The Effects of Caffeine on the Body and Brain

“Approximately ninety percent of all Americans consume caffeine in one form or another everyday. More than half of all American adults consume more than 300 milligrams of caffeine per day” Owen (1998). This makes it America’s most popular drug by far. Many people have no idea how severe this is on their body, but, in fact, it has a negative impact on them. Caffeine should be used in considerable moderation because it comes with addiction, withdrawal, and overdosing that causes many side effects on the body and brain. Caffeine is a drug and people need to focus on that point and cut back on its usage.

Caffeine intake should still be limited even though it does not have direct effect to certain diseases. One must be careful not to become addicted to this drug.

Withdrawal and overdosing come with a huge list of consequences, but regular use of these caffeine products also come with their own amount of problems. When a person is addicted to caffeine, the drug works on the body in a few different ways. Adenosine, a chemical produced by the brain, binds to receptors causing nerve cell activity to slow down, and it also causes drowsiness.

Considerations (pp285). Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott

In order to fix their level of caffeine so they can feel better, people start to consume more than usual. This leads to overdosing. People who overdose experience the same symptoms as people who go through withdrawal. The symptoms are greater and just more intense. “Overdosing on caffeine, on top of being unpleasant symptoms, can also kill a person or cause permanent damage” Owen (1998). A lethal dosage of caffeine is estimated at ten grams consumed orally. “This is equivalent to fifty cups of coffee or fifty caffeine pills” Owen (1998). Emergency treatment for caffeine overdose includes vomiting and/or administering active charcoal. As long as caffeine is taken in moderation, it can be a safe drug. The problem with that is that it is so common that people do not stop to think about what they are putting into their bodies. “Most overdoses occur from taking too many caffeine pills at one time” Tinney (2003).

System Stimulants. In (Ed.) Pharmacology: Drug Therapy and Nursing

Some topics in this essay:
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