engagement and performance through accessibility. Ideally, the building would include seven to 10 services.
In an e-mail, provost Jeffrey Vitter said the University ultimately had the responsibility to decide whether to proceed with a project and to determine its location.
The location of the center would ultimately dictate what services would be offered, which still remains a primary concern.
"I expect that this approach will allow us to plan more effectively and avoid dead ends and that process will more successfully mesh with student initiatives if the relevant discussions happen earlier rather than later." Vitter said.
Student Body President Michael Wade Smith said the University
SEE SENATE ON PAGE 3A