Caffeine and its Long-term Physiological Changes Essay

This article discusses the affects caffeine has on several aspects of human health. These included toxicity, cardiovascular effects (arrhythmia, heart rate, cholesterol and BP), bone/calcium balance, behavior, and reproductive and developmental effects. It also discussing the affect caffeine intake has on children and reproductive-aged women.

Pregnancy and certain contraceptives may bring on jitters, a side effect of caffeine, to the female population. “A two- hundred-pound man who drinks a cup of coffee with a hundred milligrams of caffeine will have a maximum caffeine concentration of one milligram per kilogram of body weight. A hundred- pound woman having the same cup of coffee will reach a caffeine concentration of two milligrams per kilogram of body weight, or twice as high” (Gladwell, 233). I can usually consume two to three cups of coffee before noon, while my wife can only handle one to two before the jitters set in. The metabolism of medications changes with aging; therefore, the older population should monitor caffeine intake. My parents have switched from caffeinated to decaffeinated beverages due to how caffeine affects their body, making them feel jittery after one cup of

Caffeine is a wildly use drug in today’s society. Caffeine is a methylated xanthine which acts as a mild central nervous system stimulant (MS & RL, 2001). It is a stimulant which acts upon the central nervous system and increases alertness, wakefulness and restlessness and it increases the release of catecholamine from renal medullar (Fernandez, 2016; Collines, 2007). It is present in many beverages. Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, soft drinks, products containing chocolate (cocoa) and some medication (Collines, 2007). It is used as a cardiac and respiratory stimulant (Collines, 2007).Caffeine is the most frequently ingested pharmacologically active substance in the world (Collines, 2007).

Caffeine, a popularly consumed central nervous system stimulant is consumed on a day to day basis around the globe. Caffeine can be ingested into the body by either eating it or drinking it. Caffeine comes in forms of many processed foods such as coffee, chocolate bars, candy, sodas, and energy drinks as well as tea. For example millions of people all around the world consume coffee on a daily basis. Due to the large consumption of caffeine, both the negative and positive side effects of consuming it have been well researched and documented. However the long term effects are much more significant, the short term side effects of caffeine may not appear to be as extreme. The regulation of caffeine consumption is crucial in order to guarantee that one does not become dependent on it, and to ensure that an individual’s body will not be damaged by doing so. The evidence that backed up the claim that coffee is best consumed in small amounts and not on a daily basis is overwhelming and clearly shows that coffee consumption must be carefully regulated and controlled.

Thesis: Caffeine can have many different effects on the body depending on the amount of consumption.

About 9 million metric tons of caffeine are consumed around the world every year. That’s equal to the weight of 1243 Eiffel towers. Most of this caffeine is consumed in coffee and tea, but it’s also ingested in some sodas, chocolate, caffeine pills, and even beverages labeled “decaf.” Caffeine helps us feel alert, focused, happy, and energetic, even if we haven’t had enough sleep, but it can also raise our blood pressure and make us feel anxious. It’s the world’s most widely used drug…so how does it keep us awake?

Caffeine is in tea, coffee, chocolate, many soft drinks,and pain relievers and other over-the-counter medications. In its natural form, caffeine tastes very bitter. But most caffeinated drinks have gone through enough processing to camouflage the bitter taste. Many people feel that caffeine increases their mental alertness. Higher doses of caffeine can cause anxiety, dizziness, headaches, and the jitters. Caffeine can also interfere with normal sleep. Caffeine in extreme cases could cause stroke, liver failure, and even

Symptoms that follow caffeine consumption are: anxiety, panic attacks, increased heart palpitations, trembling, stress, heartburn, and the deprivation of sleep (Driedger, Doyle par 2). Over time these symptoms can become more severe and eventually will become a major disturbance in one’s life. The anxiety that comes from this can be especially harmful to those who suffer from anxiety disorders, such as GAD-General Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder as the caffeine can stimulate a panic attack (Human par 3). The most apparent concern of caffeine consumption, is its effects on teen life. Dr. Jim Lane, a researcher at Duke University stated, “Teens are chronically sleep deprived. Caffeine use might be a consequence of that, and also a cause. Drinking coffee could lead to sleep-onset insomnia, or a delay in going to bed, that contributes to sleep deprivation” (Teens par 7). This shows that as the caffeine trend among teens continue, the link to teen sleep deprivation strengthens. Not only does it prevent the continuation of sleep, but also the process of even falling asleep is delayed. The more deprived of sleep these

