Decaf May Not Be So “Decaffeinated”

Many of my friends will only drink decaf coffee after midday, as they believe that “regular” coffee will keep them awake all night. Well, it seems that this may not be a smart strategy. A study in the Journal of Analytical Toxicity reports that so-called decaf may contain enough caffeine that several cups will equal a cup of regular coffee for their stimulant effect – about 85 mg of caffeine.

This isn’t such an important finding for the insomniacs. But there are some people who shouldn’t take caffeine for medical reasons. Those taking bronchodilators, anti-anxiety drugs, or quinolone antibiotics, as well as people with polycystic kidney disease, should avoid caffeine. And there’s the addiction potential; so-called decaf coffee may contain just enough caffeine to induce dependence in caffeine-sensitive persons, called caffeinism. As we know, some individuals are, indeed, caffeine-sensitive.