Positive and Negative Effects of Caffeine

What is caffeine? 
Caffeine is an odourless power which is bitter in taste. It is a chemical with the formula C8H10N402. This sentiment is found naturally in over 60 plant species, including coffee bean, tea leaf and kolanuts. There are other synthetic forms of coffee added to products such dizzy or mineral soft drinks, energy drinks and paracetamol tablets.
What is wrong with too much of it? Many of us go for a cup of tea or coffee when we are set for work or when we are tired.


How does it work? 
Caffeine works by competing with adenosine a chemical produced by the brain. Adenosine normally functions by binding the receptor in other to slow down nerve cells activity but caffeine takes the function of adenosine preventing it from doing it's work in the brain. As a result, the activity of these nerve cells increases, this affects several parts of the body including our central nervous system, the kidneys, muscles and the cardiovascular system.
Caffeine starts working as soon as 15 minutes after consumption, but it takes about 6 hours to eliminate 1/2 of the total caffeine consumed.


What are the positive effect of caffeine 
As stimulant
Increases alertness
Encourages the production of adrenaline (which, is associated with fear, anxiety, excitement)
Improves productivity and concentration
Helps to treat headaches by constricting blood
Is used to heat premature babies with a condition called sleep apnoea which causes them stop breathing in their sleep. This is because air passage can be relaxed.


How bad can caffeine be?
A normal dose of caffeine in a moving cup of tea or coffee can help us work, but many of the positive effect of the drug may become negative when the amount of caffeine consumed is increased. Too much caffeine is associated with;
Physical dependence
Reduced coordination
Insomnia
Nervousness
Dizziness
Strain on the heart
Increased blood pressure
Raised blood cholesterol
Caffeine have few health benefits
In excessive doses, caffeine can be lethal. The lethal dose is more than 10g (80-100cups)  in quick succession.


Amount of caffeine in everyday food and drinks
Coffee 150ML (small cup) - 60mg
Decaffeinated coffee 150ML (small cup) - 2.5mg
Tea 150ML (small cup) -40 - 80mg
Coca-Cola 330ML (1can) - 4mg
Energy drink 250ML (1can) - 80mg
Chocolate 50g (1bar) -3 to 63mg
Weight loss tablet (1 tablet) - 16-200mg


Can we limit our consumption? 
Yes! Although, drinking 100 cups of coffee at an outing is highly unlikely, but studies show that the amount of caffeine consumed in drinking four cups of coffee or two cans of energy drinks a day can cause physical dependence and unwanted side effects in adult. Some groups such as pregnant women or nursing mothers, babies or children are at risk and should limit intake even further. For example, two much caffeine is responsible for lower birth weight in babies and spontaneous miscarriage. The health authority advises pregnant women not to take more than 200mg of caffeine a day. Caffeine intake by nursing mothers should also be limited because it readily passes through breast milk. The drug has been blamed for sleep problems in young children.


Studies carried by Dr. Warsak in 2010 showed that the more caffeine children consumed , the less they sleep. Also too much caffeine is known to cause stunted growth in children. Studies carried out in YK, USA and Australia showed that teenager who consumed more caffeine (75% higher) than their counterparts, stayed up late at night and fall asleep during the day.
The researchers advises that teenagers should limit their caffeine intake to the firs part of the day so as not to interfere with night time sleep.