Caffeine

Like all of you I could not wait to get to my computer to read about the horrible call that gave last night’s Packer game to Seattle.  But this headline caught my eye instead.   Hamilton injury blamed on caffeine.    
 

Josh Hamilton is an amazing baseball player.  He has lead the Texas Rangers to the last two World Series.  He is fast, plays center field and can hit.  Today he is leading all of baseball in homeruns.  Josh Hamilton also has a long history of substance abuse.  It was only after he conquered his demons did his baseball career take off.  But how did he hurt himself with caffeine?  Trip on a can of Monster?  Spill coffee on his hands?  According to ESPN his caffeine consumption was so high he developed ocular keratitis.  He couldn’t focus.  Not a good thing when holding a bat while someone is throwing a 98 mph baseball at you.  It turns out Josh Hamilton drinks a lot of coffee during the day, has an energy drink before the game and tops off his evening with some theobromine (chocolate).  Caffeine is well known to cause tremor, headache, tachycardia, hypertension and GI irritation.  Now you can add ocular keratitis to the list.  Josh Hamilton may be a superb athlete but he really is just one of us. 

Do you think the NFL replacement refs get enough caffeine?

Ocular Keratitis:  Keratitis is an inflammation of the cornea — the clear, dome-shaped tissue on the front of your eye that covers the pupil and iris. Keratitis may or may not be associated with an infection.  Noninfectious keratitis can be caused by a relatively minor injury, wearing your contact lenses too long or other diseases. Infectious keratitis can be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites.  (www.mayoclinic.com)