Q. Does caffeine bother you more the older you get?

Sensitivity to caffeine, the pick-me-up in coffee, tends to increase as you get older. Children metabolize caffeine quicker than adults.

About 90 percent of Americans consume caffeine daily. More than half of American adults consume more than 300 milligrams of caffeine every day, making it America's most popular drug.

Caffeine occurs naturally in many plants, including coffee beans, tea leaves and cocoa nuts. It is therefore found in a wide range of food products. Caffeine is added artificially to many others, including a variety of beverages. The most common sources of caffeine for Americans are coffee, tea, colas, chocolate and some over-the-counter medications.

Here are some useful numbers to help you determine how much caffeine you take in:

A 6-ounce coffee: 100 mg; 6-ounce tea: 70 mg; 12-ounce cola: 50 mg; 1 ounce chocolate: 6 mg; one tablet Extra Strength Excedrin: 65mg; one tablet Anacin: 32 mg; one tablet Maximum Strength NoDoz: 200 mg.

For most, 200 to 300 milligrams a day aren't harmful. But, if you are sensitive to caffeine or use certain drugs, you may want to cut down or eliminate caffeine from your diet. Your caffeine consumption is worth discussing with your doctor.

Caffeine can cause restlessness, anxiety, irritability, muscle tremors, sleeplessness, headaches, nausea, diarrhea and abnormal heart rhythms.

Some medicines and supplements interact negatively with caffeine. These include some antibiotics and bronchodilators. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about whether caffeine might affect the medicines you take.

If you feel you have to have caffeine every day, then you are addicted to it. Eliminating caffeine suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches and fatigue. These symptoms usually pass after several days.

Have a question? Email: fred@healthygeezer.com

Order "How To Be A Healthy Geezer," 218-page compilation of columns: healthygeezer.com

All Rights Reserved

&Copy; 2014 Fred Cicetti