Final Research Project
Yechan
Bae
English
21003-Section M
Professor
Matyakubova
15 May,
2018
Research
Paper Final Draft
“The One Behind the Coffee Mug”
Abstract
In the busy society today, caffeine has earned the title
as the world’s most popular psychoactive drug (Journal of Young Investigators). Although majority of the
population consumes caffeine through various means, as 90 percent of Americans
consume caffeine daily (Villanova
University), little is known about its side effects. Research shows the detrimental harms
the overconsumption of caffeine provokes, as it leads to mental disorders,
diminishes cognitive resources for academic and work performance, and causes
sleep deprivation. Some of the plausible alternatives include: stretching,
consumption of vitamin B-12, consumption of apple, and drinking cold water.
Keywords: Caffeine, caffeine intoxication, caffeine withdrawal, cognitive performance, circadian clock, adenosine receptors, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling, caffeine tolerance.
Keywords: Caffeine, caffeine intoxication, caffeine withdrawal, cognitive performance, circadian clock, adenosine receptors, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling, caffeine tolerance.
“The One Behind the Coffee Mug”
For people today, it has become a common ritual to take
caffeine for energy in order to get through their daily routine. Caffeine is
mostly consumed through the means of coffee or energy drinks. As caffeine is an
addictive stimulant, one can fall into the danger of over consuming caffeine
depending on the workload he or she is trying to accomplish. In today's society
where caffeine is labeled as the world’s most widely consumed psychoactive
drug, it is challenging to expect any major change in people’s behaviors even
after numerous ongoing attempts to increase awareness of its side effects. Yet,
it is still absolutely necessary to reveal the findings of these side effects
of caffeine overdose, as lot of people fall under that category. Excessive
caffeine consumption triggers various mental illnesses, induces poor academic
performance, diminishes the ability to perform cognitive tasks, and disrupt
sleep quality.
Historically, though the origin of coffee is enveloped in
mystery and lore, it is known that coffee plants were discovered in the 15th
century and gained popularity in the west in the Boston Tea Party of 1773,
where making the switch from tea to coffee was an act of patriotism in the
United States (PBS). Today, coffee is titled as the world’s most popular
psychoactive drug (Journal of Young Investigators).
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, caffeine is “an
alkaloid compound which is found especially in tea and coffee plants and is a
stimulant of the central nervous system.” in the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) IV, caffeine intoxication is when 250 mg
of caffeine is consumed in a short period of time. The USA Today provides
that an average American drinks three cups of coffee per day,
approximately 300 mg of caffeine. The Huffington Post claims that the
average daily consumption of soda in the United States is three glasses,
approximately 100 mg of caffeine. 400mg of caffeine is recommended as the
maximum daily consumption by The National Center of Biotechnology
Information (NCBI).
Triggers Mental Illnesses
Although caffeinated drinks provide energy
and improve endurance and concentration, caffeine is also known to trigger
psychiatric conditions such as anxiety, panic attacks, and mania. Szpek and
Allen report in the Journal of Psychopharmacology that excessive consumption of
caffeine is linked with “adverse effects of overstimulation, [such as]
nervousness, arousal, restlessness, insomnia, and nausea.” They add that
prolonged daily caffeine consumption can increase the level of tolerance,
however, this continuity of caffeine overdose can develop “psychomotor
agitation, [a symptom of emotional distress and restlessness], and a rambling
flow of thought and speech.” The authors conclude that caffeine overdose and
intoxication can “lead to panic attacks or, in rare cases, psychosis or mania.”
To find out why caffeine is known to induce these mental
illnesses, the ABC documentary, Chasing the Buzz, provides detailed
explanations on the effect of caffeine entered into the body. The researchers
in the documentary conducted an experiment by checking the MRI of one of the
employees after consuming 150mg of caffeine to see how it affects the brain,
and the result of the before and after scan of the brain is dramatic, as it
appears that the after picture is a lot darker. After caffeine consumption, the
employee’s blood flow decreased by 40% and the blood pressure boosted up (ABC
News). According to Professor Richard Wise, a psychology professor in the
Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, the darker image of the MRI
scan of the brain indicates the reduced blood flow in the brain. He also
suggests that the “brain with reduced blood flow may actually be [one’s] normal
state” as the “brain got used to having caffeine in the system,” which “explain
[the cause of] caffeine withdrawal headaches.” As the brain gets used to
depending on caffeine to the point that it considers it as it’s normal state,
without caffeine consumption, one will experience serious withdrawal symptoms,
such as anxiety, insomnia, and nausea (Wise). Regarding the increased
blood pressure induced by caffeine in the system, the dangers are countless, as
some of the main causes of high blood pressure include: arteries damage, heart
damage, brain damage, kidney damage, memory loss, panic attack, and possibly
heart attack (Mayo Clinic). Considering this destructive impact of
caffeine to the brain and its consequences, one must recognize the risk of
the drug before intensifying one’s dependency on it before the tolerance gets worse.
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the drug before intensifying one’s dependency on it before the tolerance gets worse.
