' Caffeine
continued from page 4B
balance school with a social life.
Steve Karner, manager of Discount
Sports and Vitamins at 255 E. 18th
Ave., said he sees a lot of students
looking for caffeine and weight
loss supplements.
“I see a lot of UO customers,” he
said. “And I question you the first
f dozen or so times you come in.”
Karner said he asks his cus
tomers why they want to take the
supplements, warns them about
their effects, and gives instructions
on how to use them effectively. He
asks how old his customers are and
whether they have heart problems,
high blood pressure or are taking
other medications. Most product
warning labels advise people under
age 18 to avoid the product.
Karner recommended drinking
a lot of water with caffeine pills
because these products have stim
ulatory effects that can cause con
sumers to sweat a lot. They have
the potential to enhance physical
performance, increase mental
alertness and stimulate fat-burn
ing metabolism.
“People buy it just for the ef
fects,” he said. “When you are
young and invincible, you think
nothing is going to hurt you.”
But these products can also de
prive users of sleep, cause irritabili
ty or keep the heart pumping con
stantly, leading to high blood
pressure if used along with soda,
coffee or other caffeine fixes. He
said they can wear down a person’s
kidneys and reduce appetite or sex
drive. He suggested taking a sup
plement for up to three months and
then taking a month off from it.
Karner said he sees at least 20
students a week who spend an
average of $20 to $30 on these
stimulants. And while there are
more than 15 brands out there,
they all mostly offer the same re
sults. Karner said if used in con
junction with the proper exercise
and diet, these products can have
dramatic results.
“A lot of people do great on
these,” he said, pointing to the wall
of pills in his store. “But sometimes
it’s obvious if you are on these.”
He also said sometimes he sells
his products to students who pri
marily use them while studying
for midterms and finals. The prod
ucts often contain ingredients
such as ginkgo, a herb that acts as
a “brain activator.”
“These could be dangerous,” he
said. “But if you don’t have the
health concerns, and you use
them the way they are intended
for short periods of time, they can
be very effective products for los
ing body fat.”
Business major Sarah Stark said
she takes Hydroxycut by Muscle
Tech, a thermogenic diet formula,
which contains ingredients that
help to bum body fat and suppress
the appetite. But she said she only
takes the supplement every once in
awhile, when she feels down and
wants to work out.
One reason for this is that
when she takes Hydroxycut, she
can’t drink coffee, and since she
enjoys drinking coffee every day,
Stark doesn’t take the stimulant
very often. Coffee is another easy
way to obtain that adrenaline
rush, said Karner, a coffee addict
himself. To cut back on his “ac
quired taste,” Karner said he has
started drinking his coffee half
decaf and half-regular.
“I wake up dreaming about a cup
of coffee,” he said. “That’s the first
thing I'm thinking about.”
E-mail reporter Lisa Toth
at lisatotli@dailyemerald.com.
Russell Weller Emerald
mmtm
• They don#t work: 95% of all dieters regain their lost weight in 1 to 5 years.
• Dieters miss out on vital nutrients necessary for basic daily functions, including learning.
• They reinforce body dissatisfaction.
• They can lead to more severe eating disorders.
TODAY 11:30-1:30
EMU Fir Room
• How to help a friend with eating and body image issues.
• Media watchdog table, give the ad execs a piece of your mind.
• Barbie's 42 year history. -
• Nutrition tips from The Health Center's registered dietitian.
• Stimulate your senses with hands-on activities.
Eating Disorders Awareness & Prevention Week
Sponsored by UO Health and Counseling Centers. Call 346-2794 for more information.
U N t V E R S I T Y
HEALTH CENTER
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