Caffeine and its Long-term Physiological Changes

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Caffeine and its Long-term Physiological Changes

To many people, caffeine seems like more of a necessity

to start the day, or keep the day going, rather than a

potentially harmful drug; however, most do not realize the

long-term physiological changes that can occur as reported by

several users. According to National Geographic, consumers

spend 30 million dollars every year on caffeine tablets and

roughly 50 billion dollars on caffeinated soda.

Caffeine is a drug and as such makes changes the bodies. When

people consume food or drink with caffeine in it the body

responds by a raise the blood pressure, exciting the central

nervous system, endorses urine formation, and speed up the

action of the heart and lungs. (Microsoft, 2003)

There are lots of reasons people use caffeine to get through

daily life, to stay away, to get ride of migraine and for

weight loss. Caffeine helps reduce migraines by reducing

blood flow in the vessels and thereby reduces the pain felt by

migraines. Caffeine can also heighten the effects of

painkillers like an aspirin. Caffeine widening airways

passages which helps relieve asthma. (Microsoft, 2003)

Caffeine has lots of immediate positive side effects such

as energizing, mood lifting, and pain relieving. However most

people today do not stop and think about the long-term

correlational effects of usage. Studies have found a possible

relationship between caffeine use and kidney, bladder,

fibrocystic breast disease, pancreatic cancer, osteoporosis

and birth defects. Caffeine increases a person's blood

pressure which given long term uses can cause an increase

likely-hood of heart disease. More research needs to be done

on exac...

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need more caffeine to jump start their morning. (Ieid, T.R.,

2005)

Most people today will tell you that caffeine is a drug,

yet they still use that substance because of the effects

achieved through the usage.

References

Caffeine. (2003). Microsoft Encarta Reference Library 2003. ©

1993-2002 Microsoft Corporation.

Coffee -- Healthy Tonic for the Liver? (2005). National Coffee

Association.

http://www.coffeescience.org

Design, M. (2005). What is the Buzz?. from National

Geographic Society. Web site:

http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0501/sights_n_sounds/m

edia1.html

Ieid, T.R. (2005). Caffeine: It's the world's most popu-.

National Geographic, January 2-32

Parliament, Ho and Schieberle (2000). Caffeinated Beverages:

Health Benefits, Physiological Effects and Chemistry.

Washington, D.C.: Oxford University Press.

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