Caffeine as a Drug

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Waking up to a hot cup of coffee, relishing the cool tingling sensation of a cola with your lunch, or relaxing in the afternoon over a cup of tea, all have similar ingredient caffeine. Caffeine has been consumed ever since the 2700 BC, with its conjunction in tea, for the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung. In 575 AD, the first use of coffee beans where in Africa where it was used as currency and food. Even more today, caffeine consumption has become an integral part of millions of people's daily lives. According to David Weaver, "Caffeine and theophylline are among the most widely consumed neuroactive substances. These drugs are consumed most frequently in beverages, but also are present in certain over-the-counter diet aids, 'alertness tablets' some analgesic preparations, and in chocolate, and are also administered for therapeutic effects." The problem with caffeine is that many students/adults are uneducated about this subject. Stereotypically, caffeine has been labeled harmless. However, most caffeine consumers have no idea how they react to their body chemistry, the chemical mechanism, the hidden side-effects, and the actual daily amount which they intake. "Researchers have attempted to find out how much caffeine people consume every day. It was estimated that in the United States, coffee drinkers drink an average of 2.6 cups per day. Total caffeine intake for coffee drinkers was 363.5 mg per day - this includes caffeine from coffee AND other sources like soft drinks, food and drugs. Non-coffee drinkers even get plenty of caffeine: former coffee drinkers get about 107 mg per day and people who have never had coffee get about 91 mg per day." (Schreiber et. Al) It is ironic that with such a large caffeine byproduct industry, ... ... middle of paper ... ...dy: Chocolate mg caffeine baking choc, unsweetened, Bakers--1 oz(28 g) 25 german sweet, Bakers -- 1 oz (28 g) 8 semi-sweet, Bakers -- 1 oz (28 g) 13 Choc chips Bakers -- 1/4 cup (43 g) 13 german sweet, Bakers -- 1/4 cup (43 g) 15 Chocolate bar, Cadbury -- 1 oz (28 g) 15 Chocolate milk 8oz 8 Desserts: Jello Pudding Pops, Choc (47 g) 2 Choc mousse from Jell-O mix (95 g) 6 Jello choc fudge mousse (86 g) 12 Beverages 3 heaping teaspoons of choc powder mix 8 2 tablespoons choc syrup 5 1 envelope hot cocoa mix 5 Dietary formulas ensure, plus, choc, Ross Labs -- 8 oz (259 g) 10 Cadbury Milk Chocolate Bar Guarana "Magic Power" (quite common in Germany), 15 ml alcohol with 5g Guarana Seeds 250.0 mg Guarana capsules with 500 mg G. seeds 25.0 mg / capsule

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