咖啡因药片是否安全?

Are caffeine pills safe?

咖啡因药片是否安全?

As a student, I know caffeine pills run rampant on college campuses. Since we're always on the go, popping a pill can be far more convenient than waiting in line for a cup of coffee.

作为一名学生，我知道咖啡因药片在大学校园十分流行。我们总是忙得不可开交，所以吃个药片远比排队买咖啡更方便。

Caffeine pills are easily accessible, portable, and cheap. You can buy a 100-count bottle of 200-milligram pills on Amazon or at your local pharmacy for as little as $6.55, and they're tiny enough to tuck away in any backpack. So it's not surprising that college students rely on them to overcome morning fatigue, stave off an afternoon slump, or pull all-nighters.

咖啡因药片不仅易于获得，而且还可携带、便宜。你可以在亚马逊或当地的药店购买咖啡因药片，一瓶100颗200毫克的药片只售价6.55美元。药片很小，塞到背包也很方便。所以大学生依赖咖啡因药片支撑疲劳的早晨和低迷的下午或熬夜也就不足为奇了。

Though there's no denying the burst of energy you get from caffeine pills, the question is, are they healthy?

不可否认，我们的确能从咖啡因药片中获得能量，但问题是，这种药片健康吗？

What are caffeine pills?

什么是咖啡因药片？

As many people know, caffeine is a stimulant that acts on the central nervous system—nerves, brain and spinal cord. Caffeine pills can be made of natural or synthetic caffeine. Some products may also contain inactive ingredients, such as coloring agents, emulsifiers, and other additives, says Rachel Link, a nutritionist based in New York City.

很多人都知道，咖啡因是一种作用于中枢神经系统（神经、大脑和脊髓）的兴奋剂。咖啡因药片由天然或合成咖啡因制作而成。有些咖啡因药片或含有非活性成分（比如着色剂和乳化剂）以及其它添加剂，纽约市的营养学家雷切尔·林克（Rachel Link）说道。

Cynthia Sass, RD, Health nutrition editor, says while every type of pill is made differently, most have between 100 and 200 milligrams of caffeine. That's less than a 20-ounce cup of Starbucks Dark Roast brewed coffee, which has about 340 milligrams. It’s more than a 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola, which has 34 milligrams.

《健康》期刊的营养编辑辛西娅·萨斯（Cynthia Sass）注册营养师说道，虽然每一种药片的成分不同，但大多数都含有100至200毫克咖啡因，低于星巴克重度烘焙的一杯20盎司的咖啡所含的咖啡因量（大约340毫克），但高于一罐12盎司的可口可乐所含的咖啡因量（大约34毫克）

What's the difference between caffeine pills and coffee?

咖啡因药片和咖啡的区别是什么？

There are a few significant differences between caffeine pills and coffee. Caffeine pills are "more accessible or portable than coffee, and some people don't like the taste of coffee or tea," Sass says. Because coffee can be so bitter, people often add creamer and sweetener. Popping a pill avoids the sugar shock and taste of coffee altogether. It's also calorie free, which may be the appeal, Sass reasons.

咖啡因药片和咖啡之间存在一些显着差异。萨斯表示，咖啡因药片“比咖啡更易获得或更方便携带，此外，有些人并不喜欢咖啡或茶的味道。”咖啡很苦，所以人们会放些植脂末和糖。服用咖啡因药片既可以避免糖分的摄入也可以避开咖啡的苦涩。此外，咖啡因药片也不含卡路里，这可能是其受欢迎的原因，萨斯推论道。

Sometimes "coffee can also irritate the digestive tract" and "trigger heartburn," says Link, which is why caffeine pills appeal to some people. Coffee "enters the bloodstream through the stomach and small intestine and can have a stimulating effect as soon as 15 minutes after it is consumed," according to the National Sleep Foundation.

有时候“咖啡还会刺激消化道”，“导致胃灼热”，林克说道，这也是咖啡因药片对某些人更具吸引力的原因。美国国家睡眠基金会表示，咖啡“从胃和小肠进入血液，喝完咖啡后的15分钟内就会产生刺激作用。”