Probably not the smartest move to drink very high caffeine energy drinks. The most recent trend has been the 50-60 ml energy shots filled with caffeine. And government agencies as well as health professionals are taking notice.

“Caffeine-loaded energy drinks have now crossed the line from beverages to drugs delivered as tasty syrups,” the Canadian Medical Association Journal says in an editorial that calls for prominent labels listing total caffeine content and an end to advertising targeting children. They are calling for much stricter guidelines in Canada for the higher caffeine energy drinks.

A few years ago, there were studies saying that coffee can be associated with cancer. This prompted people to avoid drinking the caffeinated drink. A few years after that study, scientists have recounted the research quoting that the research was flawed. Current research has shown that coffee can give the body a lot of benefits.

Harvard researchers are saying that coffee, when you drink regularly, can be a cure for diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and colon cancer. It could even improve your mood and treat daily headache problems. You could even drink it to lower risk of cavities.

Research shows that regular coffee drinkers are 80 percent less likely to have Parkinson’s disease. While 2-cups-a-day drinkers can reduce the risk of colon cancer by 25 percent and 80 percent in liver cirrhosis risk. It can even slash the risk of gallstones by half. There are even studies showing that people who smoke and drink heavily, have less heart and liver damage because of their coffee intake.

So, what causes these benefits? It is the antioxidants, and surprisingly perhaps from the caffeine also. Caffeine does have some other effects, too that may not be so good. Read the Truth about Smart Energy Drinks report (see right) to find out more. Currently, drugs for curing Parkinson’s disease are being developed. These drugs have a derivative of caffeine as their component. Coffee also has chlorogenic acid and tocophenols which are antioxidants. These mineral components can improve insulin sensitivity. When we talk about insulin sensitivity, it is the body’s response to insulin.

There were studies conducted in Europe citing that the trigonelline, the compound which is why coffee smells good and has bitter taste, also has benefits. It can be both antibacterial and anti-adhesive. These prevent the formation of dental cavities.

But can everybody drink coffee?

Unfortunately, not everybody can drink coffee. People with bladder and kidney problems, existing diabetes, gallstones, heart problems, high cholesterol levels, hypoglycemia and generalized panic and /or anxiety attacks should avoid drinking coffee altogether. Avoiding drinking coffee is also advised to pregnant women and those with high risk of osteoporosis.

For pregnant women, if coffee cannot be avoided, then it is recommended just to drink one to two cups a day. Infertility, miscarriages and low birth weight among babies are the primary reason why pregnant women are recommended against drinking coffee.

Excessive caffeine intake can also lead to nervousness, anxiety and rapid heartbeat. The caffeine overstimulates the nervous system, making the adrenal glands work overboard. Osteoporosis patients are also advised against coffee. Coffee reduces the capability of bones to absorb the necessary minerals, making the bones weak and in risk of osteoporosis. But the effects can be reduced if milk is mixed with coffee.

For some people, coffee can also be addictive. People who have stopped drinking coffee experience withdrawal symptoms. They would get headaches, less energy and alertness, difficulty in being focused, get irritated easily and sometimes even get depressed.

Over caffeine consumption can also have an impact on your skin, since it increases the risk of developing stretch marks. Caffeine may also play a role in weight gain. Although, it is mentioned that coffee drinkers may lose weight in the short-term, but in a longer period of time, coffee can lead to weight gain.

Coffee both has good and bad effects. Similar to other beverages and food, once it is taken in big amounts, then it is likely that they may have undesirable effects to your body. Whether coffee can be considered as a health drink, it is up to you to make the choice. Also be sure that, like everything, before you try it talk to your doctor.

Many people call the stimulant part of Yerba Mate “mateine” differentiating it from caffeine. Some also have said it is the stereoisomer of caffeine. This is a common mistake.

However, if we look at the chemical makeup or structure of caffeine, we see that there is no stereocenter, which means there can be no stereoisomer (a stereoisomer is a chemical or molecule that has the same atom to atom structure, but are not in the same shape). Yerba Mate, although it has different effects than other caffeine containing compounds (coffee bean, guarana, kola nut, etc.) has caffeine as it’s main chemical makeup.

Caffeine (or when it is in Yerba Mate – mateine) is a xanthine. There are two other trace xanthines in Yerba Mate: theobromine and theophylline. They have different effects than caffeine, but are also classed as stimulants. Theobromine is mostly found in raw cacao or cocoa. Theophylline is also found in trace amounts in tea.

The other xanthines and in combination with the caffeine is probably what gives Yerba Mate the reputation as a different chemical.

So why is Yerba Mate in some smart energy drinks?

Well, besides the obvious stimulant effects (like coffee, guarana and tea) the xanthine cocktail mix seems to have a relaxing effect on smooth muscle tissue, and a stimulating effect on heart tissue.

There are conflicting results in studies on whether Yerba Mate is carcinogenic or can “inhibit oral cancer cell proliferation”. Studies are showing limited correlation with oral cancer and others are showing yerba mate to exhibit significant cancer-fighting activity.

So the jury is still out on that one.

On other good news for yerba mate, however, mouse studies have shown anti-obesity properties (always good in a smart energy drink) as well as studies showing cholesterol lowering properties. These may have some correlation with the theobromine in yerba mate, but no one knows for sure at this time.

There are also some antioxidant potential found in yerba mate. You can find it in several smart energy drinks.