It seems as though caffeine consumption has risen dramatically among college students, especially in the last few years. New companies are coming out with energy drinks in larger sizes, with the chief ingredient being caffeine. On-campus coffee shops exist almost at every corner. Just recently, it was revealed that caffeine is being added to baked goods as an energy booster. Is this much caffeine good for our health? I had to research this topic as I do sip on a 16 oz cup of coffee every morning and I do occasionally crack open a 32 0z Monster energy drink loaded with over 300 mg of caffeine.
After reading several articles I learned that caffeine has its advantages and disadvantages. Hormones are affected by caffeine in both positive and negative ways, usually with one leading to the other. The negative effects are often caused by over-consumption. For example, caffeine increases adrenaline in the body. This may give the body a boost in the short-run, but soon after the caffeine wears off, it can cause fatigue and depression. The drug can also inhibit the body’s absorption of the hormone adenosine. Adenosine has a calming effect on the body. Inhibiting this hormone allows caffeine to create alertness in the body in the short-run. However, inhibition of adenosine maybe detrimental to sleep. Caffeine also increases dopamine levels after it is consumed. This causes a great feeling temporarily but soon after it wears off it can cause depression. The general consensus about caffeine is that anywhere from three cups or less a day will not usually cause harmful affects to the body; however more than this amount may increase the risk of heart attack because drinking too much caffeine increases blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and LDL (bad cholesterol) levels in the body, and also produces irregular heartbeats.
As usual, a way to avoid the harmful effects of caffeine or any other type of substance, one should always drink and eat in moderation. I guess this means I better switch to a 8 oz cup of coffee in the morning and opt for the 16 oz can of Monster energy drink.
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I always heard that caffeine stumps your growth. After reading your entry, I didn't see any mention of caffeine negatively affecting growth. I looked on the internet, but there seems to be no concrete research validating this. It is apparently a myth. I wonder how they could test this.
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