Caffeine can be found in almost every drink you can buy in stores. People who consume caffeine usually drink it because of the positive effects it has on them, but they do not realize the harm they are causing their bodies with the caffeine they are putting into them. There are some issues involved with having caffeine on an everyday basis, which include withdrawals symptoms insomnia, dehydration, feelings of fatigue, cardiovascular side effects and health risks when pregnant. People should watch their intake on caffeinated products because it is very harmful to their health.
Caffeine is one of the most studied drugs because it is not only put into drinks but because it is also put into different types of foods. Some would not want to consider caffeine to be called and addictive drug. “Caffeine is like the air, you don’t usually notice it but it is there…” (Weinberg 166). It can date back to the Stone Age. Even though, caffeine was first known to be extracted from the coffee bean to its pure form, a white powder in 1820 by a German Scientist named Friedrich Ferdinand. It originated in Ethiopia in 900 AD having been discovered by animals. That’s when Kali a shepherd realized that his animals had been eating the beans and had an increase in energy; they later on introduced the bean to the other countries in the east. Caffeine can be found in a number of plants such as the fruit from Coffea Arabica (Coffee), the leaves of the Thea Sinensis (Tea), the seeds of Theobroma Coca (Coca, Chocolate) the dried leaves of the Ilex paraguariensis (yerba mate), and the seeds of the Paullinia Cupana or the Socarbilis (Guarana). When in its pure form it is a white powder that tastes very bitter.
The body quickly absorbs caffeine, carrying it thr...
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Weinberg, Bennett Alan, and Bonnie K. Bealer. The World Of Caffeine : The Science And Culture Of The World's Most Popular Drug. New York: Routledge, 2002. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 1 Apr. 2014.
Ozsungur, Stephen, Darren Brenner, and Ahmed El-Sohemy. "Fourteen Well-Described Caffeine Withdrawal Symptoms Factor into Three Clusters." Psychopharmacology 201.4 (2009): 541-548. Academic Search Premier. Web. 3 Mar. 2014.
Bonnet, Michael, et al. "Effects of Caffeine on Heart Rate and QT Variability During Sleep." Depression & Anxiety (1091-4269) 22.3 (2005): 150-155. Academic Search Premier. Web. 3 Mar. 2014.
Ruxton, C. H. S. "The Impact Of Caffeine On Mood, Cognitive Function, Performance And Hydration: A Review Of Benefits And Risks." Nutrition Bulletin 33.1 (2008): 15-25. Academic Search Premier. Web. 5 Mar. 2014.
Caffeine is produced by plants as an insecticide. It is a drug that acts as a stimulant in humans and causes a raised heart rate, and is used to give more energy in drinks such as tea and coffee, add flavour to drinks such as coke, and in weight-loss foods. A raised heart rate increases the risk of cardiovascular disease as it makes the heart work faster which can wear it out. High levels of caffeine have been linked to increased stress and insomnia, which is also linked to heart disease as it raises blood pressure.
Caffeine, a central nervous system stimulant, is the main psychoactive ingredient in energy drinks, which enhances alertness and mood, and counteracts symptoms of sleep. There is no doubt ...
By this definition, and after knowing the effects of caffeine upon the human body, I have come to the conclusion that drinking caffeine is a sign of a lack of respect for oneself, and of an unappreciative attitude toward the life that each of us has been blessed with. Furthermore, it shows of either our inability, or unwillingness to learn to think clearly.
Caffeine raises your blood pressure when you drink/eat it, raising your blood pressure in general is not a good thing but imagine drinking and/or eating caffeine daily, and your blood pressure constantly rising. Another negative aspect is that caffeine can have a disruptive effect on your sleep. The most obvious effect of the caffeine is that it can make it hard for you to fall asleep. It can help you stay awake during the day but can also make you stay awake during the night when you are trying to fall asleep. You can also have withdraws from caffeine, going back to the story “Java Man” the author Malcolm Gladwell considered it a drug and remember you can get addicted to drugs (you can really get addicted to anything). There are plenty more negative ways caffeine can disrupt your lifestyle but you know what they say for every negative thing you can say there can be some
Caffeine is a mild stimulant that occurs naturally in at least 63 plant species. Caffeine can be found in the leaves, stems, seeds, and roots of these various plants. Caffeine is part of the methylxanthine family. It consists of a xanthine molecule with three methyl groups attached to it. Caffeine can be found in many products like sodas, tea, and coffee, but it also occurs in several other products such as prescription medications, diuretics, and pain relievers. Caffeine’s widespread use and popularity have caused many people to view the substance as an addictive drug. Thus making caffeine the most inexpensive and readily available drug known to man. Then on the other hand there are people who view caffeine as a helpful stimulant that increases the individual’s concentration and awareness as well as many other physical traits. The important thing to remember is that caffeine’s affects vary based on the person, the amount ingested, the frequency of consumption, and individual metabolism. (http://www.pp.okstate.edu/ehs/kopykit/caffeine.html)
A lot of people often wonder what caffeine is. When isolated in pure form, caffeine is a white crystalline powder that tastes very bitter. The chief source of pure caffeine is the process of decaffeinating coffee or tea. Caffeine is used to provide“boost energy” or a feeling of heightened alertness. It is often used to stay awake longer and late into the night. Many people feel as though they “cannot function” in the morning without a cup of coffee to provide caffeine and the boost it gives them. Caffeine is an addictive drug. It operates using the same mechanisms that amphetamines, cocaine, and heroin use to stimulate the brain. Caffeine effects are more mild than amphetamines, cocaine, and heroin, but it is manipulating the same channels, and that is one of the things that gives caffeine its addictive qualities. If you feel like you have to have caffeine everyday and cannot live without it, then you are considered addicted to caffeine.
