Caffeine

A lot of us wake up in the morning and need a nice cup of coffee. Some of us feel like we can’t even function without it. Then as the day goes on we drink soda and energy drinks because we either enjoy them or because we can’t stay awake without them. Caffeine is one of the most abused drugs and people don’t even realize that it is one. It is a stimulant that wakes you up, gives you a spirt of energy, but if you have too much you can have a caffeine overdose. It is found in coffee beans, tea, some nuts, chocolate, and a few other things that come from natural sources. We think we need to have that coffee or that pop but really the reason we think that is because you are addicted, addicted to the energy that it gives you. Sometimes people end up with awful migraines for no reason, but really it’s the withdraw. Suddenly you stop drinking as much caffeine and your body feels like you have let it down, you start to hurt really badly, usually it’s just awful headaches. Caffeine withdraw usually lasts only a few days.

Caffeine takes about 5-30 minutes to circulate through the body and get into the blood stream. Once in the blood stream it usually remains for about 12 hours and during this time its effects will continue. Caffeine stimulates your brain, you become more alert, heart rate increases, and your body temperature can rise. Although these effects often happen, they can actually vary from person to person depending on how their body reacts. Even though caffeine helps keep you awake it can have effects after it is out of your system such as anxiety, headaches, dehydration, increased breathing and heart rate, irritability, and restlessness. Even though caffeine seems harmless, it can actually do a lot of damage.

You would never think that you can overdose from caffeine but you actually can. When someone takes too much caffeine they can have an irregular heartbeat, vomiting, panic attacks, and tremors, sometimes even seizures. If you don’t overdose but do have large amounts every day you can have some long term risks. Caffeine can make you depressed, anxious, infertility, heartburn, ulcers, severe insomnia, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, and even heart disease. We may think that we aren’t doing much to our everyday normal lives but sometimes we are. Caffeine does affect the body and the risks can really take a toll on your overall health.