Health Tip: Don't Overdo the Caffeine

Title: Health Tip: Don't Overdo the Caffeine
Category: Health News
Created: 4/1/2013 8:35:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 4/1/2013 12:00:00 AM

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Can Workout Pants Made With Caffeine Really Reduce Cellulite?

Guys, I have seen some crazy things while writing for Flash -- and reviewed 'em -- but one of the strangest products I've recently stumbled upon on these Hu Nu Woo-Hoo Slim Capris, $93, which are caffeinated, supposedly to help stop cellulite and increase fat burn. So, I've been wearing these babies (pictured here) for a few hours a day for a few days now -- and while I haven't been all that scientific about it, I do think my legs look pretty freaking good.

Hu Nu recently launched in the U.S., and you may start to see their stuff popping up at Equinox's in-house shops around the country. Their activewear is made from Supplex Nylon, so it's moisture-wicking, quick-drying and antibacterial (and anti-stink). It also wears really well, is super comfy and looks great on, if I do say so myself.

The Woo-Hoo Slim Capris are also made with "Revolutional Slim" fabric from Italy, that is infused with caffeine, aloe and Vitamin E. Apparently, this fabric has just the right amount of breathability to stimulate the skin's microcirculation, therefore reducing the appearance of "orange peel effect" and even thigh circumference. (I'm not convinced they're much different than other high-end workout pants out there, but hey, at least they're not see-through!)

Just for kicks, I measured my thigh circumference last week before trying these pants on, and I can say that it hasn't magically shrunk at all. But I do feel great in these capris, and they're awesome for working out -- sooo, maybe that's why it's been a bit easier to squeeze into my skinny jeans?

(Tip: Order a size up! I'm usually a small but the medium fits me perfectly.)

Would you try caffeine-infused pants? Tweet us at @amandaemac and @SELFmagazine.

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Image Credit: Courtesy Photo

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Caffeine Linked to Low-Birth-Weight Babies

Feb. 19, 2013 -- New research suggests that caffeine is linked to low-birth-weight babies and that drinking coffee is linked to a longer pregnancy.

The report suggests that drinking 200-300 milligrams of caffeine per day raised the risk of a baby being born small by between 27% and 62%.

Smaller babies have higher risks of certain health problems, and the researchers say recommendations on safe limits need to be reconsidered.

Everything the mom-to-be eats and drinks potentially gets through to the growing baby. That's why health organizations set recommendations for limits on things like alcohol and caffeine in pregnancy.

Along with nutrients and oxygen, caffeine passes from the placenta to the baby. However, the effect isn't the same on a baby as it is in adults.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends limiting caffeine to 200 milligrams per day. That’s equal to two 8-ounce cups of brewed coffee. Caffeine levels may be stronger in coffee bought at a coffee house.

Caffeine is also found in tea, colas, energy drinks, and chocolate.

For the new research, published in the journal BMC Medicine, researchers looked at information about diets and birth details of about 60,000 pregnancies over 10 years.

All sources of caffeine were monitored in the study.

In a news release, researcher Verena Sengpiel, MD, from Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Sweden, says, "In this study we found no association between either total caffeine or coffee caffeine and preterm delivery, but we did find an association between caffeine and SGA [small for gestational age]."

The source of caffeine also seemed to make a difference. Women who daily had 100 milligrams of caffeine in general increased the length of their pregnancy by five hours. However, caffeine from coffee was found to add eight hours overall from drinking 100 milligrams a day.

Sengpiel says the study shows that the guidelines should be looked at again.

So what should a coffee-loving pregnant woman with concerns do?

"Good advice would be to keep it to a minimum,” says Pat O’Brien, MD, a spokesman for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in the U.K. “One or a maximum of two cups a day."

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