Several people rely on caffeine to wake them up or give them a boost of energy when they feel down. Acting as a stimulant, caffeine not only improves concentration and focus, but also stops fatigue (Staff 1). Considered the most commonly used psychoactive drug in the world, approximately 90 percent of adults consume it daily (“MedicineNet.com” 1). But do caffeine buyers really stop to evaluate the possinle harmful effects on their body? Health scares similar to this are not recent. In fact, they have been going on for over 100 years. In 1911, the US Government sued the Coca-Cola company for making their drinks hazardous to other’s health (Lovett 2). Although the Coca-Cola company won, it proves that people worry about what they put into their bodies, even if it does help them stay up to finish their homework. Not everybody will experience the same effects from caffeine. Some people seem more sensitive to caffeine than others (Staff 1). While some will express unwanted effects after only one cup of coffee or tea, others will not notice these same effects until after maybe four or five cups. Although caffeine does include benefits, many downfalls exemplify the stimulant as well. Drinking even small amounts of caffeine daily develops harmful effects on most people’s body and health.
Caffeine and coffee are a daily part of life for most people in modern society. The discovery of the coffee bean is said to have been in Ethiopia, when a sleepy eyed goat herder noticed his goats eating red berries, he then noticed the effect it had on them as they jumped and danced around him. He then tasted the berries and his eyes opened wide, he took them to the local village who also liked it and in particular the monks who used the berries to keep them awake during meditation.
Although individuals try to stop using caffeine, some cannot because it has a strong hold on them and some people can stop. The people that doesn’t stop may fit the clinical definition of caffeine addiction. “In this study, 94% of participants experienced withdrawal when they attempted to stop using caffeine, and 94% continued to use caffeine even though they knew that they might be harming their health with their use.” Women stop taking in caffeine during their pregnancies. Studies suggest, caffeine can be harmful to a growing baby. Most individuals with mental illnesses might be asked to stop taking caffeine. (Caffeine Addiction). All races of women consume 200 milligrams of caffeine daily. They drink coffee, black tea, green tea, and soda. About 89 percent of United States women ages 18 to 34 consume two cups of coffee a day. Even though caffeine affects men more strongly than women, caffeine changes women's estrogen levels; it has different effects in Asian, white, and black women. Studies showed that the effect differ between men and women based on the caffeine intake they consume. Men consume 7 milligrams of caffeine a day. Other men consume 85 to 170 milligrams of caffeine a day. Thirtynine percent does not drink caffeine at all.
Scrutiny of caffeine and its effects has increased dramatically in the last 20 years, due in part to an increase in consumption of caffeine. In fact, coffee consumption among young adults rose to 3.2 cups per day in 2008 from 2.4 cups per day in 2005 (Rokerya 1). For instance, in a one hour period, on Richland College’s on-campus Starbucks, the author took note of how many customers arrived and purchased a cup of coffee. Between 8:00 and 9:00 AM, there were 51 customers, implying that – especially at college - many people are dependent on coffee in the mornings. However, the results from these studies are inconclusive and often somewhat contradictory – many studies (such as that by Tetsuya Ohara et al.) show that caffeine is a great boon to
Caffeine is the single most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the United States (Einöther & Giesbrecht, 2013). According to Einöther and Giesbrecht (2013), 80% of the world’s population consumes caffeinated products every day, with coffee and tea being the primary sources. In the recent years, the demand for
Caffeine is a chemical found in coffee, tea, soft drinks and various easy to get foods and drinks. Like all drugs, caffeine has its good and bad side. Caffeine’s categorized as a stimulant, meaning it temporarily increases alertness and energy. With this stated, you may ask yourself, what’s so bad about a little high associated with coffee or chocolate? I mean it’s practically harmless, right.
Coffee is the first thing that people associate with instant energy on a groggy morning. “In the U.S., coffee is king of beverages” (Reinke) Research has been done that has named coffee as an addiction to the people who consume large quantities of it. Coffee was named the top source of antioxidants. This is partly because of the amount consumed each day. Some of the antioxidants that coffee has are quinines and chlorogenic acid. It also contains trigonelline, an antibacterial compound. This is where coffee acquires its delicious aroma. Now let’s step back for a minute and just think about how much caffeine people consume. In an 8oz cup of coffee it has about 85 milligrams of caffeine. This is about double the amount that tea contains. Studies have shown that caffeine stimulates the brain and nervous system. This is where you get that energized feeling. After about the third cup, knees start to bounce, pens are clicking and people start running laps around the office. Caffeine can become addicting if you drink too much. Coffee can become that addictive habit people are unable to shake.
Caffeine (also known as Guaranine) is a plant-based alkaloid that operates as an insecticide when found in plants and a stimulant when ingested by humans. It is most commonly found in coco, tea, and coffee plants. The caffeine works as a built-in pesticide in these plants by over-exciting insects to the point of extinction. Medically caffeine is known as trimethylxanthine . It is a white powder with an intense bitter taste that when consumed by humans, it is recognized as a psychoactive drug. These drugs work on the body’s central nervous system to affect brain functions such as consciousness...
Preview: The potential effects are related to the main ingredient in coffee – caffeine. Caffeine is a drug that stimulates the central nervous system that increases alertness and energy, but it is also very addictive.