Are you one of the billions of people around the world who starts your day with a freshly brewed and deliciously aromatic cup of coffee or tea or maybe even hot chocolate? Or are you caffeine-avoidant, looking on at your coffee-addicted friends with confusion and maybe even pity? In either case, this episode is for you. We are joined by the one and only Matt Candeias of In Defense of Plants to tackle the world’s most consumed psychoactive drug: caffeine. First we get a taste of the massive history of the most popular caffeine-containing beverages, then we trace what exactly caffeine does in your body after that first scrumptious sip. And finally, we explore what role this compound has for those many, many plants that produce it. We hope you find this episode as stimulating as its subject!
| History | Biology |
| Weinberg, Bennett Alan and Bonnie K. Bealer. The world of caffeine: the science and culture of the world’s most popular drug. Psychology press, 2001. | Nehlig A, Daval JL, Debry G. Caffeine and the central nervous system: mechanisms of action, biochemical, metabolic and psychostimulant effects. Brain Res Brain Res Rev. 1992;17(2):139-170. doi:10.1016/0165-0173(92)90012-bFredholm |
| Pollan, Michael. Caffeine: How Caffeine Created the Modern World. Audible Original. 2020. | BB, Bättig K, Holmén J, Nehlig A, Zvartau EE. Actions of caffeine in the brain with special reference to factors that contribute to its widespread use. Pharmacol Rev. 1999;51(1):83-133. |
| Mair, Victor H., and Erling Hoh. The true history of tea. Thames & Hudson, 2012. | Fisone G, Borgkvist A, Usiello A. Caffeine as a psychomotor stimulant: mechanism of action. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2004;61(7-8):857-872. doi:10.1007/s00018-003-3269-3 |
| Black Coffee Canadian National Film Board documentary | Caldeira D, Martins C, Alves LB, Pereira H, Ferreira JJ, Costa J. Caffeine does not increase the risk of atrial fibrillation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Heart. 2013;99(19):1383-1389. doi:10.1136/heartjnl-2013-303950 |
| Klatsky AL, Hasan AS, Armstrong MA, Udaltsova N, Morton C. Coffee, caffeine, and risk of hospitalization for arrhythmias. Perm J. 2011;15(3):19-25. | |
| Abu-Shaweesh JM, Martin RJ. Neonatal apnea:what’s new?. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2008;43(10):937-944. doi:10.1002/ppul.20832s | |
| Maughan RJ, Griffin J. Caffeine ingestion and fluid balance: a review. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2003;16(6):411-420. doi:10.1046/j.1365-277x.2003.00477. | |
| Santos C, Costa J, Santos J, Vaz-Carneiro A, Lunet N. Caffeine intake and dementia: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Alzheimers Dis. 2010;20 Suppl 1:S187-S204. doi:10.3233/JAD-2010-091387 |
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