Caffeine
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.
Caffeine also increases dopamine levels in the same way that amphetamines do (heroine, and cocaine also manipulate dopamine levels by slowing down the rate of dopamine reuptake). Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that, in certain parts of the brain, activates the pleasure center. Caffeine’s effects are obviously much lower than heroin’s, but it is the same mechanism. The long term problem with caffeine is the effect it has on sleep. The half life of caffeine in your body is about 6 hours. That means that if you have a big cup of coffee with 200 mg of caffeine in it at 3:00pm, by 9:00pm about 100 mg of that caffeine is still in your system. You will still be able to fall asleep but your body is going to miss out on the benefits of deep sleep. The next day you are probably going to feel worse, so to make yourself feel better, you will need caffeine as soon as you get up and out of bed. This cycle can start to continue day after day. This is why 90% of Americans consume caffeine everyday. Once you get in the cycle, you have to keep taking the drug (home.howstuffworks.com).
Caffeine raises adrenaline levels and heavy coffee consumption can lead to a state of adrenal gland exhaustion where the adrenal glands are no longer able to adequately respond to stress by releasing enough adrenaline. Adrenal insufficiency can then lead to a host of other problems, including a weakened immune system response, anxiety and panic attacks.
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.
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)
Caffeine is the most popular and most widely used stimulant in the world. In Canada, the average person drinks 2.6 cups of coffee a day; that is equivalent to 949 cups of coffee a year. (Van Houtte) Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant that improves ones attention, focus, and fatigue. When caffeine is ingested it causes your neurons to move at a faster rate, increasing alertness. (Fit Day) Caffeine also binds to the neural receptors, which blocks the adenosine, which prolongs tiredness. Caffeine is a white odorless powder that is most commonly found in coffee, tea, energy drinks, and pops. Caffeine can also be considered and ergogenic aid. Ergogenic aids are external influences that enhance/ improves ones strength, endurance, reaction time and speed of recovery. (Healthline) The three theories that make caffeine an ergogenic aid during exercise is the effect it has on the central nervous system, skeletal muscles, and metabolic changes. (Sheila G. Dean) Caffeine also has a positive effect on an individual’s health, some positive effects include: reduces risk of developing liver cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s. (Chawala) Caffeine has been proven to have positive effects on an athlete’s performance, and ones overall health.
Many of you might be thinking to yourselves “I must be a drug addict if caffeine is a performance-enhancing drug.”. Caffeine can make you more alert and less tired. This is why many people with wake up in the morning and drink a cup of coffee. Stimulants like caffeine have been used since the times of the Roman gladiators.
This paper describes a problem related to the increased cost of supplies and a decrease in productivity in the surgical services area of Celebration Health. A plan is developed based on these issues, which could aid the unit to become more efficient and cost-effective. This plan will emphasize being cost-effective without compromising quality and safety. Also, it will may improve the fiscal health of the surgical services department by eliminating unnecessary procedures, supplies, and labor, therefore increasing productivity.
Caffeine is a stimulant that has not been given the attention that some says it deserves. Caffeine is found in many everyday substances. It can be found in coffee, tea or sodas. Caffeine can be found on almost every street corner. There is a coffee place in just about every town. Sodas and coffee are found...
Although there is very few data that caffeine containing energy drinks may temporarily improve alertness, but they enhance strength and decrease power (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health). Excessive intakes of beverages lead to adenosine receptors prone to feeling increased anxiety. Energy drinks cause insomnia, which is effect of caffeine. Lack of sleep has been seen to cause impaired body function. They also cause some people to shake and be anxious. This can cause emotional issue. Where people used to take energy drinks regularly they eventually become addicted, which is one of the serious psychological effect. Beverages are the cause of increase in stress hormone, which leads to stress among consumers. In general, other psychological effects are impaired cognition, risky behavior, stress and nervousness.
As the vast majority of Americans are addicted to caffeine, studies show that the effects during post-consumption, can be positive or negative depending on the amount and frequency of caffeine intake. As the demand for caffeine has increased, the caffeine industry has increased its amount of marketing and establishments to help aid this demand. Caffeine addiction can lead to serious health detriments and physiological detriments. It is evident that the primary reason for consumption of caffeinated beverages is due to positive effects, such as alertness. The media has an abundance of marketing to continue to illustrate this main effect. The media fails to project the negative effects of excessive caffeine intake. This literature review will illustrate how excessive caffeine consumption can be detrimental to one’s life, and how problematic caffeine use derives from conditioning by the caffeine industries.
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.
When a person drinks coffee, the caffeine is absorbed into the bloodstream and then travels to the brain where it blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter called Adenosine. When this happens, the amount of other neurotransmitters actually increases.