Run News for August 22, 2024

Caffeine

Caffeine can help us stay awake and create engaging conversations with with friends. It can also create jitteriness, headaches, accelerated heart rates and sleepless nights. Many adults consume caffeine on a daily basis. Here are several facts about it.

How caffeine works: In the brain, caffeine blocks the effect of adenosine, a depressant that promotes sleep and suppresses arousal. Caffeine is absorbed by the small intestine and typically has its peak effect within 30 minutes depending on how much food is in your stomach and other factors.

Drinks containing caffeine: Most people consume caffeine by drinking coffee. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends limiting caffeine intake to 400 mg or less per day. A single 8-oz. cup of coffee typically contains about 100 mg with many coffee shops selling cups of coffee with higher amounts of caffeine. An 8-oz. cup of black tea has just shy of 50 mg and green tea typically has 30 mg of caffeine. For energy drinks, a small, 8.4-oz. can of Red Bull contains 80 mg of caffeine, and a concentrated, 2-oz. energy shot can contain as much as 215 mg, according to the Mayo Clinic. Reactions to doses of caffeine can be hard to predict with the 400-mg limit just being general benchmark.

Caffeine's side effects: Caffeine is a stimulant that make it harder to fall and stay asleep. Other side effects include irritability, nervousness, excessive urination, headaches, and muscle tremors. For people with a history of anxiety, depression, or mood disorders, high caffeine intake can exacerbate feelings of instability. Caffeine withdrawal symptoms include headaches, fatigue, depressed mood, irritability, poor concentration, nausea, vomiting, and muscle stiffness.

Popular plants and products containing caffeine

Popular plants and products containing caffeine

Safely quit caffeine: For most people, caffeine is not harmful and can have health benefits. According to the American Heart Association, regular coffee drinkers are less likely to develop cancer and several other chronic diseases. Caffeine can also reduce appetite and lower depression risk. Others who consume caffeine can suffer from jitteriness, insomnia, and other unpleasant side effects. Quitting caffeine is best done the same way as any drug: gradually. Start reducing caffeine intake by 5% to 10% each day while drinking caffeine earlier in the day. Maintain this for 3-4 days, and then remove the second drink until all caffeine is consumed before noon and you’ve capped your daily intake at 400 mg. Continue this slow detox to your desired level.

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Runner saved from bear attack

Earlier this month in Long Barn, California, a young man encountered a black bear cub, which triggered an angry pursuit by the mother bear. The runner hid behind a tree then climbed on the roof of a parked Escalade while the bear continued to jump up at him before a nearby family scared the bear away. The family offered the runner aid for his scratches, bite marks and torn clothes until paramedics arrived.

More than half of world will be obese by 2035

According to a report last year from the World Obesity Atlas (WOA), more than half of the global population—51%, or over 4 billion people—will be obese by 2035. The report predicts that the condition will touch all regions and continents of the world. The total cost of treating illnesses related to obesity will be an estimated $4 trillion per year, which is about how much the COVID-19 pandemic cost the world in health care expenses in 2020.

The new projection marks a sharp jump from current numbers. Right now, about 3.12 billion people (39% of the global population) are obese. In 2008, the global obesity rate was only 23.9%, meaning the number of obese people have almost doubled from 1.63 billion to 3.12 billion during the last 15 years.

The nations with the highest obesity rates tend to cluster in the South Pacific, with Kiribati and Tonga leading the world in projected 2035 obesity rates at 67%, followed by Samoa at 66%, French Polynesia at 65%, and Micronesia at 64%. The U.S. registers near the top, with a rate of 58%. The lowest projected obesity rates are found in Asia, with Vietnam at 7%, followed by Japan at 8%, Singapore at 9%, and both India and Bangladesh at 11%.

Why turning 44 and 60 years old matters for your fitness routines

A recent study by Stanford Medicine reveals that our bodies undergo significant, non-linear molecular changes during two critical periods in our lives—around the ages of 44 and 60. The findings highlight how these shifts may influence health and disease risk, providing insights for everyone looking to tailor their fitness and wellness programs to their specific needs.

These insights suggest that aging may not follow a straightforward, linear path. We’re not just changing gradually over time; there are really dramatic changes in the mid-40s as well as in the early 60s regardless of what molecules you look at. These findings are particularly relevant for fitness and wellness, so workout routines can be tailor made to support our bodies as we navigate these critical periods of change.

Berlin’s sub 2:06 runners

Last week, the Berlin Marathon announced its elite international fields for the 2024 race being held on September 29.

As is so often the case, the competition will be fueled by a deep rivalry between Kenya and Ethiopia. The men’s top 10 has an even spread of Ethiopian to Kenyan runners, while eight of the women’s top 10 international entrants are Ethiopian. Despite the field’s impressive credentials, the course records of 2:01:09 and 2:11:53 (set by Eliud Kipchoge in 2022 and Tigst Assefa of Ethiopia in 2023) are unlikely to be challenged this year.

Your Daily Dose Of Usain⚡️

Usain smiling

Running to find a wife

@runwithtomi

Forgot we were supposed to be running 🙂 #morningrun #Running #runtok #runningcommunity #fyp ツ

Words To Run By 🏃‍♀️🏃🏽‍♂️

Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.

Will Rogers