Queensland Health’s new doctor fatigue policy, soon to take affect in public hospitals around Queensland, Australia, suggests the antidote for sleep-deprived doctors is …. six cups of coffee.

This will, apparently, prevent them from harming their patients while in state of exhaustion.

Honestly. I’m not making this up. The policy document claims that the standard solution of ‘more staff’ really isn’t feasible. Therefore, the doctors need to find a way to work effectively on little sleep.

And that way is caffeine. The document suggests recommends a dose of 400 mg of caffeine (about 5 to 6 cups of coffee) as the doctor’s fatigue fighter.

And if they can’t drink coffee, then perhaps, the document goes on to say, they should try caffeine tablets instead.

For more on this, read the full story at the Courier Mail

Post from: Healthbolt

But now a new study by University of Illinois researchers has found that caffeine eases the muscle pains of exercising.

The study involved 25 fit, college-aged men. Some of the participants were regular caffeine users, ie ones who drank at least four cups of coffee (or the equivalent in caffeine laced drinks) a day on average, while others either didn’t take in caffeine at all or only had a small daily intake.

After an initial exercise test on an exercise bike to determine maximal oxygen consumption, the participants were then monitored while doing two high-intensity, half-hour exercise sessions. These two sessions were held a week apart and during that time the guys are expected to refrain from any caffeine, alcohol, and exercise (a big ask college aged guys).

An hour leading up to the exercise sessions, the participants were given either a placebo or a caffeine pill.
Then, while the exercise sessions were in progress, the researchers monitored the participants, collectiing information on oxygen consumption, heart rate, and work rate, and also questioned the participants about their perception of quadricep muscle pain.

The results – it ws found that when taking the caffeine pill, the participants experienced significantly less quadricep muscle pain. This was across the board for both those who where habitual caffeine drinkers and those who were not.

Wonder if this means we’ll soon be seeing coffee cups rather than water bottles strategically placed around the gym?

(image from sxc.hu)

Post from: Healthbolt

Caffeine, of course, is mostly found in coffee, chocolate, coke, and energized soft drinks.

But it seems that it can also be found in the strangest places. For example…

Shower Shock Soap

Running late with no time for a morning coffee. No problem – just lather up with the Shower Shock Soap. It smells of peppermint but it contains enough caffeine to let you absorb 200 mg per wash.

Snack Foods

In a place where no food or fluids are allowed. Then suck on a few Jolt Caffeine Energy Mints. By the time you’ve got to the fifth one, you’ve had the equivalent of a cup of java.

Or try the Supercharged Premium Sunflower Seeds. A 3.5 ounce bage will provide 120 milligrams of caffeine – that should be enought to keep you awake just a little longer.

Potato Chips

Then there’s the world’s first ‘energy potato chip‘. What more could we ask for? Potato chips already contain all things bad for you so why not add a little caffeine to the mix. Still, it might give couch potatoes the kick they need to get moving…

Lip Balm

It’s amazing what cold weather and night duty will do to you. For one cold and tired Alaskan Police Officer, it caused him to create the Spazzstick Caffeinated Lip Balm. It is, apparently, the world’s only caffeinated lip balm. Wonder how much caffeine is transferred with a kiss?

I don’t know. Call me old fashioned but I’d still rather get my caffeine fix from a cup of coffee.

(source)

Post from: Healthbolt