Energy drinks
have gained a lot of popularity in the past few years and with that rise came a
great amount of questions about the drug that is in them. That drug is
Caffeine.
Caffeine is
consumed by as many as 90% of adults in North America, but, energy drinks
aren’t the only product that caffeine is found in, it is also found in coffee,
tea, and soft drinks. Caffeine is a stimulant, as a stimulant it acts to make
the body less drowsy and more alert. The reason that caffeine is able to this
is that the shape of the caffeine molecule is just right to be able to fit into
receptors known as adenosine receptors in the body. When caffeine binds to
these receptors it causes a chemical reaction that leads to making the body
more alert.
However, the
amount of caffeine that each person needs for this effect is very different.
For the average adult the largest dose recommended per day is between 300 and
400 mg, for children this amount is a lot less. If this amount is exceeded or
matched for one day or even over a long period there can be many side effects
that a person can experience.
When a person
has too much caffeine they can become over stimulated and develop “the
jitters”. With this a person can have restlessness, anxiety, a rapid heartbeat,
twitching, and may not be able to get to sleep. In extreme cases of caffeine
over-consumption, disorientation or hallucinations may happen.
So, while
caffeine may help people get that brief increase in energy, the amount that
they are taking in needs to be closely watched as too much can be bad thing.
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