Coffee Enzymes Found. Maybe?
#56340 - 03/31/04 07:40 AM
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From the publication "Adverse Reactions to Foods", (Nat'l Institute of Allergy & Infectious Disease, 1984, p.111) Coffee, tea, chocolate & cola contain: "The methylxanthines caffeine & theobromine. Although the neurobehavioral effects of methylxanthines is mild, their ingestion can (cause) nervous system stimulation, headache, and ABDOMINAL PAIN." (Emphasis added.) 
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Found two neat articles on caffeine, which is part of the xanthine enzyme group ...
Story on caffeine & xanthine
Caffeine Dependence
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"Many individuals use caffeine to reduce drowsiness and fatigue, improve mood, alertness and productivity. Caffeine increases capacity for sustained intellectual effort with clearer flow of thought. "
Yeah, studies have actually verified that subjects do better on cognitive tests after taking caffeine. It's not just a myth!!
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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"Xanthines relax smooth muscles of the bronchi. Theophylline is the most effective and produces a definite increase in vital capacity. Theophylline is used in the treatment of bronchial asthma."
And this is why it helps asthma. As i just said somewhere else, sometimes we have to weigh the good and the bad and make our own decisions.
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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And here's how it relates to the whole serotonin, autonomic nervous system disorder discussion:
"The means by which caffeine exerts its pharmacologic effects remain uncertain. A leading theory suggests that caffeine is an adenosine receptor antagonist. Adenosine is an inhibitory neuromodulator affecting norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin activity. Caffeine's putative antagonism of adenosine would increase those neurotransmitters promoting psychostimulation. "
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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Having said all this, I now understand the coffee/asthma link and the coffee/fibro link. And we all know from personal experience that coffee upsets our gut.
BUT:
We still haven't identified the enzyme. Enzyme names end in "-ase" like lactase, the enzyme that helps us digest lactose (milk sugar). Xanthine is only the name of the class of drugs to which caffeine belongs. It's not the name of the enzyme.
So we still are looking for the name of the enzyme that is the IBS trigger that is present in both regular AND decaf coffee which explains why we can't even drink decaf.
Does any of this make sense to the rest of you? It's important to me due to my need for caffeine (IN MODERATION) to help with my fibro.
Anyone have any ideas?
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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Thanks LauraSue! I just knew coffee improved my thinking! No wonder everything is so hard to do lately and I feel like I can't think properly. Too bad it kills my colon! I guess I'll just have to make due with the occaisional cup o' tea...
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--Julie
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Yerba Mate tea contains the caffeine enzyme, yet is easy on the digestive system. And tastes yummy!
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~jules
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Dear Laurasue,
Correct! Now I remember that an enzyme ends with: ...ase.
However--it may not be an enzyme. Maybe just some (irritative) chemical...
Heather sez she doesn't remember where she sourced "the irritative enzyme".
For example...once, a huge 6'4" frined of mine, at age 40, began bleeding profusely from the rectum--bright red blood! He panicked, went to the doctor--and the doc asked him "how orange juice he was drinking".
Turns out he drank over a quart a day of fresh-squeezed juice! It was the ACID. He stopped orange juice except for a small glass/day--the problem never recurred.
Since the pH of decaf coffee may be the same as fresh..maybe it's the acid. But I don't think so. I have taken antacids with coffee--and it helps a little--but not completely.
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...of course, a simple experiment could rule out acid. Get "pH strips" from the Web, neutralize decaf instant coffee with antacid tablets added so the pH is neutral--and drink decaf instant for 3 days. See what happens. (It takes about 2-3 days of instant coffee before my guts turn to "raw hamburger". I think it a irritative effect requiring somewhat continuous exposure...and it may not be related, actually, to "IBS". Just irritation.)
If no effect occurs then...it probably IS the acid.
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