Caffeine and artificial sweeteners are ubiquitous in today's supermarkets and health food stores. Caffeine is the attention-increasing drug of choice for many working people, while artificial sweeteners allow you to indulge a sweet tooth, calorie-free. Both have effects -- some positive, and some negative -- on the body.
Caffeine
Caffeine is a sympathomimetic compound, which means that it works by activating the sympathetic -- often called the "fight or flight" -- branch of your nervous system. This increases your metabolism, respiration rate, heart rate and attentiveness. Too much caffeine can make you feel nervous and jittery, but many people believe that the right amount increases your ability to focus on what you're doing. Although caffeine is toxic in very large amounts, researchers haven't found any long-term complications associated with moderate use.
Caffeine Effects
Aside from increasing your attention span, caffeine may actually help you to perform better during exercise, notes Dr. T. Graham in a 2001 article published in "Sports Medicine." It appears that caffeine might work with and assist the chemicals -- such as epinephrine -- that your body naturally releases during exercise. On the down side, however, caffeine isn't safe in large quantities if you're pregnant; in their book "You: Having a Baby," Drs. Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz note that too much caffeine can increase your risk of miscarriage and preterm labor.
Artificial Sweeteners
There are many different artificial sweeteners on the market. These are "non-nutritive" compounds -- this means they contain no calories -- that nevertheless bind to your sweetness receptors and cause you to sense a sweet flavor. Despite some research suggesting certain artificial sweeteners may cause cancer in lab animals in very large quantities, there's never been any research showing similar effects in humans, despite many years of studies.
Artificial Sweetener Effects
One benefit of artificial sweeteners is that if you're diabetic, they can allow you to enjoy the flavor of sweet food without risking unstable blood sugar. On the other hand, although they seem like a dieter's dream, research shows otherwise. A 1986 study published by Dr. J. Blundell in "The Lancet" shows that if you consume artificial sweeteners, you crave the flavor of sweet food more. This could cause you to take in more total calories, if you satisfy your cravings with calorie-containing food.
References
- "Sports Medicine"; Caffeine and Exercise: Metabolism, Endurance and Performance; T. Graham; 2001
- "The Lancet"; Paradoxical Effects of an Intense Sweetener (Aspartame) on Appetite; J. Blundell; 1986
- "You: Having a Baby"; Michael Roizen, M.D., and Mehmet Oz, M.D.; 2009
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