Ever since I can remember I have been addicted to caffeine. It started out with drinking diet coke which was my mother’s drink of choice, and then slowly as time went on it turned into Coca-Cola. I have experienced the harsh withdrawals that come with caffeine like the headaches, irritability, and those lovely morning shakes telling me that I need caffeine. The headaches and the shakes finally got so bad to the point where I needed coke in the morning just to function. At that point I realized that caffeine was probably not very good for me. After learning in my Chemistry 130 class that caffeine was classified under heterocyclic amines and was an alkaloid, the same classification that heroin is under, I finally took it upon myself to really get serious and give up caffeine. What I really was interested in however was how does caffeine affect the human body? Do the positive uses of caffeine outweigh the negatives or is caffeine something we shouldn’t be allowing into our bodies? To determine the answers to these questions we need to first familiarize ourselves with what caffeine is and then compare the positives and negatives of caffeine in order to draw a conclusion. So, what exactly is caffeine, where does it come from, where can we find it and how much should we be consuming?
C8H10N4O2, otherwise known as Caffeine, comes from the family of heterocyclic amine compounds known as alkaloids. Alkaloids come from the end production of nitrogen metabolism in plants like cacao,
Can someone tell me why they drink coffee? Well, most people think of it as a powerful drink that gives them energy whenever they need it. I am here to tell you that coffee works a lot differently than most of us think. It does something completely different than what you might expect to your body. And coffee is not the same for everyone, to some living things it’s even poisonous. Even its name is deceiving because coffee is not even a bean at all. I am not here to dissuade you from drinking coffee, but rather inform you about how coffee affects us and how our bodies deal with it. So next time when you chug down a cup you should know what you’re doing to your body.
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
Caffeine is a natural product that is extracted from the raw fruit of coffee plants over sixty creased alertness. Caffeine gives most people a temporary energy boost and elevates mood..species to be exact. kola nuts, cocoa, yerba maté, guarana berries, coffee beans and teas contain this. Caffeine is rapidly absorbed in about 30 to 60 minutes in our bodies after ingestion. Caffeine is defined as a drug because it stimulates the central nervous system, causing increased alertness. Caffeine gives most people a temporary energy boost and elevates mood.caffeine can also be in things like over the counter medications, and pain relievers.
Caffeine is an alkaloid discovered in 1819 by Friedlieb Runge and a German baron known as
and is a stimulant of the central nervous system. It is a bitter alkaloid C8H10N4O2 also found in cacao
The two articles that were selected focused on the effects of caffeine and how the human body becomes dependent on caffeine. The language used in both of these articles demonstrates an obvious difference between the two. The understanding of the primary literature article is targeted toward a specific audience while the secondary literature article is targeted toward the general population. The understanding of each article has its own distinguishable characteristics.
What is really in caffeine? Are there any health risks associated with caffeine? Caffeine is a naturally occurring compound found in the leaves and fruits of certain plants. Today caffeine will most likely be found in teas, coffee, and soft drinks making it the most widely consumed psychoactive drug in the world. Most don’t know that caffeine is a drug that half of America is addicted to.
There are a lot of addictive things in this world and caffeine is in almost all of our normal consumables and it can be considered a form of addiction. How is caffeine an addiction, though? Your chemistry in your brain can change due to the amount of caffeine intake you ingest in a day to day basis. This means the brain will produce more of adenosine receptors to make up the ones being intercepted by caffeine. So this means you have to increase the dose of caffeine to make up for the last time. This makes it a form of drug because you’re still craving more power to get the same experience as last time you drank caffeine. Building a tolerance over caffeine is very doable over a long period of time of drinking it. To summarize it drinking caffeine will make you want more of it by producing a positive feeling for a short term. While caffeine is mainly a physical addiction to some people, there is still research being done today to see if it’s also a behavioral addiction as well. Some say caffeine isn’t a real drug because it’s not illegal to consume, but the only real difference is it’s a lighter form of
When something gives us energy, it supplies our bodies with materials (carbohydrates) that serve as fuel which is needed to carry out cell activities so that we can do work.
Caffeine is considered to be the most consumed psycho pick-me-up and is present in more than sixty plants. It is part of our everyday consumptions, such as coffee, tea, energy drinks and even chocolate even its small amount, around 90% of individuals use caffeine in one form or another. Caffeine has many similar traits with more of the bigger drugs such as cocaine, amphetamines and even heroin. The thing is that caffeine uses similar biochemical mechanisms as the other drugs which in fact are known to stimulate the brain function. Caffeine is also known as 1, 3, 7-trimethylxanthine, and derives from a methylxanthine group and includes theophylline and theobromine (5). Methylxanthine inhibits the neurotransmitter adenosine by stimulating by
America is fueled by caffeine on a daily basis; it is what keeps us reved up and awake in a life full of tasks to accomplish. What exactly is caffeine though? The FDA states that, “Caffeine is probably the most frequently ingested pharmacologically active substance in the world. According to Scientific Nation, it is formed when a “xanthine and a methyl group come together.” A central nervous system stimulant, it occurs naturally in more than 60 plants, including coffee beans, tea leaves, kola nuts used to flavor soft drinks and cocoa pods used in making chocolates.” Furthermore, caffeine is also added to many things like gum, water and medicines as a stimulant. Unfortunately, many, including myself, love caffeine but the negative side effects that it can have on our body should make you wonder if it is worth it. I will explore just a few of the side effects that too much caffeine can have on our body when not used in moderation.
Arguers suggest that caffeine seems to be an addictive drug that leads to dependence and decreased mental state. Additionally, arguers suggest caffeine can be harmful to health and
Since the 1800s, caffeine has been found in several plants and nuts. In 1903, scientists made it possible to extract and place caffeine in different foods and beverages. At this point in time, caffeine can be found in coffee beans, tea, chocolate, energy drinks, sodas, diet pills and various pain relievers. Having caffeine readily available at any point in time can take a toll on how much a person will consume.
Caffeine addiction has caused many people to gain more and more diseases throughout our nation. Caffeine, is a stimulant to the central nervous system, and regular use of caffeine does cause mild physical dependence. “The brain of people who consume caffeine can be addicted because it is used to operating in one set of conditions that depend on the ingestion of caffeine” (Stromberg). According to Stromberg, “Caffeine closely resembles a molecule that’s naturally present in our brain, called adenosine, Normally, the adenosine produced over time locks into these receptors and produces a feeling of tiredness.” When people decide to withdraw caffeine it usually gives them headaches, affect their sleeping behaviors, cause nausea, and feel flu like symptoms. According to Science behind food and cooking in the kitchen,“People have used caffeine since the Stone Age. Early people groups found that biting the seeds, bark, or leaves of specific plants had the impacts of facilitating weakness, empowering mindfulness, and hoisting mind-set. Just considerably later was it discovered that the impact of caffeine was expanded by soaking such plants in high temp water. Many societies have legends that characteristic the revelation of such plants to individuals living a huge number of years in the past. According to Newport Academy, “A lot of adults and teenagers consume coffee, tea or other caffeinated products without realizing that they’re chemically dependent on this substance. But if
is derived from a bean or from tea leaves and can be found in the