Even though I do not possess a caffeine produced disease, I have experienced the consequences of drinking high amounts of caffeine which includes anxiety, insomnia, gastritis, colitis, mild tremors, and irritability. Although small quantities of caffeine may not substantially cause serious problems, if consumed in high quantities (>400mg.), it might worse the conditions of an anxiety disorder, diarrhea, bipolar disorder, bleeding disorders, heart conditions, diabetes, glaucoma, osteoporosis, epilepsy, irritable bowel syndrome, and high blood pressure (webmd, 2009). In addition to the consequences of caffeine mentioned above, new studies have linked caffeine to psychotic symptoms (Grimson, 2011). At the moment, I do not suffer any of the diseases previously mentioned, but I do have a family history of diabetes, depression, and anxiety disorders. Thus, the predisposition to any of the risks of a high caffeine intake increases. In summary, the consequences of consuming high doses of caffeine vary from person to person, and it may elicit different effects, which may range from a mild change of mood to a complex psychotic break; therefore I considered quitting caffeine an optimum choice for a healthier

All around the world, people drink coffee, tea and caffeinated drinks to wake up in the morning, to be more vigilant and alert throughout the day. Not only does this keep individuals alert but also allows them to focus and efficiently manage their time throughout their day. This quality of caffeine has caused it to be one of the most highly consumed psychoactive drugs. Individuals who require frequent intakes of Caffeine often feel tired, weak, drowsy if they tend to miss their cup of coffee early in the morning. Although, Caffeine is known for causing wakefulness and alertness it also has its downsides. If a person has a large dose of caffeine in a limited time, the drug could cause them trembling, anxiety and nausea. In long term effects,

Caffeine is a “naturally occurring chemical stimulant called trimethylxanthine” that presents itself much like other drugs such as heroin and cocaine (Brian). The buzz after a cup of coffee is an example of the similar properties. Caffeine “easily passes through body membranes” and enters the bloodstream

Caffeine is demarcated as a drug because it arouses the central nervous system, causing increased alertness. Caffeine gives most people a temporary energy boost and elevates mood. That’s why everyone generally uses it for plenty of reasons mostly dealing with work or school. Some people use caffeinated energy drinks to improve their endurance while playing sports or to dance for long periods. That’s just the beginning, these are the things that caffeine does to the brain, heart, fetus, and body.

Caffeine has become a staple in many developed nations. As a stimulant, caffeine provides a viable solution to many individuals maintaining a busy lifestyle. Particularly in the developed world, individuals tend to work long hours, which creates vast amounts of stress. To help alleviate much of the fatigue that accompanies a busy lifestyle, many individuals elect to drink caffeinated beverages. These beverages range from typical colas to coffee, to energy drinks. Each has its own concentration of caffeine, or energy inducing ingredients. Through the consumption of these beverages, many individuals develop a habit of dependency. Those who consume, often do so in large quantities. Large amounts of caffeine can potentially be harmful to an individual's health when consumed vigorously. Below is a chart from the Specialty Coffee Association of America indicating consumption within America. According to the data compiled in the chart, 172 million Americans consumed coffee on a daily basis.

When larger amounts of caffeine (over 500 mg per day) are ingested over long periods of time, they can cause sleep problems, depression and digestion issues

Caffeine has many negative effects on humans, such as increased heart rate (Lane, J.D., 2002), depression (Goldstein, 2008), and addiction to this “drug.” You may be asking yourself, “What is caffeine?” Well, caffeine is actually a stimulant (Barone, Roberts, 2008) that is found in beverages such as tea, coffee, and soft drinks. In fact, caffeine is the highest grossing and most used stimulant in the United States (Barone, Roberts, 2008). It is estimated that 85% of adults living in the United States consume caffeine on a daily basis (Barone, Roberts, 2008). That means for every 100 adults, 85 of them have had a drink that contained caffeine on any given day. One reason caffeine is so widely available compared to other stimulants is