Workshop Explores Health Hazards Of Caffeine

WASHINGTONThe Institute of Medicine (IOM) will hold a two-day public workshop discussing the potential health impacts of caffeine consumption in dietary supplements and conventional foods on August 5-6, 2013, despite strong research showing caffeine consumption is safe.

The workshop, "Potential Health Hazards Associated with Consumption of Caffeine in Food and Dietary Supplements," is being streamed live and will examine cardiovascular and central nervous system (CNS) effects and other health hazards of caffeine that may occur in at-risk populations consuming caffeine. Additionally, the workshop will discuss a variety of related topics such as evaluating the epidemiological, toxicological , clinical and other literature to identifying health hazards associated with caffeine and potential data gaps. It will highlight specific populations who may be at greater risk from caffeine exposure and discuss the risk for cardiovascular or other health hazards for vulnerable populations, from exposure to caffeine-containing dietary supplements to conventional foods. It will also explore safe levels of caffeine exposure for general and particular populations.

The workshop serves as an important step in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) efforts to address recent reports of adverse effects of caffeine in foods and beverages. However, it emphasizes the potential "adverse effects" of caffeine and does not consider research showing the benefits of caffeine, according to the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation. Such benefits include improved mental alertness, cognitive health and physical performance, in addition to potential benefits like decreased risk of type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease. One study even found that drinking coffee reduces suicide risk. The science on caffeine's safety has been well-established and the consumption of moderate amounts of caffeine has not been found to pose safety or health concerns.

Further, A 2010 report, "Caffeine Intake By The U.S. Population," prepared for the FDA by Laszlo P. Somogyi, Ph.D., consulting food scientist, showed that, despite claims to the contrary, individual caffeine consumption has not changed significantly in recent years and that it remains in the moderate range of 300 mg per day. The study examined caffeine intake and found that caffeine still comes from more traditional beverage sources like coffee, soda and tea as opposed to energy drinks. Also, teens consume about one-third the amount of caffeine as adults per day, about 100 mg, and energy drinks contributed only a small portion of caffeine consumed by teenagers.