Kola Nut

Arbre à Cola, Arbre à Kola, Bissey Nut, Bissy Nut, Cola acuminata, Cola nitida, Cola Vera, Guru Nut, Gworo, Cola Nut, Kolatier, Noix de Cola, Bitter Kola, Bitter Cola, Noix de Gourou, Noix de Kola, Noix du Kolatier, Noix de Soudan, Noix du Soudan, Nuez de Cola, Soudan Coffee, Sterculia acuminata, Sterculia nitida.
The kola nut belongs to the cocoa family and is native to Africa, as well as being widely available in Central and South America. The kola nut can grow up to 2 inches long and looks like a chestnut, with its brown-colored shell. Kola nuts help reduce sensations of hunger and tiredness and are chewed throughout Brazil and the West Indies to help with digestion and to combat other ailments.
See also : Caffeine

Special Precautions of Kola Nut

• 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.
• 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.
• Amphetamines interacts with KOLA NUT
• Cocaine interacts with KOLA NUT
• Ephedrine interacts with KOLA NUT
• Alcohol interacts with KOLA NUT
• Antibiotics (Quinolone antibiotics) interacts with KOLA NUT
• Clozapine (Clozaril) interacts with KOLA NUT
• Dipyridamole (Persantine) interacts with KOLA NUT
• Disulfiram (Antabuse) interacts with KOLA NUT
• Estrogens interacts with KOLA NUT
• Fluvoxamine (Luvox) interacts with KOLA NUT
• Lithium interacts with KOLA NUT
• Medications for depression (MAOIs) interacts with KOLA NUT
• Nicotine interacts with KOLA NUT
• Pentobarbital (Nembutal) interacts with KOLA NUT
• Phenylpropanolamine interacts with KOLA NUT
• Riluzole (Rilutek) interacts with KOLA NUT
• Theophylline interacts with KOLA NUT
• Verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan) interacts with KOLA NUT

Health Benefits and uses of Kola Nut are

• Metabolism Booster : In a 2006 publication of the “African Journal of Biotechnology,” scientists noted that liquid extracts from the kola nut boosted heart rate and metabolic rate. When taken in too high a dose, however, the kola nut extract could potentially cause heart failure in the rats used for the study. Scientists, when comparing their conclusions to previous studies on caffeine’s affect on heart rate and metabolism, found the results of their kola nut study to be similar. In low concentrations, caffeine -- like kola nut -- boosts heart rate and metabolism but at greater concentrations can be fatal. Scientists concluded that people who eat more than one kola nut per day may be at greater risk of developing heart disorders.
• Lowers Body Weight : An animal study published in 2009 in the “Nigerian Journal of Physiological Sciences” found that mice fed a kola nut or caffeine-enriched diet ate less and weighed less at the end of the study than the mice in the control group. It was only mice on the caffeine-enhanced diet, however, that drank less water and had less locomotor activity; mice on the kola nut diet did not show significant decrease in these areas. The scientists concluded that a kola nut diet could help lower body weight and that the effects of kola nut -- particularly in the areas of locomotor activity and thirst -- may not be entirely due to the caffeine content in kola nuts.
• Prostate Cancer : A 2009 article in the “Journal of Toxicology” stated that compounds derived from kola nuts were shown to be effective in stopping prostate cancer. These nonsteroidal compounds from the kola nut, phytoandrogens or phytoestrogens, may cause a chain reaction that leads to prostate cancer cell death. The scientists, however, stated that their findings warranted significant further research. Consult with your doctor before using kola nut to avoid any complications with medication your doctor is prescribing.
• Protects Against Infections : A 2004 edition of “Phytotherapy Research” found that kola nut extracts can help prevent the growth and spread of certain bacteria. Members of the mycobacterium species -- responsible for illnesses such as meningitis and tuberculosis -- showed significant reduction in growth and development when introduced to kola nut extracts that were between 4 and 10 micrograms per milliliter. The extracts were made from the root, stem and leaves of the kola nut plant. The root extract had the highest concentration and was the only one effective against the bacteria for tuberculosis and meningitis.