Caffeine is so well
incorporated into our culture that we rarely stop to
think about it as a powerful stimulant when we drink our
cup of morning brew, or slurp down a cold caffeinated
soda on a hot day. In this article, we’ll explore some
of the effects of America’s favorite drug.
Caffeine was first extracted from coffee in 1821. Bitter
to the taste it is rarely found in its pure form. The
amount of caffeine varies, for example an average cup of
coffee has 100mg of caffeine; a can of soda has 50 mg.
So, if you have two cups of coffee in the morning and a
soda at lunch your intake is 250 milligrams. If you
drink just this much caffeine, on a regular basis, you
may become dependent. With time to get the same
effects, you will need to drink more caffeine. This
process is often referred to as building tolerance. The
question that many people wonder is if dependence and
tolerance equal addiction. This depends on the
definition of addiction that you want to employ and
there are several. One definition that is practical and
easy to understand reasons that if your use of a
substance e.g. caffeine causes you a problem and in
spite of that problem you are unable to stop, then
you’re addicted.
Whether or not you want to think of yourself as a
caffeine addict you may not be able to escape some of
the physical implications of caffeine. Consider this;
when you stop drinking coffee for 12 to 24 hours do you
feel fatigued, run down, moody, or suffer headaches?
These are the symptoms of caffeine
Withdrawal and they are
a sure sign that you are caffeine dependent. Believe it
or not, withdrawal can even if you only drink one cup of
coffee a day if you do so over several months.
Some of the side
effects of caffeine addiction include difficulties in
sleeping (even insomnia) depression, and anxiety. Too
much caffeine can cause very serious problems for
pregnant women. For example, spontaneous abortions
increase in women who drink eight or more cups per day.
Many Americans are
willing to live with their addiction to caffeine and
some even justify it by suggesting that there are
positive effects from caffeine, like it increases
intellectual performance. But in reality the studies on
this have shown that intellectual performance increases
due to caffeine have only where performance was already
impaired due to fatigue or boredom.
Considering the
effects of caffeine, you may want to consider taking a
little holiday from this stimulant. You may even want
to quit it altogether. At the very least you should
consult your physician if you are a pregnant woman who
drinks coffee. And finally, before you buy your kid one
more caffeinated beverage think about if she or he
really needs to be on a stimulant.
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