Caffeine

What is Caffeine?

Caffeine is the most widely used drug in the world. It's a physically addictive stimulant that is naturally produced in the leaves, seeds and fruits of many plants. Commonly found in coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate and a wide variety of over-the-counter medications, it is legal and easily accessible.

When coffee is decaffeinated by a chemical process, the caffeine that remains is sold to many beverage companies. That shows you how valuable it is to the soft drink industry.

A Short History of Caffeine

People have enjoyed caffeinated beverages for thousands of years. The earliest record of caffeine consumption dates back to around 2700 B.C., when Chinese Emperor Shen Nung drank strong, hot brewed tea.

Coffee originated in Africa around 575 A.D., where beans were used as money and consumed as food. Records show that eleventh century Arabs drank coffee regularly. Spanish conquistadors first exploring what is now Mexico, were served coffee by Montezuma, the mighty Aztec ruler, in 1519.

Revolutionary Americans made a nationwide switch from tea to coffee as the caffeinated drink of choice in the eighteenth century. This was done to spite the Tea Act, from which heavy taxes were laid on tea imported by Americans. Eventually, the Boston Tea Party was held, in which revolutionaries dumped a large quantity of tea cargo from a boat into the Boston Harbor in protest of the high tax placed on tea.
The world's first caffeinated soft drinks were created in the 1880s.

In 1958, caffeine was recognized by the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as being "Generally Recognized As Safe" (GRAS).

Caffeine

In its natural form, caffeine tastes very bitter, but most caffeinated drinks have gone through enough processing to camouflage the bitter taste. Most teens get the majority of their caffeine intake through soft drinks, which can also have added sugar and artificial flavors. Of course, many teens enjoy cappuccinos or cafe lattes, and a couple of those will give you enough caffeine to make several people "wired." Caffeine affects everyone in similar ways. Like all stimulants, caffeine raises blood pressure, and its effects range from mild alertness to heightened anxiety and body tension. In moderate doses, it can produce "coffee jitters"--headaches, disorientation and insomnia. Regular users who suddenly stop consuming caffeine may experience withdrawal symptoms including drowsiness, headaches, irritability, nausea, vomiting and depression. Although the amounts of caffeine needed to affect each person differ, people who drink caffeine regularly develop a reduced sensitivity and require higher doses of caffeine to achieve the same effects as some who do not consume it regularly. This means that the more caffeine you consume, the more caffeine you need to feel the same effects.

Caffeine moves through the body within a few hours after it is consumed. It is not stored in the body, but you may feel its effects for up to 6 hours if you're sensitive to it. Caffeine has health risks for certain users. Small children are extremely sensitive to caffeine. Caffeine can aggravate heart problems or nervous disorders, and some teens may not be aware that they are at risk. Although the effects of caffeine vary from one person to the next, health care providers recommend that people should consume no more than about 100 mg of caffeine daily.

Kicking the caffeine habit is never easy, so the best way is to cut back slowly. Try cutting your intake by substituting non-caffeinated drinks for caffeinated sodas and coffee. Examples include water, caffeine-free sodas, fruit juices and sports drinks such as Gatorade. Keep a record of how many caffeinated drinks you have each day, and substitute one drink per week with a caffeine-free alternative until you've gotten below the 100-mg mark, if you want to slowly get off of caffeine. Make sure you read labels on soft drinks, as even some orange sodas contain caffeine.

Caffeine Quick Facts

Caffeine is a naturally occurring substance found in the leaves, seeds or fruits of more than 60 plants.
Coffee and cocoa beans, kola nuts and tea leaves are used to make beverages such as coffee, tea, cola drinks and chocolate.
Caffeine is used as a flavor in a variety of beverages.
Caffeine will not help "sober up" someone who has consumed too much alcohol.
Caffeine was used many years ago by some doctors as an antidepressant because it perked patients up. Just an FYI, not a suggestion.