Caffeine 

Drug Class

• Central Nervous System Stimulant:

  • a drug that speeds up the nervous system

  • no color

Effects

• Low Doses:

  • increased alertness

  • easier ability to concentrate

  • euphoria (feeling of intense joy)

• High Doses:

  • nervousness

  • agitation

Brief History

• Caffeine

  • Kaffe in German

  • Cafe in French

• Caffeine (cocoa beans)

  • white powder

Consumed

•  by mouth through drink/food or medication

How it Moves through the Body

• It is absorbs into the bloodstream through:

  • stomach linings (slowly)

  • small intestine (quickly)

  • large intestine (barely)

• It is evenly distributed through the body

• Metabolized in the liver

• The broken down products are separated in the kidney

• The body eliminate the caffeine slowly so the effects of it remain for most of the day

Short Term: Effects

• Urination

• The more caffeine the more alertness

• Helps with strength exercises

  • bench pressing

  • squats

• Increases heart rate by increasing the stress hormone

• The aortic systolic and diastolic blood pressures increase

• Makes the blood vessels narrow

Long Term Effects: Brain

• Caffeine raises glucose levels

  • diabetics should avoid caffeine

•  Overdose of caffeine

  • lead to ulcers

  • anxiety becomes a long term symthom

• Addiction and withdrawal

Positive Effects: Brain

• Acts like neurotransmitter which produces an inhibiting effect

• Prevents degradation of adenosine

  • located in the postsynaptic cells

• It strengthens the transmission of neural signals

• Increase of efficiency

  • neurotransmitters in the cerebral cortex

• It helps with

  • alertness

• concentration

• decision making

• thinking

• coordination of movement

Negative Effects: Brain

• It reduces the ability of adenosine to do its job

  • (adenosine provides a brake for neural activity)

• It stimulates the central nervous system

• It lowers the amount of blood flow in the brain

• It narrows the blood vessels in the brain

• Once the caffeine's products is out of your body you will have trouble thinking and concentrating (will have trouble using your brain)

Effects on Organs

• The Heart:

  • It acts on brain systems that regulate the cardiovascular system

  • It acts directly on the brain

  • Increases heart rate and irregular heartbeat

• The Kidney's:

  • It acts on adenosine receptors

  • Increases urine production

  • It slows the release of the antidiuretic hormone

• The Eyes:

  • The tiny blood vessels become narrow

  • Decreases the flow of nutrients of the cells

  • Decreases the clearing of waste products

Effects on the system

• The Digestive System:

  • Irritated stomach lining and it can cause inflammation

  • It can send the reflux of stomach acid into the throat causing heartburn

• The Respiratory System:

  • It stimulates the rate of breathing

  • It can cause asthma and bronchitis when overdosed

• The Reproductive System:

  • It can cause the birth of a child to have a low birth weight

  • It can reduce the chance of a woman to become pregnant

  • Can cause fibrocystic breast disease and then Breast Cancer

Dangers of Withdrawal from Addiction

• Headaches

• Fatigue

• Anxiety

• Irritability

• Depressed Mood

• Difficulty Concentrating

Dangers of Overdose

• Less Severe Effects:

  • tremors(involuntary shaking)

  • nausea

  • vomiting

  • irregular and rapid heart rate

  • confusion

  • panic attacks

• Very Severe Effects:

  • seizures which can cause inability to breathe which can cause death

Interesting Facts

• It can cause women to not become pregnant

• It can give a newborn baby a low birth weight

• The best time to drink coffee is from 9:30-11:30 and from 1:30-5:00 because at other times you don't need it because your body is fill with cortisol (a chemical that keeps you alert)

• Once you take a sip of tea or coffee it only take 10 minutes for the caffeine to kick in