COLA NUT
Other Names:Arbre à Cola, Arbre à Kola, Bissey Nut, Bissy Nut, Cola acuminata, Cola nitida, Guru Nut, Gworo, Kola Nut, Kolatier, Noix de Cola, Noix de Gourou, Noix de Kola, Noix du Kolatier, Noix de Soudan, Noix du Soudan, Nuez de Cola, Soudan Coffee, Sterc…
Cola nut is the seed of the cola nut plant. Cola nut is used widely in Nigeria and many West African countries as part of traditional hospitality, cultural, and social ceremonies. It is also used to make medicine.
Cola nut is used for short-term relief of fatigue, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), melancholy, lack of normal muscle tone (atony), exhaustion, dysentery, a type of diarrhea called atonic diarrhea, weight loss, and migraineheadaches.
In foods and beverages, cola nut is used as a flavoring ingredient.
How does it work?
Cola nut contains caffeine. Caffeine works by stimulating the central nervous system (CNS), heart, and muscles.
Weight loss. Some early research, sponsored by a product manufacturer, suggests that taking cola nut in combination with ephedra and willow bark by mouth for up to 6 months might cause modest weight loss in overweight and obese people. But this combination might not be appropriate for weight loss due to safety concerns related to ephedra. Ephedra is banned in the U.S. due to severe adverse effects.
Depression.
Exhaustion.
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).
Dysentery.
Diarrhea.
Anorexia.
Migraines.
Mental and physical fatigue.
Other conditions.
More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of cola nut for these uses
COLA NUT SIDE EFFECTS & SAFETY
Cola nut is LIKELY SAFE for most people when consumed in amounts found in foods.
Cola nut is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth in medicinal amounts, short-term. The caffeine in cola nut can cause insomnia, nervousness and restlessness, stomach irritation, nausea and vomiting, increased heart rate and respiration, and other side effects.
When cola nut is used medicinally in larger amounts or for a long period of time, it is POSSIBLY UNSAFE. Chewing cola nut is associated with an increased risk of mouth cancer and gastrointestinal cancer. Also, due to its caffeine content, large amounts of cola nut might cause headache, anxiety, agitation, ringing in the ears, and irregular heartbeats. Stopping the use of caffeine suddenly can sometimes result in headaches, irritation, nervousness, anxiety, and dizziness.
Taking cola nut by mouth in very large doses is LIKELY UNSAFE due to its caffeine content. Very high doses of caffeine can cause death. The fatal dose is estimated to be about 10-14 grams; that’s 150-200 mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Children: Cola nut is LIKELY SAFE for children when taken by mouth in amounts found in foods.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Cola nut is POSSIBLY SAFE when consumed during pregnancy and breast-feeding in food amounts. But larger amounts are POSSIBLY UNSAFE, as larger doses might provide too much caffeine for both pregnant and breast-feeding women. Mothers should keep caffeine consumption below 200 mg per day. This is similar to the amount of caffeine found in about 2 cups of coffee. Consuming larger amounts during pregnancy might increase the chance of miscarriage, early delivery, and low birth weight. Caffeine passes into breast milk, so nursing mothers should closely monitor cola nut intake to make sure it is on the low side. Caffeine from cola nut can cause sleep disturbances, irritability, and increased bowel activity in breast-fed infants.
Anxiety disorders: The caffeine in cola nut might make anxiety disorders worse.
Bleeding disorders: Cola nut contains caffeine, which might slow blood clotting. This makes some experts worry that cola nut might make bleeding disorders worse.
Heart conditions: Caffeine in cola nut might cause irregular heartbeat in certain people. Use cola nut with care if you have a heart condition.
Diabetes: Cola nut contains caffeine. Some research suggests that caffeine may affect the way the body uses sugar and might worsen diabetes. But the effect of caffeinated beverages and herbs has not been studied. Use cola nut with caution if you have diabetes.
Diarrhea: Cola nut contains caffeine. Caffeine, especially when taken in large amounts, can worsen diarrhea.
Glaucoma: The caffeine in cola nut might increase pressure inside the eye. The increase might occur within 30 minutes and persist for at least 90 minutes.
