Caffeine: Does it Harm the Body?

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Several people rely on caffeine to wake them up or give them a boost of energy when they feel down. Acting as a stimulant, caffeine not only improves concentration and focus, but also stops fatigue (Staff 1). Considered the most commonly used psychoactive drug in the world, approximately 90 percent of adults consume it daily (“MedicineNet.com” 1). But do caffeine buyers really stop to evaluate the possinle harmful effects on their body? Health scares similar to this are not recent. In fact, they have been going on for over 100 years. In 1911, the US Government sued the Coca-Cola company for making their drinks hazardous to other’s health (Lovett 2). Although the Coca-Cola company won, it proves that people worry about what they put into their bodies, even if it does help them stay up to finish their homework. Not everybody will experience the same effects from caffeine. Some people seem more sensitive to caffeine than others (Staff 1). While some will express unwanted effects after only one cup of coffee or tea, others will not notice these same effects until after maybe four or five cups. Although caffeine does include benefits, many downfalls exemplify the stimulant as well. Drinking even small amounts of caffeine daily develops harmful effects on most people’s body and health.

According to Walter Willett, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard school of public health, one risk of drinking caffeine is an increase in bone fractures because caffeine causes calcium loss which then affects bone density (Lovett 3). Mostly, this effect occurs in people who drink four or more cups of caffeine a day. Too much caffeine entered into the body causes bones to break more easily than if drinking no caffeine at all. In the lon...

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...people’s body and health.

Works Cited

Goodman, Ericka. "What caffeine can do for you. (anti-tired tactics)." Redbook Feb. 2003: 48. Gale Power Search. Web. 26 Feb. 2012

Lovett, Richard. "Demon Drink." New Scientist (London, England) Vol. 187, No. 2518. Sept. 24 2005: 38-41. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 26 Feb 2012.

"MedicineNet.com." MedicineNet. Web. 26 Feb. 2012.

Staff, Mayo Clinic. "Caffeine: How Much Is Too Much?" Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 09 Mar. 2011. Web. 26 Feb. 2012.

Stroh, Michael. "Just One Cup a Day Is Enough to Hook Coffee Drinkers." Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, CA). Nov. 29 2004: F3. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 26 Feb 2012.

Weinberg, Linda. "Coffee Break or Caffeine Fix? Pros and Cons of Stimulating Beverages." Environmental Nutrition. Nov. 2000: 1+. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 26 Feb 2012.

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