Caffeine in Food and Dietary Supplements: Examining Safety: Workshop Summary (2014)
Chapter: Appendix D: Workshop Statement of Task
An ad hoc committee will organize a 2-day public workshop to discuss potential health impacts stemming from the consumption of caffeine in dietary supplements and conventional foods, alone or in combination with other substances found in products commonly referred to as “energy products.” The workshop will examine cardiovascular and central nervous system (CNS) effects and other important health hazards of caffeine that may arise in at-risk populations consuming varied amounts of caffeine. The committee will develop the agenda for the workshop, select and invite speakers and discussants, and moderate the discussions. The invited presentations and discussions will be structured to explore and discuss such topics as the following:
1. Evaluating the epidemiological, toxicological, clinical, and other relevant literature to identify and describe the important health hazards associated with caffeine and potential data gaps;
2. Delineating particular populations who may be at risk from caffeine exposure, taking into account interactive effects from other ingredients in “energy products” and preexisting medical conditions such as cardiovascular diseases;
3. Describing the risk for cardiovascular or other serious important health hazards for vulnerable populations, from exposure to caffeine-containing dietary supplements and conventional foods;
4. Identifying data gaps with regard to stimulant effects such as but not limited to caffeine on the cardiovascular and CNS systems; and
5. Exploring a safe level of exposure to caffeine for general and particular populations.
