The most frequently used mood altering drug in the world is caffeine, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Most people in the United States get their caffeine in coffee, tea, chocolate and soft drinks, but caffeine tablets are also marketed to those who want an undiluted jolt. Certain dangers are associated with their use. Consult a qualified health care provider before using caffeine tablets.
Sleep Disorders
If you take caffeine tablets to boost alertness on a regular basis, you may unwittingly be making your problem worse. Caffeine can inhibit the chemicals in your brain that help you fall asleep, thus causing insomnia. Insomnia at night frequently leads to excessive sleepiness during the day, causing you to reach for yet another caffeine jolt. This vicious cycle can be hard to break. To lessen the likelihood of insomnia, cut out all afternoon caffeine. According to the National Sleep Foundation, it takes up to six hours before even 50 percent of the caffeine you consume clears out of your system.
Caffeine Intoxication
It is easy to take too much caffeine in tablet form given its ease of administration compared to caffeine in drinks or foods. Ingesting excess caffeine can result in a potentially serious condition called "caffeine intoxication." Its symptoms include anxiety, nausea and other forms of gastrointestinal distress, irregular heartbeat and headache. Severe caffeine intoxication may even cause death at high doses. According to the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, people who are not used to caffeine may be more vulnerable to caffeine intoxication, although it may also occur in experienced users.
Caffeine Dependence
Many of the classic symptoms of addiction can occur with excessive caffeine consumption: a desire to cut down accompanied by a seeming inability to do so; the presence of withdrawal symptoms when caffeine use is curtailed; and continued caffeine use in the presence of adverse psychological and physiological effects. Caffeine withdrawal can be uncomfortable and lead to depression, anxiety, fatigue, flu-like symptoms and moderate-to-severe headache, according to the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. If you find that you are dependent on caffeine tablets, consult your physician for assistance in breaking the habit.
Drug Interactions
Caffeine can adversely interact with several different drugs, according to MayoClinic.com. The antibiotics ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin can interfere with the metabolism of caffeine and cause it to stay in your bloodstream too long. When caffeine is combined with theophylline, a drug sometimes prescribed for asthma, the effects of the theophylline can be magnified and lead to a pounding heart, nausea and vomiting. The popular herb echinacea may unpleasantly amplify caffeine's stimulating effects. Consult your physician before combining caffeine tablets with the medications you are taking.
Member Comments