From "Principles of biochemistry", Horton and al, 1993.
Caffeine is sometimes called "theine" when it's in tea. This is probably due to an ancient misconception that the active constituent is different. Theophylline is present only in trace amounts. It is more diuretic, more toxic and less speedy.
Caffeine1,3,7-trimethylxanthine
Theophylline1,3-dimethylxanthine
Theobromine3,7-dimethylxanthine
Coffee and tea contain caffeine and theophylline, respectively, which are methylated purine derivatives that inhibit cAMP phosphodiesterase. In the presence of these inhibitors, the effects of cAMP, and thus the stimulatory effects of the hormones that lead to its production, are prolonged and intensified.
Theobromine and theophylline are two dimethylxanthines that have two rather than three methyl groups. Theobromine is considerably weaker than caffeine and theophylline, having about one tenth the stimulating effect of either.
Theobromine is found in cocoa products, tea (only in very small amounts) and kola nuts, but is not found in coffee. In cocoa, its concentration is generally about 7 times as great as caffeine. Although, caffeine is relatively scarce in cocoa, its mainly because of theobromine that cocoa is "stimulating".
Theophylline is found in very small amounts in tea, but has a stronger effect on the heart and breathing than caffeine. For this reason it is often the drug of choice in home remedies for treating asthma bronchitis and emphysema. The theophylline found in medicine is made from extracts from coffee or tea.
Lighter roasted coffees, such as a white coffee beans, would contain negligibly higher levels of caffeine, but a good amount more of the health-based other chemicals found in green coffee beans.
Yes, most varieties of Arizona tea contain caffeine, in different amounts. Any teas that contain green tea and black tea will have some caffeine. See the chart at the bottom of this page.
AZ Heart Fitness Member
re: Tea better than Coffee? Same Caffeine
As coffee will bring you up, then put you down quickly, causing a chain reaction "More Cups" Where as Tea may have just as much caffeine, it takes longer to hit you. All tea comes from the same plant, and contains some amounts of caffeine. Theine (tay-eene) "Tea Caffeine" will metabolize differently in the body, compared to a cup coffee, and its caffeine-coaster.
Raymond Parson
re: Fighting the withdrawal
Last month I stopped drinking all caffeine to help me with my diet and exercise program. It was more of a challenge then I was expecting it to be. After just 3 days off of morning coffee I had a very severe headache that lasted days at a time and shakes from the withdrawal. I found drinking around 10 bottles of fresh water helped a lot and Gatorade to refill my body from working out. It was a rough month but now after being off I have seen major improvements in my workout and I am gaining muscle even faster.
User
re: Caffeine stops the absorption
Caffeine stops the absorption of Vitamin B and there is caffeine in tea. Without Vitamin B your eyes become very sensitive to light, plus other things may happen over a long period, e.g. your hair thins and goes a bit wild, you may get burning feet, etc. If you give up caffeine and eat a lot of food with Vitamin B in it like natural yoghurt, wheatgerm, liver, you will soon see the difference.
John
re: caffeine withdrawal
Yes, everything you mentioned could be caused by caffeine withdrawal - note the "could be", not "is". If you continue, the symptoms should abate along with the headaches. I went through a similar detox about four years ago, and had similar symptoms.
Holly
re: Hi! I suffer from
Hi! I suffer from constipation also and after telling this to my fiance he told me that he drinks one Coca-Cola a day and it keeps him regular. I have tried this when I get really constipated and I think he's right, I think it helps me to occasionally drink a Coca-Cola. I also enjoy Kellogg's All-Bran Fiber Drink Mix. They make Pink Lemonade and Iced Tea. I don't know about the caffeine content in either, but they do have 10g of Fiber per serving (40% DV). As for the body pain, I have no suggestions. I used to work out at a gym - basically just run on a tread mill and do curl-ups, but I think that also helped with my constipation and maybe it would help with the muscle pains to get them nice and stretched out every day.
Karen
re: I'm just guessing but I think
I'm just guessing but I think the light sensativity has to do with your contacts and not the ice tea. That happened to be when I was younger so I know exactly what you mean when you say "terrible". Mine was due to an eye infection from sleeping in my lenses. If it continues, you might want to see an Opthamologist.
Christine
re: caffeine withdrawl
I have been drinking iced tea.. very strong, iced tea every day for a long time.. years. I'm also a coke drinker, but last week I decided to stop doing caffeine all together.. I was having trouble staying asleep.. falling asleep was easy, staying asleep was a big problem. I've gotten a grip on the headaches, they're under control, but I've noticed the past couple days that all of my muscles, neck, legs, back, hips, even stomach muscles, everything has become so stiff. Also I've been a bit constipated.. I have always had regular bowel movements, no stress.. so I don't know. Could the lack of caffeine and maybe sugar cause any of these things to occur? I've been drinking nothing but water since I stopped caffeine, just trying to flush my system clean.. so any ideas?
User
re: Hey I'm fourteen and I have
Hey I'm fourteen and I have been drinking alot of AriZona Green Tea lately. And yesturday and today my eyes have been really dialated and I have terrible sensitivity to light. So much so, i was wasn't able to be outside playing kickball in PE. I wear contacts but i don't think this was the problem for i haven't worn them in a few days. I'm trying to figure out what is causing it. Please comment back if you have any ideas.
User
re: Could be a placebo effect.
Could be a placebo effect. You get yourself hyped over it and your body will react to it itself.
Claudia
re: Withdrawal From Tea?
Oh, and one more thing...my headaches carry on ALL day, some moments less painful than others.
Claudia
re: Withdrawal From Tea?
Can you get withdrawal symptoms from herbal tea? I drink a lot of camomile. I haven't had any in the last 3 days. Yesterday, when I thought about making myself a cup and realized I was out - shortly after I got a really bad headache. Same thing happened today. It seems like I trigger the headaches myself when I think of having a cup of tea. Are my headaches being caused by something else or am I a tea addict?
tea total
re: decaf tea
Go for it!! Tetley do a good decaf tea. Not much difference in taste, but you don't get the buzz when you drink it. Or the headaches when you need a cup. This is only if you stop caffeine altogether. And start to use decaf everything!! Lol
Samuel Murray
re: Caffeine in herbal tea
Some herbal teas are simply Ceylon tea with flavour added. Other herbal teas may have varying amounts of caffeine.
For a truly caffeine free tea, which is quote common in South Africa and not regarded as a "herbal" tea by the locals there, try rooibos tea (fairly easy to get outside South Africa) or heuningbos tea (a little more difficult to get).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rooibos
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeybush
Daniel
re: decaf
There are a couple of methods. One uses a chemical one method. The other is "swiss-water". In either case the chemicals used are destroyed by heat.
User
re: From what I know, the
From what I know, the process to extract caffeine from tea or coffee requires exposing it to a slew of other chemicals. That may be why you're experiencing similar negative effects.
Anonymous
re: PaulineI was wondering
Pauline
I was wondering about decaffeinated tea as I am starting to have the same dizzy effects after drinking it. Anyone know?
User
re: Herbal tea: any caffeine or dimethylxanthenes?
Do various "herbal teas" have caffeine-like effects on the heart? How about decaffeinated "regular" teas?