By popular demand, I’m putting back up some details behind some more anti-caffeine marketing that appeared on HowStuffWorks and Lifehacker last year. The HowStuffWorks article is an extended sales pitch for Stephen Cherniske’s Caffeine Blues: Wake Up to the Hidden Dangers of America’s #1 Drug.

Stephen Cherniske’s nutritional authority is his M.S. from Columbia Pacific University - a now-defunct distance learning diploma mill. Browsing directly to the Amazon.com entry - but not the HowStuffWorks bookstore gateway, interestingly - allowed you to see this noted in the customer reviews.

Stephen Cherniske is a founder of the Oasis Wellness Network, aka MaxCell BioScience, Inc., aka Oasis LifeSciences, aka Univera LifeSciences. (See the current blurb, as well as the Internet Archive cache from 2003 February 13). Oasis/MaxCell/Univera ran into some trouble in 2000 (after the 1998 publication date of Caffeine Blues, note) with the Federal Trade Commission for marketing health products with unsubstantiated claims. See documents at the FTC and FindLaw. Oasis/MaxCell/Univera sold those products via a multi-level marketing campaign.

A glowing review of Stephen Cherniske’s Caffeine Blues has a conflict of interest:

I am Caffeine Free after 40 years, October 9, 2004

Reviewer: Michael Van Masters “OasisMike” (Denver CO) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have been a serious coffee drinker for over 40 years. I love everything about coffee. Reading this book freed me from a major problem (caffeine) that I didn’t even realize was a problem. The book was a gift to me. I am so thankful I read this book. Dr. Michael Van Masters, “OasisMike” Denver CO

“OasisMike”? Yes, it’s Michael Van Masters of Stephen Cherniske’s Oasis LifeSciences, aka MyAgelessLife, aka Oasis Wellness Network, aka MaxCell BioScience, Inc., aka Univera LifeSciences.