Coffee and Cigarette Consumption and Perceived Effects in Recovering Alcoholics Participating in Alcoholics Anonymous in Nashville, Tennessee

Abstract

Background-Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) members represent an important and relatively understudied population for improving our understanding of alcohol dependence recovery since over one million Americans participate in the program. Further insight into coffee and cigarette use by these individuals is necessary given AA members' apparent widespread consumption and the recognized health consequences and psychopharmacological actions of these substances.

Cholinergic Receptor System as a Target for Treating Alcohol Abuse and Dependence

“…However, additional studies are necessary to examine the chronic effects of mecamylamine on alcohol consumption in humans, particularly those who are also dependent on nicotine. Co-dependence on alcohol and nicotine is clearly quite common; for example, more than 50% of alcohol-dependent individuals are also nicotine dependent [47,48]. Regarding this connection, a number of clinical trials are underway to evaluate the efficacy of mecamylamine in patients with depression and co-morbid alcohol dependence (Study NCT00563797-Yale University, USA) and in smoking and non-smoking alcohol dependent patients (Study NCT 00342563-Yale University, USA).…”

“…Preclinical studies and clinical trials [6,10,30,34,[41][42][43][46][47][48] Cytisine 4 2* nAChR partial agonist; preclinical studies [37,39,58] Lobeline Non-competitive nAChR antagonist/partial agonist.…”

Functional properties of coffee and coffee by-products

“…Caffeine contents are strongly related to the quality of coffee beverages, because it contributes to its bitterness (Farah, Monteiro, Calado, Franca, & Trugo, 2006). Caffeine is well-known for increasing alertness, through stimulation of the central nervous system, rising blood circulation and respiration, being probably the main reason for coffee popularity (Belitz et al, 2009;Reich, Dietrich, Finlayson, Fischer, & Martin, 2008). Other possible benefits of caffeine include mood enhancement, better exercise performance and reaction time, and reduction of symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease and tremors (Heckman, Weil, & González de Mejía, 2010).…”

Temporal sequence of incident cigarette, coffee, and alcohol use among AA participants

“…The potential influence of coffee drinking in development of alcoholism has not been studied even though coffee is the most widely consumed psychoactive beverage in the USA (13), with particularly high prevalence among alcoholics (14). This association is especially important to examine as there is an emerging literature supporting the beneficial effects of coffee consumption on various aspects of mental and physical health, including on complications of chronic alcohol dependence, mediated predominantly by non-caffeine components of this beverage (14)(15)(16).…”