Caffeine

							                                                      90% of the caffeine
     Sources of Caffeine

                                                                                             Caffeine
                                                     people consume comes
Source                         Mg of Caffeine        from coffee and tea.
Coffee (6 oz / 180 ml)
Automatic percolated           72 - 144
Filter drip                    108 - 180
Instant, regular               60 - 90
Instant, decaffeinated      less than 6

Tea (6 oz / 180 ml)
Weak                             18 - 24
Strong                         78 - 108
Decaffeinated            less than 0.08
Iced (12 oz. / 360 ml)          67 - 76

Cola Drinks (12 oz / 355 ml)
1 can                            28 - 64           1 cup of tea often contains
Mountain Dew (in Canada)               0           less caffeine than 1 cup of
                                                  coffee because much less tea
Cocoa Products
Hot chocolate (6 oz / 180 ml) 6 - 30
                                                      is used to prepare it.
Chocolate milk (250 ml)        2-7
Dark chocolate (56 g)        40 - 50
Milk chocolate (56 g)         3 - 20
                                                  The Continence Program
Medications (1 tablet or capsule)                                                            What it is, where it is
Cold remedies                15 - 30
                                                     St. Joseph’s Healthcare
                                                Centre for Ambulatory Health Services         found and how it can
Headache relievers           30 - 32
Weight control aides        120 - 200                 2757 King Street East                       affect you.
Some diuretics              40 - 100
                                                        Hamilton, Ontario
   The amount of caffeine in a product                      L8G 5E4
  varies depending on the brand, how it
   was prepared, and the serving size.                   905-573-4823

                                                       PD 4466 (Rev 01-2008) File: jskelly
What is caffeine?           Caffeine and your               Tips for Reducing Caffeine
Caffeine is the world’s     bladder...
                                                             ♦   Cut down caffeine intake at the
most popular drug.                                               rate of 1/2 cup a day. This is
                            Caffeine is a diuretic which
The white, bitter-tasting                                        known as Caffeine Fading.
                            means that it can lead to an
substance was first found                                        Plan to reduce your intake over
                            increase in frequency of         ♦
in coffee in 1820.                                               a 1 or 2 week period. This way
                            urination or peeing. It can
                                                                 you can avoid a withdrawal
                            also increase the urge to
Caffeine has a direct                                            headache and other unpleasant
                            urinate if you have too much.
effect on the brain and                                          symptoms.
central nervous system.     An example of too much           ♦   Replace caffeinated beverages
For example, 3 or more      caffeine is drinking 3 to 4          with vegetable or fruit juice,
cups of coffee can give                                          milk, water or other
                            cups of brewed coffee or             decaffeinated beverages;
you the “jitters”.
                            (400 to 450 mg of caffeine)          especially with meals.
Other side effects of                                        ♦   Drink caffeine-free colas
caffeine are insomnia,                                           instead of regular colas.
                            Research has shown that
headaches, irritability,                                         Caffeine acts as a diuretic, so it
                            caffeine may have a direct       ♦
nervousness, heartburn,                                          draws water out of the body.
                            effect on the bladder’s
indigestion, and frequent                                        To maintain proper hydration of
                            smooth muscle. It may
urination or peeing.                                             your body, balance your intake
                            irritate the tissues of the
                                                                 of caffeinated beverages with
                            bladder and cause an                 non-caffeinated ones.
                            involuntary bladder
                                                             ♦   If you use caffeine to keep you
                            contraction. This can
                                                                 awake, rethink your lifestyle.
                            contribute to urge
                                                                 Perhaps you need more sleep!
                            incontinence.