Induce Poor Academic Performance
Consumption of caffeinated drinks is
especially high among college students, as they drink caffeinated drinks in
order to help them complete their schoolwork. The question is: is there a
relationship between caffeine consumption and academic performance? A group of
researchers from the Journal of Primary Prevention conducted a study of
first year undergraduate students of universities in the United States to find
the association between caffeinated drink consumption and academic performance.
The 844 participants were equally numbered in gender and race to ensure
reliability and diversity of the study. The study was conducted by numbers of
surveys to examine the possible relationship of caffeine consumption and their
Grade Point Average (GPA) levels. The result of the study is stated below:
“We found that our
quantity by frequency measure of energy drink consumption in the past month,
and the number of drinks consumed during the last time of energy drink
consumption, were negatively associated with academic achievement, even after
taking into account student sleep duration on weekdays and weekends, perceived
stress levels and stress management, and daily media use, all of which were
factors that could potentially explain this association. Additionally,
controlling for past month alcohol consumption, we found that energy drink use
on the last occasion of consumption continued to be linked to poorer academic
achievement” (Champlin 358).
The findings indicate that caffeine
consumption is linked with lower academic performance. Many young adults in
post-secondary educational setting still rely on caffeine to complete their
schoolwork. Caffeine used for this purpose yield poorer academic performance,
as it also reflects the “lack of general
academic achievement skills such as time management and planning capacities, as
energy drinks may be used to stay up and finish assignments at the last minute”
(Champlin 358). Thus, it is crucial that students understand the limited
effects of caffeine consumption and its possible detrimental consequences on
their academic journey in the long term.
Diminish the Ability to Perform Cognitive Tasks
The general purpose of caffeine consumption
is to enhance focus and attention, but ironically, it is reported that caffeine
overdose can induce poorer performance when executing cognitive tasks.
Researchers of the University of Bristol’s Psychopharmacology Department led a
study conducted to 369 participants to find if habitual caffeine consumption
affects daily cognitive performance. The
participants were divided into two groups, group A and group B, equally distributed
in age, gender, and caffeine consumption frequency. At 11:15 am, group A
received 100 mg of caffeine capsule and group B received a placebo capsule with
no caffeine. At 12:45 pm, group A received 150 mg of caffeine capsule and group
B received a placebo capsule. Then, the participants were asked to perform
several cognitive tasks in the following order: tapping, mental alertness,
recognition memory, simple reaction time and choice reaction time, all within
30 minutes after the second capsule was given. The study found that
caffeine enhances physical performance (faster tapping speed and reaction
times) but was associated with reduced mental response (diminished mental
alertness and poorer recognition memory tasks). The study concluded that “while caffeine benefits motor performance and
tolerance develops to its tendency to increase anxiety/jitteriness, tolerance
to its effects on sleepiness means that frequent consumption fails to enhance
mental alertness and mental performance” (Rogers 235). Thus, it is important for consumers to take caffeine with
an appropriate purpose, since, as the study elucidates, caffeine can benefit
those who have to perform physically, but harm those with jobs that require
strong mental utilization.
Disrupt Sleep Quality
Sleep plays an important role in our
physical and mental health as the recovering and repairing of our body take
place. It is crucial to get essential amount of sleep since sleep deficiency
can increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and lack
of energy and motivation the next day (National Heart, Lung, and Blood
Institute).
According to
Hans Landbolt, a professor of pharmacology and toxicology in the University of
Zurich, “Caffeine wakes people up [and] also disrupts the quality of sleep, [as
it] delays the human circadian clock.” Circadian
clock is a 24-hour internal clock that is running in our brains which cycles
between sleepiness and alertness (Natural Sleep Foundation). As shown in the
image below, caffeine, by blocking adenosine receptors, increases intracellular
cAMP signaling, weakening sleep propensity and delaying the circadian clock
(Landolt 1289). By blocking adenosine receptors, which are responsible for
regulating the sleep cycle, caffeine “induce[s] restlessness and prolong the
time to fall asleep, enhance[s] nighttime wakefulness, and reduce[s] the depth
of sleep” (Landolt 1289). As shown in the image, this causes the time of sleep
to decrease. By increasing the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling,
which contributes to the circadian timekeeping and resetting of the clock
(O’Neill 949), caffeine disrupts the circadian rhythm, causing sleep problems
by negatively impacting the brain functions which rely on undisturbed slow-wave
sleep (B.Rasch & J.Born 93 ). This ultimately results in the disruption of one’s
circadian clock.
It is crucial for the body and mind to get
undisturbed quality of sleep in order to function properly the next day.
Knowing that caffeine negatively affects our sleep cycle, it is important for
the society to take caffeine consumption with extreme caution. After all, if
caffeine consumption causes tiredness and sleepiness by disrupting sleep quality
and circadian clock, it works in opposition to the motive of caffeine
consumption in the first place, as its primary purpose is to help us stay awake
and energized. Then, it is questionable whether caffeine consumption is worth
its adverse effects.
