Δαφνη Ευτυχια Αρθουρος

Catching a bite to eat, had the telly on in the kitchen in case the morning news folks said anything interesting...

Someone started a report on a study of the long term brain effects of caffeine use, with the words, "It's the most commonly used drug in the world..."

I was very pleased to hear it phrased that way -- the explicit recognition of the fact that it is a drug. I think most people tend to forget that even as they're saying, "Oh, I need a cup of coffee so I can wake up." (On the other hand, my second reaction was, "Really? It's more commonly used than alcohol?")

I haven't done a web search to find the study they were talking about, but the television short-attention-span summary was that long term use was slightly beneficial for women but not for men, and that they weren't actually encouraging people to go drink more coffee because of its effects on other organs. I wonder whether the study was specific to caffeine, or whether it included other caffeine-like stimulants, i.e. theobromine (my main vice) and theophyline.

(Oh goody, I just learned a new word: the class of stimulants that includes caffeine, theophyline, and theobromine is methylxanthines!)

Hey, I guess this means that I don't have to feel like I'm being a bad influence when I score a bag of chocolate-covered espresso beans to give to a certain adorable EE... :-)