Caffeine. All of you probably already know what caffeine is. In case you don’t, it is a common legal stimulant drug, that is in a lot of the things that we eat and drink. In its pure form,it is a white powder, but it is also found in many different types of plants. Some of the most known products with caffeine in them are coffee,chocolate,sodas and tea. What you might not know is that caffeine is also in things you might not expect, such as pain killers and sometimes even ice cream. Caffeine is in many things, 90% of Americans eat or drink caffeine in some way shape or form on an everyday basis.I am going to be telling you more about this drug, such as side effects and benefits that would come from having it.
I am going to start with the pros of caffeine. When most people think of caffeine, they think of quick energy, and reduced drowsiness. This is in fact is true, and you may have realized that from using it before.The science behind this has two factors, which both involve your brain. To decrease drowsiness,it blocks your adenosine receptors. Adenosine is the chemical that tells your body that it is tired, which is our body’s way of trying to get us to rest. When we block the receptors, your body stops saying that it is tired, and you feel like you have an energy boost. Another thing that caffeine does is produce dopamine. Dopamine is the chemical that makes you feel happy. The caffeine increases the levels of dopamine being created, and gives your mood a boost too. Caffeine has also been shown to temporarily create other benefits too,such as someones ability to learn, improved reflexes, being able to think clearer and better memory. Regular coffee drinkers were also 80% less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease, which is...
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... I chose to do my presentation on caffeine because I see people around me consuming it every day. I also was curious about the science behind it. I hope that my speech has helped to inform and educate you some more about it, and learn some more about this popular drug.
Works Cited
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/caffeine http://www.caffeineinformer.com/top-10-caffeine-health-benefits http://visual.ly/important-facts-about-caffeine http://www.illy.com/wps/wcm/connect/en/coffee/coffee-benefits http://science.howstuffworks.com/caffeine5.htm http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/health_benefits_and_risks_associated_with_caffeine http://www.caffeineinformer.com/harmful-effects-of-caffeine http://www.caffeineinformer.com/caffeine-overdose-facts-and-fiction http://www.caffeineinformer.com/the-complete-guide-to-starbucks-caffeine
http://www.cspinet.org/new/cafchart.htm
By this definition, and after knowing the effects of caffeine upon the human body, I have come to the conclusion that drinking caffeine is a sign of a lack of respect for oneself, and of an unappreciative attitude toward the life that each of us has been blessed with. Furthermore, it shows of either our inability, or unwillingness to learn to think clearly.
Caffeine raises your blood pressure when you drink/eat it, raising your blood pressure in general is not a good thing but imagine drinking and/or eating caffeine daily, and your blood pressure constantly rising. Another negative aspect is that caffeine can have a disruptive effect on your sleep. The most obvious effect of the caffeine is that it can make it hard for you to fall asleep. It can help you stay awake during the day but can also make you stay awake during the night when you are trying to fall asleep. You can also have withdraws from caffeine, going back to the story “Java Man” the author Malcolm Gladwell considered it a drug and remember you can get addicted to drugs (you can really get addicted to anything). There are plenty more negative ways caffeine can disrupt your lifestyle but you know what they say for every negative thing you can say there can be some
In class we have frequently discussed the I-function and how it relates to the body and the brain. Is the I-function a separate soul? Is it simply an extension of our DNA and genes? In addition, we have fretted over the I-function and its relationship to our behavior or personality. Where exactly the I-function is, we have also wondered. In this paper I will explore personality, the I-function and their relationship to genes and chemical changes that take place within the body. I will mainly look at how neurotransmitters affect overall happiness in an individual. How these chemicals are regulated by genes and by the environment, will also be questioned. Overall I will look at what makes us who we are. Are we simply programmed for life by our genes or do they even matter at all?
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 people who view caffeine as a helpful stimulant that increases the individual’s concentration and awareness as well as many other physical traits. The important thing to remember is that caffeine’s affects vary based on the person, the amount ingested, the frequency of consumption, and individual metabolism. (http://www.pp.okstate.edu/ehs/kopykit/caffeine.html)
A lot of people often wonder what caffeine is. When isolated in pure form, caffeine is a white crystalline powder that tastes very bitter. The chief source of pure caffeine is the process of decaffeinating coffee or tea. Caffeine is used to provide“boost energy” or a feeling of heightened alertness. It is often used to stay awake longer and late into the night. Many people feel as though they “cannot function” in the morning without a cup of coffee to provide caffeine and the boost it gives them. Caffeine is an addictive drug. It operates using the same mechanisms that amphetamines, cocaine, and heroin use to stimulate the brain. Caffeine effects are more mild than amphetamines, cocaine, and heroin, but it is manipulating the same channels, and that is one of the things that gives caffeine its addictive qualities. If you feel like you have to have caffeine everyday and cannot live without it, then you are considered addicted to caffeine.
