Caffeine is an addictive drug. 80% of all adults in the USA drink tea, coffee or colas every day with an average of 400 mg. of caffeine.

Caffeine has the following effects on both genders: increases blood pressure, increases respiratory rate, and increases kidney function (increase need to urinate).

Effects on men:
Increases wakefulness and alertness, delays the need for sleep, improves hand, eye, and mind performance, improves verbal memory, and decreases reaction time.

Effects on women:
Causes adrenal stress, causes blood sugar to drop, increases mood and energy swings, causes fatigue, insomnia, depression, causes the body to go into a malnourished state, decreases body temperature, increases feelings of being disorganized, increases difficulty with cognitive tasks.

Reasons for the damaging effects on women:
It takes lower doses due to our smaller size. 100-500 mg of caffeine lasts 2 - 4 hours on men and lasts 4 - 7 hours on women depending on where women are in their cycle.

Premenstrual (2 weeks before cycle): 7 hours to detoxify

During ovulation: 5 ½ hours to detoxify

While on birth control pills: 2x the normal time to detoxify

While on hormone replacement medication: 2x the normal time to detoxify

Stay tuned next time for the aversive health risks to women of too much caffeine.