All about caffeine addiction
Have you ever consumed caffeine? Well, let me tell you, we all did from our
young hood till now. Caffeine is a drug that increases the activity of your brain
and nervous system, it simply makes us feel more awake and alert. Caffeine is
really common, because you can find it in everything you consume. In coffee,
tea, soda, energy drink, hot chocolate, ice cream, chocolate, chewing gum and
even yogurt. Is Caffeine harmful or beneficial? What are its effects and
symptoms? Why is it so spread? Let’s take a look at these statistics answering
our questions!
Is Caffeine actually harmful? Well, based on researches it all depends on 2
main factors. The person’s age, and the amount of caffeine consumed. Here are
the amounts of caffeine a person can consume based on their age, in order to
stay in the safe zone and healthy. Adults (18+) can consume up to 400 mg of
caffeine per day, but drinking less would be safer. Teenagers (12-18) are free to
uptake a 100mg of caffeine per day. Coming for kids (under the age of 12), no
amount of caffeine is proven safe for them. Yet, unfortunately many kids
nowadays consume caffeine. I would like to note that there are other factors
we need to consider. Like, if a person has a certain disease, allergy ,or if a
woman is pregnant. Sometimes, even genetics take part!
But what would happen if a person overdosed and took much more caffeine
than supposed? If this occurred then, a person may experience and notice
these symptoms. Starting off with headaches, insomnia, dizziness, anxiety, fast
heart rate, dehydration, restlessness, shakiness, dependency where you need
to take more of it to get the same result, and finally, a trouble in breathing.
Sometimes an overdose of caffeine can cause death. Yes, it is that serious.
Can caffeine be beneficial? Yes, indeed it is actually proven that caffeine could
make you live longer by avoiding certain diseases, your body may process sugar
in a better way, your DNA will be stronger, you may decrease your risk of
getting Alzheimer’s disease, these all were benefits for your body. Coming for
your mental health, caffeine will improve your mood, and will decrease the
likelihood of depression and anxiety.
Caffeine is mostly consumed through coffee, about 90% of American adults
consume caffeine with a portion of (190-260 mg) per day. Caffeine is a global
addiction, 80-90% of all adults in the world consume caffeine daily. People
consume caffeine for different purposes. Some consume it to boost their
energy, some consume it because simply it became a habit (an addiction), and
others serve caffeine through coffee as part of their traditions (it represent
generosity for Arabians) .
Caffeine addiction is considered to be a global issue. Caffeine can be normal
but useful at the same time. An overuse of caffeine can cause and individual to
die, but at the same time, a regulated amount can help and individual live
longer. I guess we can sum it all up by saying, the effect of caffeine depends on
how much an individual consumes from it. Will you still consume caffeine or,
will you quit it? It is all your decision!
Citations:
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American Medical Association.
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3. Caffeine addiction. United Brain Association. (2022b, August 8).
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4. Commissioner, O. Of the. (n.d.). Spilling the beans: How much caffeine is too much?. U.S. Food and
Drug Administration. [Link]
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6. Is coffee good or bad for your health?. News. (2021, April 9).
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7. Kaputk. (2022, May 12). Are Coffee and caffeine bad for kids?. Cleveland Clinic.
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8. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2022, March 19). Caffeine: How much is
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9. Pharmacology of caffeine – caffeine for the sustainment of mental task ... (n.d.).
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10. U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Caffeine. MedlinePlus.
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