Is Caffeine Good For Pilots?

[Toujours]

To the airline captains and FOs, do you drink coffee/hot chocolate or consume chocolate?

I know caffeine leads to nervousness and tachycardia etc.

Can a medical doctor comment here? What if any is a safe amount of caffeine to consume per day?

Is it okay to consume a pint of hot chocolate every day?

[gingernut]

'spose it depends on how much you have, and how sensitive the individual is.

There was a bit in the press a few years ago claiming that over 4 cups of coffee a day increase the risk of heart disease, but the evidence base for this was weak. In fact the coffee industry have formed some sort of pressure group aimed at promoting the health benefits of the product.

About a month ago, there was a report about a ?child (? teenager), being admitted to hospital with a tachycardia, following the ingestion of 8 expressos.

Personally, I avoid the instant stuff, it gives me a true migraine, the filter / expresso stuff from lidl is superb-I find, in small doses it sharpens concentration.

If you want to explore some of the true physiological effects, try a search on medline.

[fireflybob]

Too much caffeine is NOT good for you! When I worked in the railway industry for a while part of the "Drugs and Alcohol" education was the (adverse) effects of too much caffeine intake.

Try green tea instead!