The Abuse Of Caffeine Pills

The abuse of caffeine pills can cause a number of harmful physical symptoms, some acute and some chronic. According to Sarah Kerrigan, Ph.D., of the New Mexico Department of Health, some over-the-counter caffeine pills may contain as much as 200 mg of caffeine per tablet, and overuse of these pills may lead to dehydration, peptic ulcers, caffeine-induced sleep disorders or, in extreme cases, death, most commonly by ventricular fibrillation.

Dehydration

The abuse of caffeine pills can lead to dehydration. Caffeine is a diuretic, meaning that it increases the speed at which your body loses water through urination. Too many caffeine pills can cause you to suffer dehydration symptoms, such as headache, rapid heartbeat, low blood pressure, dizziness, confusion, delirium and, in extreme cases, loss of consciousness.

Stomach Disorders

The abuse of caffeine pills can also have a negative effect on your stomach. Caffeine accelerates the secretion of stomach acid, and surplus stomach acid can cause inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, according to Gail Zyla, M.S., registered dietician and former senior editor of the Harvard Health Letter. Excess intake of caffeine pills therefore can lead to peptic ulcers and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Psychological and Physical Symptoms

Excessive intake of caffeine pills over the long term may cause anxiety and nervousness. For those individuals already predisposed to anxiety disorders, the abuse of caffeine pills may exacerbate their symptoms or trigger panic attacks, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Too many caffeine pills can also lead to shakiness, jitteriness, difficulty falling asleep and broken sleep patterns.

Heart Problems

The abuse of caffeine pills can have ramifications for your heart. Excessive use of caffeine pills may cause arrhythmia, elevated blood pressure and rapid heart rate. In extreme cases, too many caffeine pills may trigger ventricular fibrillation, a lethal condition wherein the ventricles of the heart muscle develop a chaotic rhythm and cease their contractions, upon which the heart stops pumping blood to the rest of the body. If cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation are not performed immediately, ventricular fibrillation results in death.