Relationship Between Calcium Carbonate & Caffeine

By hnub | hnub | 29 Jul 2019

Calcium carbonate and caffeine are both molecules, they both contain carbon and oxygen, and they both can react with acid, but the similarities end there. Calcium carbonate is common in nature, and is also a calcium supplement and antacid. Caffeine, on the other hand, is a stimulant drug that activates a portion of your nervous system.

CALCIUM CARBONATE

Calcium carbonate is a chemical compound with the formula CaCO3. It's very common in nature, and is the major mineral component of limestone and marble. It also forms a portion of aquatic and terrestrial shells, including snail shells and eggshells. In addition, chalk is made up primarily of calcium carbonate. The molecule is slightly basic, and reacts with strong acids to produce carbonic acid. This, in turn, decomposes to generate carbon dioxide and water, explain Drs. Reginald Garrett and Charles Grisham in their book "Biochemistry."

USES OF CALCIUM CARBONATE

Aside from the many uses of calcium carbonate-containing rocks -- commonly used in art and architecture -- calcium carbonate has medical utility. It's an exceedingly inexpensive source of dietary calcium, and as such, it's often used as a calcium supplement. You can also take calcium carbonate as an antacid to help combat heartburn and acid stomach symptoms. The carbonate portion of the molecule reacts with stomach acid, producing water and carbon dioxide.

CAFFEINE

Caffeine's chemical formula, like that of calcium carbonate, contains the elements carbon and oxygen. Caffeine is very slightly acidic, but is also somewhat basic, meaning that like calcium carbonate, it can react with acid. The caffeine molecule is much larger than the calcium carbonate molecule, and they're not found together in nature. There is essentially no chemical relationship between the two molecules, nor would they react chemically with each other in any meaningful way; caffeine is not acidic enough to react with carbonic acid.

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CAFFEINE USES

Caffeine is a nervous system stimulant, and activates a portion of the nervous system called the "fight or flight" branch. This causes an increased heart and respiratory rate, and changes in blood flow patterns, explains Dr. Lauralee Sherwood in her book "Human Physiology." When you consume caffeine, you feel more attentive and awake, but can also experience heart palpitations and feel jittery, particularly if you consume caffeine in larger than moderate amounts.

OSTEOPOROSIS

Some studies suggest caffeine can increase your risk of osteoporosis, including a study by Dr. P. Rapuri in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." If you're a regular caffeine user, you might hope to combat the effects of caffeine on bone density by using a calcium supplement such as calcium carbonate. However, the reason caffeine affects bone density hasn't been clearly defined, so it's best to talk to a doctor before trying to use calcium carbonate as a "caffeine antidote" with regard to your bones.