Caffeine and alcohol addictions linked

by Nick Vagnoni, Posted Dec 16th 2005 @ 3:04PM

A caffeine dependency may be a good indicator of a person's potential for alcohol addiction, according to a recently published study from researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. The study, which appears in this month's American Journal of Psychiatry, followed 44 pregnant women and found that seven who had trouble giving up caffeine also had a family history of alcohol abuse. None of the women studied were themselves alcoholics, however.

Consuming large amounts of caffeine during pregnancy is discouraged because it can increase the risks of miscarriage and stunted fetal growth. Researchers hope that establishing a link between caffeine addiction and other types of dependency will help identify problems such as dormant alcoholism. The study's chief investigator, Roland Griffiths, was responsible for a study in the early 90s that established caffeine as an addictive substance.

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