Introduction
The viewpoint of individuals surrounding the use of caffeine, with some saying it can be detrimental whilst others believe it can be beneficial for our health. Caffeine is a neurological stimulant drug, which many people rely on during their everyday lives, as it makes the user more alert and awake. Caffeine is found naturally in coffee, cocoa beans, and tea, and is also found in products such as energy and soft drinks. The table to the left shows the amount of caffeine in different foods and beverages that someone would most likely consume on a daily basis.
Caffeine consumption
Caffeine, being a neurological drug, namely targets the brain and neurological system. Once caffeine enters the body, it acts by blocking adenosine receptors in our brain and replaces them with caffeine. Adenosine is a natural hormone that promotes sleep and tells us that we are becoming tired, when replaced with caffeine the adenosine levels drop providing us with energy surges and more alert activity. As adenosine levels lower, adrenaline levels rise, also providing further energy. The diagram to the left shows that C (adenosine), is replaced with A (caffeine) to provide the body with these boosted moods and alerted activity.
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As all drugs should be, caffeine is to be consumed proportionately, and for users to understand how much caffeine is too much. It needs to be noted, that although it is rare if too much caffeine is taken it can cause a lethal overdose. The recommended daily intake for an adult is 400mg, and for an adolescent, it is recommended to not exceed 100mg. It is also to be considered how long caffeine has, and how long it will last in an individual's body. Caffeine has a half-life of 6 hours, meaning that after 6 hours half of the caffeine would most likely be eliminated from the user’s body, and after 48 hours all of the caffeine would be gone. Though when saying this, many people need a coffee refill before the end of the day, showing that most feel the effects on their body after only half of the caffeine is utilized. The graph presented to the right demonstrates the half-life of caffeine and how it progressively drops over time until there is no caffeine left to be used in one’s body.
Benefits & Detriments of Caffeine
There are a number of long and short-term effects on the body after consuming caffeine and can be variable depending on the circumstances of each individual.
Benefits
- Alertness to our body
- Can minimize the risk of certain diseases and sickness
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Alzheimer’s
- Melanoma
Detriments
- Can cause addiction/withdrawal effects and symptoms
- Anxiety or trouble sleeping
- Physical side effects such as - higher heart rate and higher blood pressure
Withdrawal and Addiction
When an individual has become addicted to caffeine it is because their body has adapted to the caffeine meaning they will require more to have a substantial effect. They will start to need caffeine daily to feel as if they can function. Withdrawal is when one stops their intake of caffeine and their body begins to have side effects without the stimulant acting upon their brain.
Signs of Addiction
- Continued caffeine use
- Craving caffeine multiple times throughout the day
- Unsuccessful efforts on trying to limit caffeine use
- Caffeine is taken in large amounts
Symptoms of Addiction
- Sleep disruption
- Migraines
- Quickened heartbeat
- Muscle tremors
- Nausea
If someone is experiencing caffeine addiction, they should try cutting back their caffeine consumption but not totally cut it off as it could lead to withdrawal.
Symptoms of Withdrawal Include
- Headaches
- Irritability
- Muscle aches and pains
- Constipation
- Lack of Concentration
- Fatigue
- Anxiety
The best way to avoid caffeine withdrawal is for the individual to slowly lower their intake of caffeine and not stop it totally all at once, so that their body can slowly adjust.
As stated above, there are multiple positive and negative effects of caffeine. It is more than often a benefit rather than detrimental to one’s health, as can help prevent diseases and provide one with a stimulant throughout the day. Caffeine only becomes a negative aspect when its use is abused and causes one to have addiction and withdrawal struggles.
Depression & Anxiety
Depending on the individual’s circumstance caffeine can either help or hinder someone if they suffer from depression and/or anxiety. If caffeine is consumed in moderate amounts it can improve their mood and can alleviate their depression to some extent. Though, after the effects of caffeine wear off their mood could instantly drop again.
With heavy use and intake of caffeine an individual, especially with anxiety, could be triggered into something similar to a fight-or-flight situation. Where their body is dealing with excess adrenaline levels and reacts with high heart rate and blood pressure, nausea, and restlessness.
Overall if someone is suffering from depression or anxiety, it is best to drink or consume caffeine in extreme moderation, as it can cause short-term fixes or cause them to go into a situation worse for their own mental health.
Conclusion
Overall, I believe that although caffeine can provide our body with detrimental effects it is the misuse of caffeine that causes these effects. If one consumes caffeine safely and in the right amounts is more beneficial and won’t cause either short or long-term issues that occur from overdose or abuse of the drug. Caffeine is not detrimental to our body and health as long as individuals know how caffeine works as a stimulant drug and overdoses can occur leading to major issues.
Bibliography
- Addiction Center. (2019). Caffeine Addiction and Abuse. Retrieved from https://www.addictioncenter.com/stimulants/caffeine/
- Alcohol and Drug Foundation. (2019). Caffeine. Retrieved from https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/caffeine/
- Brewer, Sarah. (2017). How food works. London: DK
- Harvard Health Publishing. (2019) The buzz about caffeine and health. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-buzz-about-caffeine-and-health
- Healthline. (2018). 8 Symptoms of Caffeine Withdrawal. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/caffeine-withdrawal-symptoms
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (Australia. (2017). A quick guide to drugs and alcohol. Sydney.
- National Geographic (creator and poster). (2018, November 9). Caffeine 101 | National Geographic. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/o0W_0MuvlwQ
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- Rathi, A. (2015). The half-life of caffeine in the average human adult. The Atlas. Retrieved from https://www.theatlas.com/charts/Vy21qQMD
- Sniffen, S (Producer and Director), Lebby, M (Writer). (2016). Caffeine Overdose: How Much Is Too Much? Human Relations Media. Retrieved from Clickview. https://online.clickview.com.au/libraries/videos/3717667/caffeine-overdose-how-much-is-too-much-
- State Library of NSW. (2018). Caffeine. Retrieved from https://druginfo.sl.nsw.gov.au/drugs-z-drugs/caffeine
- Strachan, G. (2019, August 19). What effect does caffeine have on depression? Medical News Today. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/313988.php
- Swartz, I. (2018, December 29). The Science Behind: Caffeine. Medium. Retrieved from https://medium.com/show-some-stempathy/the-science-behind-caffeine-1fdf28ce5b72
- TED-ED (Creator and Poster). (2017, July 17). How does caffeine keep us awake? - Hanan Qasim. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/foLf5Bi9qXs
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