High blood pressure: The caffeine in cola nut might increase blood pressure in people with high blood pressure. However, this doesn’t seem to occur in people who regularly consume cola nut or other products that contain caffeine.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): Cola nut contains caffeine. Caffeine, especially when taken in large amounts, can worsen diarrhea and might worsen symptoms of IBS.
Weak bones (osteoporosis): The caffeine in cola nut might increase the amount of calcium that is flushed out in the urine. If you have osteoporosis or low bone density, caffeine should be limited to less than 300 mg per day (approximately 2-3 cups of coffee). It’s also a good idea to get extra calcium to make up for the amount that may be lost in the urine. Older women with an inherited disorder that affects the way vitamin D is used should use caffeine with caution. Vitamin D works with calcium to build bones.
Surgery: Cola nut might affect blood sugar levels. There is a concern that it could interfere with blood sugar control during and after surgery. Stop using cola nut at least 2 weeks before a scheduled surgery.
COLA NUT INTERACTIONS What is this?
Major Interaction Do not take this combination
Amphetamines interacts with COLA NUT
Stimulant drugs such as amphetamines speed up the nervous system. By speeding up the nervous system, stimulant medications can make you feel jittery and increase your heart rate. The caffeine in cola nut might also speed up the nervous system. Taking caffeine along with stimulant drugs might cause serious problems including increased heart rate and high blood pressure. Avoid taking stimulant drugs along with caffeine.
Cocaine interacts with COLA NUT
Stimulant drugs such as cocaine speed up the nervous system. By speeding up the nervous system, stimulant medications can make you feel jittery and increase your heart rate. The caffeine in cola nut might also speed up the nervous system. Taking caffeine along with stimulant drugs might cause serious problems including increased heart rate and high blood pressure. Avoid taking stimulant drugs along with cola nut.
Ephedrine interacts with COLA NUT
Stimulant drugs speed up the nervous system. The caffeine in cola nut and ephedrine are both stimulant drugs. Taking caffeine along with ephedrine might cause too much stimulation and sometimes serious side effects and heart problems. Do not take caffeine-containing products and ephedrine at the same time.
Moderate Interaction Be cautious with this combination
Alcohol interacts with COLA NUT
The body breaks down the caffeine in cola nut to get rid of it. Alcohol can decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine. Taking cola nut along with alcohol might cause too much caffeine in the bloodstream and caffeine side effects including jitteriness, headache, and fast heartbeat.
Antibiotics (Quinolone antibiotics) interacts with COLA NUT
The body breaks down the caffeine in cola nut to get rid of it. Some antibiotics might decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine. Taking these antibiotics along with cola nut can increase the risk of side effects including jitteriness, headache, increased heart rate, and other side effects.
Some antibiotics that decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine include ciprofloxacin (Cipro), enoxacin (Penetrex), norfloxacin (Chibroxin, Noroxin), sparfloxacin (Zagam), trovafloxacin (Trovan), and grepafloxacin (Raxar).
Clozapine (Clozaril) interacts with COLA NUT
The body breaks down clozapine (Clozaril) to get rid of it. The caffeine in cola nut seems to decrease how quickly the body breaks down clozapine (Clozaril). Taking cola nut along with clozapine (Clozaril) can increase the effects and side effects of clozapine (Clozaril).
Dipyridamole (Persantine) interacts with COLA NUT
Cola nut contains caffeine. The caffeine in cola nut might block the affects of dipyridamole (Persantine). Dipyridamole (Persantine) is often used by doctors to do a test on the heart. This test is called a cardiac stress test. Stop consuming cola nut or other caffeine-containing products at least 24 hours before a cardiac stress test.
Disulfiram (Antabuse) interacts with COLA NUT
The body breaks down the caffeine in cola nut to get rid of it. Disulfiram (Antabuse) can decrease how quickly the body gets rid of caffeine. Taking cola nut along with disulfiram (Antabuse) might increase the effects and side effects of caffeine including jitteriness, hyperactivity, irritability, and others.
Estrogens interacts with COLA NUT
The body breaks down the caffeine in cola nut to get rid of it. Estrogens can decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine. Taking estrogens along with cola nut can cause jitteriness, headache, fast heartbeat, and other side effects. If you take estrogens limit your caffeine intake.
