Caffeine Blues by Stephen Cherniske said exactly what I wanted to hear. Whether that's a good thing is yet to be determined, but if you are looking to substantiate your sneaking suspicion that coffee might be killing you, look no further. According to Cherniske, caffeine contributes to or exascerbates the following problems:
-Hyperactivity
-Learning and Behavioral Disorders
-Fatigue
-Cancer
-Heart Disease
-Ulcers
-Headache
-Allergies
-PMS
-Birth Defects
-and More
Basically if something bothers you, this book would have you believe that caffeine is the reason why. As I mentioned in a previous post The Power of the Bean, I have been increasing skeptical about coffee being good for you. So as a biased reader, I gobbled up all of the depressing health factoids laid out in Caffeine Blues. I even found that the taste of coffee seemed to change after reading this. It's hard to throuroughly enjoy something you know is making you sick. The book has some age on it. It was first published in 1998. So when Cherniske repeatedly states that no research shows that coffee is good for you, I'm unsure if newer data is congruent with his argument.
I'm both unqualified and unwilling to fact check all of the 700-some-odd footnotes, but if Cherniske is being intellectually honest, the evidence seems to be overwhelmingly on his side. He explains this research and news blackout by pointing out the many conflicts of interest such as mega-corporate profits, the fact that over 70% of the public(including the researchers) are addicted to the substance, and the FDA approving the drug(often included in combination with prescription drugs).
The 449 page book begins by giving a brief overview of the hidden dangers of caffeine and follows by challenging the reader to recognize his or her addiction. After reading this chapter I started paying more attention to the size of coffee mugs used(usually 12-14 oz. instead of the 5-6 oz. serving size on the back of the can) as well as the numerous non-coffee drinks consumed by my family throughout the day. I would guess almost none of the adults I was with consumed less than the "normal" 200 milligrams of caffeine during a typical day.
Caffeine Blues devotes additional chapters to more detailed anlysis of health risks associated with caffeine consumption. The final chapter was the one I was most looking forward to. It's entitled "Off the Bean and On to Vitality." Cherniske often sounds like an informercial when he frequently alludes to his incredible plan for getting off of caffeine in Chapter 10. I kept waiting for him to write, "But wait, there's more!". The final chapter was somewhat of a let down. He did provide a list of non-stimulating herbs and supplements that would aid in quitting, but his most groundbreaking advice was little more than to wean yourself off gradually and to replace the morning brew with something non-caffeinated.
Another criticism is that the book could have been much more succinct. I think it could have easily been wittled down to 200 pages. It probably depends on who the target reader is. A nutritionist or medical doctor may find the subtle nuances explored in such great detail to be satisfying, but the general reader who just wants to figure out if they want to quit coffee may find it tiresome. Often Cherniske would restate the same info again in new chapters. In new chapters, Cherniske would restate the same info again. Again the info would be restated in new chapters by Cherniske.
Ultimately, Caffeine Blues is worth the read or at least the skim. Besides learning the interaction that caffeine plays with stress hormones, adrenals, liver function, memory, etc., I also became aware of some knowledge that may have previously thwarted my attempts to quit. I mentioned in The Power of the Bean post that I had quit a couple times. Once I had weaned myself off of the brew slowly, but after a couple weeks I got bored with the lackluster feeling I experienced. Apparently it takes three weeks or more for one's stress hormones to get back in order, and it can take much longer for problems like adrenal fatigue to be restored. So I gave up too early. Cherniske asks that his patients get of the bean for at least 60 days. So in the coming days I will try to chronicle my attempt to quit. If I can, I'll go at least 60 days. I'm currently watching my intake to develop a baseline. I want to monitor my overall energy levels, creativity, focus, sleep, irritably, and whatever else I notice.