According to a testimony by an undergraduate
sophomore at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, who shared her experience of
having suffered long periods of severe sleep deprivation from caffeine,
“caffeine would leave [her] awake for more than 3 hours, keeping her restless
despite all efforts to try to go to sleep," eventually having her
"see the morning sunrise 
and
survive through another day with even more espresso shots than the day
before." She could not keep up with the minimum amount needed to
concentrate for the coursework and was constantly late to class, ultimately
leading to a serious drop in her grades. She also found it extremely exhausting
to stay awake at her part-time job, as her boss eventually had to address her
unsatisfactory accomplishments and inefficiency. The student continuously
experienced difficulty in getting to sleep for multiple weeks until she finally
made the dedication to eradicate the root cause of her suffering: caffeine. It
was not easy and took her "numerous attempts as [she] repeated the process
of "standing in line at Starbucks then suddenly turning away to head
out." Every time she was driven to desperately wanting a cup of coffee,
she struggled between achieving immediate gratification, "feelings of
comfort and ease" and facing its consequence that she knew was to follow,
"desperate nights of sleeplessness and miserable daytime of
exhaustion." Luckily, after immediately banning caffeine from her diet,
she was able to regain her normal sleep cycle, recover her grades, and excel at
her part-time job that she even got a promotion for her work skills.
and
survive through another day with even more espresso shots than the day
before." She could not keep up with the minimum amount needed to
concentrate for the coursework and was constantly late to class, ultimately
leading to a serious drop in her grades. She also found it extremely exhausting
to stay awake at her part-time job, as her boss eventually had to address her
unsatisfactory accomplishments and inefficiency. The student continuously
experienced difficulty in getting to sleep for multiple weeks until she finally
made the dedication to eradicate the root cause of her suffering: caffeine. It
was not easy and took her "numerous attempts as [she] repeated the process
of "standing in line at Starbucks then suddenly turning away to head
out." Every time she was driven to desperately wanting a cup of coffee,
she struggled between achieving immediate gratification, "feelings of
comfort and ease" and facing its consequence that she knew was to follow,
"desperate nights of sleeplessness and miserable daytime of
exhaustion." Luckily, after immediately banning caffeine from her diet,
she was able to regain her normal sleep cycle, recover her grades, and excel at
her part-time job that she even got a promotion for her work skills.
Although some people can develop a tolerance
to caffeine from habitual consumption, others may experience its detrimental
consequences, such as sleep deprivation. Disruption of sleep quality is
extremely negative for the body and mind, as it may possibly induce bigger
problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes (National
Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute). Lack of sleep can negatively influence one’s
performance the following day by decreasing motivation and energy, resulting
the person to depend on increased caffeine levels to maintain desired energy
levels.
Solutions
Considering the
workload the average person has to accomplish throughout the day, one might
find it extremely difficult and even impossible to accomplish the given tasks
without the help of caffeine. Fortunately, because caffeine can be consumed through
various methods, caffeine consumption can be accomplished by choosing a healthier
method, such as drinking tea. Tea is considered a better choice than coffee in
terms of caffeine because it has several health benefits, such as decreasing
the risk of developing depression by 37%, while coffee, 8% (BBC). Tea is
also proven to exert a protective effect against cardiovascular disease
development, while the research regarding coffee is found as controversial and
do not draw any conclusions (Di Lorenzo 2474). Yet, despite its health
benefits, it is important to recognize that tea is just a better choice than
coffee, but not a solution to avoid its side effects, since over consumption of
tea will also induce mental illnesses, poor academic and cognitive performance,
and sleep deprivation, because it still contains caffeine.
One
of the alternatives of getting the stimulation without the consumption of
caffeine is to drink cold water with vitamin B12. Cold water is an effective
way to boost the metabolism in the body, as the body is known to dislike the
coldness, therefore, increasing the temperature by enhancing the body’s
metabolism (Fitday). Vitamin B12 consumption is a great method of
stimulation, as it is known to improve mental clarity and enhance energy. Also,
it promotes healthy sleep cycle, as it produces melatonin, a hormone that
regulates the sleep cycle.
Another
method of stimulation is to stretch and eat an apple. While stretching and
eating an apple can be considered as overly simple, it is surprising how much
it is not being practiced in the society. Stretching raises the oxygen
metabolism in the blood, causing the body and mind to feel the alertness and
increased focus (Fitday). Combining this with an apple is a great,
simple way to increase the stimulation in the body, as the “act of chewing an
apple opens up [the] neural and muscle pathways,” increasing the level of
concentration (Fitday). Additionally, the fructose in the apple is known
to increase metabolism, boosting energy levels.
Conclusion
Despite its desirable effects,
overconsumption of caffeine poses detrimental harms, leading to mental
disorders, diminished cognitive resources for academic and work performance,
and sleep deprivation. Nonetheless, one can still note there are other helpful
alternatives for stimulation other than caffeine. One should examine his or her
patterns of addiction or tolerance to the drug, and incorporate other
alternative means as appropriate to their daily routine. Thus, future research
is necessary for developing healthier as well as appealing alternatives. While
it is proven that caffeine is not an ideal drug for stimulation, caffeine has
become a common norm in recent culture by being a symbol of socialization, a
must-drink for study groups, work meetings and hangouts. Therefore, clear
knowledge on the adverse effects as well as the alternatives will be necessary
as one considers caffeine intake.
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