The Caffeine Conundrum What is Caffeine Chemical Caffeine

The Caffeine Conundrum

What is Caffeine? Chemical Caffeine is the world's favorite psychoactive substance

Where is it found? Coffee Tea Soda Chocolate Medications

How can you use caffeine? Oral Inhaled Rectal

Medical Purposes: Added to pain killers for treating headache Asthma Gallbladder disease ADHD Shortness of breath in new born babies Low blood pressure Weight loss

Cont: Type 2 Diabetes Decrease urine output Dermatitis Increase athletic ability

How does it work? Stimulates the Central Nervous System ◦ ◦ Brain Spinal Cord Heart rate Blood Pressure It takes about 5 minutes for caffeine to begin to stimulate the CNS, 30 minutes for the full effect.

Dangers of excessive or long-term caffeine us: Adrenal exhaustion High blood sugar Abnormal sleep patterns Depression Dehydration Malnutrition Caffeine tolerance Withdrawal

How much is to much? 200 -300 MG per day is not harmful in healthy adults.

However, 500 -600 MG per day can cause: Insomnia Nervousness Restlessness Irritability Stomach upset Fast heartbeat Muscle tremors

How much do you use in a day? Most of us intake more than the recommended amount per day.

Amounts of caffeine found in foods and drinks Coffee-134 MG Cappuccino-234 MG Iced Tea – 110 MG Chai Tea-120 MG Soda (dark)-50 MG average Cocaine energy shot-280 MG Rock Star energy shot-200 MG 5 hour energy-138 MG Jolt-280 MG

Cont: NOS-260 MG Monster-160 MG Redline-350 MG Rock Star-330 MG Chocolate-100 MG No Doz-200 MG Excedrin-130 MG

Aero Shots Crystallized caffeine inhaler/ingested 100 MG of caffeine depending on how deep you inhale

305. 9 Caffeine Intoxication Diagnostic criteria: A. Recent consumption of caffeine, usually in excess of 250 mg (e. g. , more than 2 -3 cups of coffee). B. Five (or more) of the following signs, developing during, or shortly after, caffeine use: restlessness nervousness excitement insomnia flushed face diuresis gastrointestinal disturbance muscle twitching rambling flow of thought and speech tachycardia or cardiac arrhythmia periods of in inexhaustibility psychomotor agitation

Cont: C. The symptoms in criterion B cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. The symptoms are not due to a general medical condition and are not better accounted for by another mental disorder (e. g. , an anxiety disorder). Information from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV

Danger of Caffeine Withdrawl: Headache Increase jaw tension Lethargy Low motivation Sleep disturbances Stomach ulcers Depression

What about alcohol and energy drinks?

Even though many states have banned alcoholic/energy drinks there are increasing numbers of college age students showing up in the Emergency Room and calling poison control centers with alcohol intoxication. Why? Because they are mixing their own alcoholic/energy drinks.

What are they? Stimulate Increase heart rate Nausea Seizures Depressant Pass out Vomit Aspirate Usually someone who drinks will eventually pass out. If they are drinking alcohol with energy drinks, the caffeine will keep them awake and allow them to drink increasingly large amounts of alcohol and become more intoxicated. Energy Drink Alcohol

Popular Brand:

Four Lo. Ko Fruit flavored malt beverage-watermelon, cherry, lemonade, etc. 12% alcohol as much as a 6 pack of beer As much caffeine as 5 cups of coffee

Both alcohol and caffeine Increase dopamine levels in the body What is dopamine? The neurotransmitter in the brain that is associated with rewards. Therefore once the reward system is activated then you continue to reward more and more.