Caffeine in Drinking

1. Even though it is only 9 in the mourning, you have likely seen multiple people enjoy a cup of coffee. If you haven’t, now you have.

• As the day goes on, around lunch time, you might see someone enjoy a Coca Cola. Come night time, there are people that drink a Red Bull or a Five Hour Energy in order to stay up to cram for a midterm the next mourning or to prepare that big presentation for the boss.
• It might seem obvious but all these products have one ingredient in common: Caffeine.
• I, like many other people, drink coffee in the mourning.
• It has become part of my mourning routine and the caffeine in it is to thank for my increased alertness in the mourning.
• People already associate this chemical compound with short-term energy but in reality, caffeine has so many other aspects to it.

1. Caffeine itself is a tasteless ingredient, part of the Alkaloid family of naturally occurring chemical compounds.

• In fact, It is also the most popular stimulant drug in the world.
• Being that it’s a drug, it has the characteristic where if consumed enough, one could develop a tolerance to it.
• If someone who consumes caffeine on a daily basis all of a sudden were to stop drinking caffeinated beverages, they would likely experience withdrawals.
• Side effects from caffeine withdrawal include drowsiness, anxiety, irritability, headaches, and migraines.
• Like any other drug, too much caffeine can cause an overdose, whose side effects are dangerous and can include confusion, hallucinations, and vomiting.

1. Caffeine can also increase the amount of acid in your stomach, which can cause heartburn and/or an upset stomach.

• Pregnant women are instructed by doctors to avoid consuming caffeine.
• The stimulant travels through the blood stream and can pass through the placenta.
• This could cause the heart rate and metabolism of the fetus to increase.
• Such caffeine intake could also cause slowed fetal growth and increased risk of miscarriage.

1. If caffeine only had these negative effects, however, it would likely not be consumed as often as it is.

• While most people consume coffee, energy drinks, and other caffeinated beverages for the energy boost, caffeine also comes along with many other benefits.
• Studies have found that people who drink coffee regularly have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s and dementia later in life.
• It is also proven that people who drink coffee regularly see a 45 percent lower risk of suicide.
• In addition, caffeine has been linked to help prevent type 2 diabetes and being able to increase blood pressure, which can be helpful for someone with low blood pressure or on the other hand, harmful for one who has high blood pressure.

1. Being that caffeine is a stimulant, it’s a common ingredient in medications to treat or manage drowsiness, headaches, and migraines because of how it allows one to feel more awake and less tired.

• This is why caffeine is an ingredient in common medications such as Aspirin, Midol, Vivarin, and Excedrin just to name a few.

1. While all these effects are found to go hand in hand with caffeine consumption, they are often overlooked by the short-term affect of an energy boost.

• But how exactly does caffeine give people this increased sense of alertness?
• PLAY VIDEO UNTIL 1:12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YOwEqGykDM

1. People very often look to caffeinated beverages for a quick energy boost at many points throughout the day, primarily the mourning.

• While this benefit is the most widely known side effect of caffeine, it is important for people to be aware of the many other benefits caffeine has and how it could be incorporated into a healthy lifestyle, but in moderation to prevent the negative aspects of too much caffeine intake.
• Thank you.

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Bibliography

“Caffeine & Headaches: Treatment & Sources.” Cleveland Clinic, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/

        articles/caffeine-and-headache. Copy & paste citation

“CAFFEINE: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions and Warnings.” WebMD, WebMD,

        www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-979-caffeine.aspx?

        activeingredientid=979.

Pietrangelo, Ann, and Kristeen Cherney. “The Effects of Caffeine on Your Body.” Healthline,

        Healthline Media, 7 Aug. 2017, www.healthline.com/health/caffeine-effects-on-body.