Some estrogen pills include conjugated equine estrogens (Premarin), ethinyl estradiol, estradiol, and others.
Fluvoxamine (Luvox) interacts with COLA NUT
The body breaks down the caffeine in cola nut to get rid of it. Fluvoxamine (Luvox) can decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine. Taking caffeine along with fluvoxamine (Luvox) might cause too much caffeine in the body, and increase the effects and side effects of caffeine.
Lithium interacts with COLA NUT
You body naturally gets rid of lithium. The caffeine in cola nut can increase how quickly your body gets rid of lithium. If you take products that contain caffeine and you take lithium, stop taking caffeine products slowly. Stopping caffeine too quickly can increase the side effects of lithium.
Medications for depression (MAOIs) interacts with COLA NUT
Cola nut contains caffeine. Caffeine can stimulate the body. Some medications used for depression can also stimulate the body. Taking cola nut with these medications used for depression might cause too much stimulation. This could cause serious side effects including fast heartbeat, high blood pressure, nervousness, and others.
Some of these medications used for depression include phenelzine (Nardil), tranylcypromine (Parnate), and others.
Nicotine interacts with COLA NUT
Stimulant drugs such as nicotine speed up the nervous system. By speeding up the nervous system, stimulant medications can make you feel jittery and increase your heart rate. The caffeine in cola nut might also speed up the nervous system. Taking caffeine along with stimulant drugs might cause serious problems including increased heart rate and high blood pressure. Avoid taking stimulant drugs along with caffeine.
Pentobarbital (Nembutal) interacts with COLA NUT
The stimulant effects of the caffeine in cola nut can block the sleep-producing effects of pentobarbital.
Phenylpropanolamine interacts with COLA NUT
The caffeine in cola nut can stimulate the body. Phenylpropanolamine can also stimulate the body. Taking cola nut along with phenylpropanolamine might cause too much stimulation and increase heartbeat, blood pressure, and cause nervousness.
Riluzole (Rilutek) interacts with COLA NUT
The body breaks down riluzole (Rilutek) to get rid of it. Taking cola nut can decrease how fast the body breaks down riluzole (Rilutek) and increase the effects and side effects of riluzole.
Theophylline interacts with COLA NUT
Cola nut contains caffeine. Caffeine works similarly to theophylline. Caffeine can also decrease how quickly the body gets rid of theophylline. Taking cola nut along with theophylline might increase the effects and side effects of theophylline.
Verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan) interacts with COLA NUT
The body breaks down the caffeine in cola nut to get rid of it. Verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan) can decrease how fast the body gets rid of caffeine. Taking cola nut along with verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan) can increase the risk of side effects from caffeine including jitteriness, headache, and an increased heartbeat.
Minor Interaction Be watchful with this combination
Adenosine (Adenocard) interacts with COLA NUT
Cola nut contains caffeine. The caffeine in cola nut might block the affects of adenosine (Adenocard). Adenosine (Adenocard) is often used by doctors to do a test on the heart. This test is called a cardiac stress test. Stop consuming cola nut or other caffeine-containing products at least 24 hours before a cardiac stress test.
Birth control pills (Contraceptive drugs) interacts with COLA NUT
The body breaks down the caffeine in cola nut to get rid of it. Birth control pills can decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine. Taking cola nut along with birth control pills can cause jitteriness, headache, fast heartbeat, and other side effects.
Some birth control pills include ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel (Triphasil), ethinyl estradiol and norethindrone (Ortho-Novum 1/35, Ortho-Novum 7/7/7), and others.
Cimetidine (Tagamet) interacts with COLA NUT
The body breaks down the caffeine in cola nut to get rid of it. Cimetidine (Tagamet) can decrease how quickly your body breaks down caffeine. Taking cimetidine (Tagamet) along with cola nut might increase the chance of caffeine side effects including jitteriness, headache, fast heartbeat, and others.
Fluconazole (Diflucan) interacts with COLA NUT
Cola nut contains caffeine. The body breaks down caffeine to get rid of it. Fluconazole (Diflucan) might decrease how quickly the body gets rid of caffeine. This could cause caffeine to stay in to body too long and increase the risk of side effects such as nervousness, anxiety, and insomnia.
Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs) interacts with COLA NUT
Cola nut might increase blood sugar. Diabetes medications are used to lower blood sugar. By increasing blood sugar, cola nut might decrease the effectiveness of diabetes medications. Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your diabetes medication might need to be changed.
Some medications used for diabetes include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glipizide (Glucotrol), tolbutamide (Orinase), and others.
Mexiletine (Mexitil) interacts with COLA NUT
Cola nut contains caffeine. The body breaks down caffeine to get rid of it. Mexiletine (Mexitil) can decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine. Taking cola nut along with mexiletine (Mexitil) might increase the effects and side effects of caffeine.
Terbinafine (Lamisil) interacts with COLA NUT
Cola nut contains caffeine. The body breaks down the caffeine in cola nut to get rid of it. Terbinafine (Lamisil) can decrease how fast the body gets rid of caffeine. Taking cola nut along with terbinafine (Lamisil) can increase the risk of caffeine side effects including jitteriness, headache, and an increased heartbeat.
COLA NUT DOSING
The appropriate dose of cola nut depends on several factors such as the user’s age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for cola nut. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.
more…..
- Caffeine which stimulates the central nervous system
- Theobromine which stimulates the heart
In simple terms, this means that taking Bitter Kola would have a similar effect on you as drinking coca cola, tea, coffee or any other caffeinated product. In actual fact, Kola nut was once used as part of the recipe for Pepsi Cola!
The problem though is that we have always been told that there are little or no side effects of consuming Bitter Kola. Is this true?
The answer is no. Both Caffeine and Theombromine have been shown to cause side effects such as tremors, anxiety, insomnia and frequent urination.
Like most things in life, experts suggest that Bitter Kola is ok to consume in moderation. Excess use may lead to the above side effects.
Bitter Kola and Pregnancy
Pregnant women need to take care of their diet and health more than everyone else. Therefore, it’s little surprise they’re asking: Is Bitter Kola safe during pregnancy? Can a pregnant woman take Bitter Kola?
These are all important questions because there is little information available on the side effects of Bitter Kola on pregnant women.
The problem with Bitter Kola for pregnant women is the caffeine content that we talked about above.
Caffeine can lead to changes in a baby’s movement and sleep pattern. You may be able to handle such caffeine but the baby may struggle.
Various animal based studies have suggested that caffeine is the cause of side effects such as low weight at birth, premature labour and birth defects.
According to the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) for pregnant women:
“you should should limit the amount of caffeine you have to 200 milligrams (mg) a day”.
But can you take Bitter Kola and keep under the 200 milligrams daily caffeine limit recommended by the UK’s NHS? The NHS suggests that one mug of instant coffee is equal to 100mg of caffeine.
Here’s the bad news for pregnant women: one Kola Nut has more caffeine than two large cups of coffee!
According to George Burdock’s article on Kola Nuts from the Food and Chemical Toxicology journal:
“The Kola Nut’s primary social and economic significance lies in its being a very concentrated source of the central nervous systems (CNS) stimulant, caffeine, with one nut containing more caffeine than two large cups of American coffee”
Avoid Bitter Kola During Pregnancy
What the above means is that Bitter Kola and pregnancy do not go hand in hand as even one nut contains more caffeine than the recommended daily amount of caffeine for pregnant women.
If you don’t believe me, listen to the advice of the American Herbal Products Association which includes C. Nitada (the plant which produces Bitter Kola) on its list of herbs that might cause irritation to the GI tract, that might induce nervous system stimulation and that should not be used in pregnancy unless otherwise directed by a suitably qualified expert.
There are other options for pregnant women who want a moderate stimulant without the negative side effects of Bitter Kola.
Try decaffeinated tea and coffee or, even better, stick to fruit juices and water.
Bitter Kola can be bought as nuts (see above), seeds or even in powder form.
Bitter Kola (also known as the Kola Nut) is popular in Nigeria.
Very popular.
Let’s face it – it’s little surprise.
After all, Bitter Kola is unique with its bitter and sweet taste.
The Kola Nut has been used for centuries in Nigerian folk medicine as a treatment for colds, coughs, throat infections and other ailments.
But what makes this special nut a favorite of Nigerians across the world is that it is a potent stimulant.
Bitter Kola has two main properties.
