Caffeine is one of the most comprehensively studied ingredients in the food supply, with new studies being published annually and adding to the large body of knowledge about caffeine. Yet, despite all this research, confusion and misunderstanding remain part of the environment that surrounds caffeine and health.

The September 2002 issue of the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology includes a Caffeine Monograph Special Issue, commissioned by the North American branch of the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI N.A.), that provides a helpful review of the scientific literature on caffeine. The articles in the special issue focus on the behavioral effects of caffeine, including caffeine dependence, the effects of caffeine on bones and the body's calcium economy, the effects of caffeine on development and behavior in childhood, and the reproductive implications of caffeine consumption.

To obtain a copy of the Caffeine Monograph, contact ILSI Press at One Thomas Circle, NW, 9th Floor, Washington, DC, 20005 (phone: 202-659-0074; e-mail: ilsipress@ilsi.org).