Caffeine is the most popular and most widely used stimulant in the world. In Canada, the average person drinks 2.6 cups of coffee a day; that is equivalent to 949 cups of coffee a year. (Van Houtte) Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant that improves ones attention, focus, and fatigue. When caffeine is ingested it causes your neurons to move at a faster rate, increasing alertness. (Fit Day) Caffeine also binds to the neural receptors, which blocks the adenosine, which prolongs tiredness. Caffeine is a white odorless powder that is most commonly found in coffee, tea, energy drinks, and pops. Caffeine can also be considered and ergogenic aid. Ergogenic aids are external influences that enhance/ improves ones strength, endurance, reaction time and speed of recovery. (Healthline) The three theories that make caffeine an ergogenic aid during exercise is the effect it has on the central nervous system, skeletal muscles, and metabolic changes. (Sheila G. Dean) Caffeine also has a positive effect on an individual’s health, some positive effects include: reduces risk of developing liver cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s. (Chawala) Caffeine has been proven to have positive effects on an athlete’s performance, and ones overall health.
Scrutiny of caffeine and its effects has increased dramatically in the last 20 years, due in part to an increase in consumption of caffeine. In fact, coffee consumption among young adults rose to 3.2 cups per day in 2008 from 2.4 cups per day in 2005 (Rokerya 1). For instance, in a one hour period, on Richland College’s on-campus Starbucks, the author took note of how many customers arrived and purchased a cup of coffee. Between 8:00 and 9:00 AM, there were 51 customers, implying that – especially at college - many people are dependent on coffee in the mornings. However, the results from these studies are inconclusive and often somewhat contradictory – many studies (such as that by Tetsuya Ohara et al.) show that caffeine is a great boon to
If you asked around a high school or university campus, it would probably not be too hard to get your hands on the popular drug, Adderall. Adderall contains an amphetamine and dextroamphetamine combination that work in the central nervous system affecting the chemicals that contribute to impulse control and hyperactivity. The drug is commonly used to treat people with Attention Deficit Disorder in order to increase concentration and keep focus, as well as increasing the ability to pay attention and stop fidgeting. It is also often prescribed to narcoleptics to help them remain awake throughout the day [“Adderall Oral : Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Pictures, Warnings & Dosing – WebMD”].
Caffeine is a stimulant that has not been given the attention that some says it deserves. Caffeine is found in many everyday substances. It can be found in coffee, tea or sodas. Caffeine can be found on almost every street corner. There is a coffee place in just about every town. Sodas and coffee are found...
As the vast majority of Americans are addicted to caffeine, studies show that the effects during post-consumption, can be positive or negative depending on the amount and frequency of caffeine intake. As the demand for caffeine has increased, the caffeine industry has increased its amount of marketing and establishments to help aid this demand. Caffeine addiction can lead to serious health and physiological detriments. It is evident that the primary reason for consumption of caffeinated beverages is due to positive effects, such as alertness. The media has an abundance of marketing to continue to illustrate this main effect.
In the present society, people’s schedules tend to be extremely hectic due to either strenuous work schedules or keeping up with school and families. Due to this, numerous individuals do not obtain the recommended eight hours of sleep. On top of not getting enough sleep, they do not eat the proper foods to nourish their bodies. In return, they have a substantial lack of energy. Usually people who do not take care of themselves tend to eventually get more tired by mid-day and as their day goes on. A simple solution would be to go to bed earlier and eat better foods. However, our society has become very lazy, obese, and have started to take the easy way out over the years. Instead of eating better and trying to get more sleep, people drink energy drinks as an easy and fast way to get a boost of energy. Energy drinks have been around since the nineteen-sixties and have become increasingly more popular. There are hundreds of different brands of energy drinks that are sold in grocery stores and gas stations today, and worse than that billions of them are consumed every year. Even though multiple energy drinks are consumed every year, many people are uninformed about; what an energy drink is, what the benefits and non-benefits are, what different types of energy drinks there are, and how mixing them with alcohol can be seriously dangerous.
The loud beeping of the alarm rudely interrupts a fitful night of sleep. The thought of reaching an arm out from under the warm covers to turn the alarm off seems like a bad idea. Out of bed, rise and shine! It is a new beginning to another day. The thought of leaving the warm bed still seems like a bad idea. Just a few more minutes sleep is what is wanted. Peace and quiet still abound as the other family members are still asleep.
Caffeine is a chemical found in coffee, tea, soft drinks and various easy to get foods and drinks. Like all drugs, caffeine has its good and bad side. Caffeine’s categorized as a stimulant, meaning it temporarily increases alertness and energy. With this stated, you may ask yourself, what’s so bad about a little high associated with coffee or chocolate? I mean it’s practically harmless, right.
Coffee is the first thing that people associate with instant energy on a groggy morning. “In the U.S., coffee is king of beverages” (Reinke) Research has been done that has named coffee as an addiction to the people who consume large quantities of it. Coffee was named the top source of antioxidants. This is partly because of the amount consumed each day. Some of the antioxidants that coffee has are quinines and chlorogenic acid. It also contains trigonelline, an antibacterial compound. This is where coffee acquires its delicious aroma. Now let’s step back for a minute and just think about how much caffeine people consume. In an 8oz cup of coffee it has about 85 milligrams of caffeine. This is about double the amount that tea contains. Studies have shown that caffeine stimulates the brain and nervous system. This is where you get that energized feeling. After about the third cup, knees start to bounce, pens are clicking and people start running laps around the office. Caffeine can become addicting if you drink too much. Coffee can become that addictive habit people are unable to shake.
Preview: The potential effects are related to the main ingredient in coffee – caffeine. Caffeine is a drug that stimulates the central nervous system that increases alertness and energy, but it is also very addictive.