Over 90% of Americans consume caffeine in some form, says an article called Caffeine: America’s most popular drug. Whether it be coffee, energy drinks, soda, tea and, more surprising, foods you wouldn’t even expect to have caffeine like: chocolate, clif bars, oreos, etc… It all adds up to half the country consuming 300mg of caffeine a day. The Alcohol and Drug Foundation’s (ADF’s) article about caffeine says that 500-600mg is considered “heavy daily caffeine use” and can cause noticeable side effects. Studies of the ADF show that adecolants are consuming anywhere between 60-800mg a day. Caffeine, being a stimulant drug, has its risks and effects that can jeopardize consumers health especially when overdosing or consuming on a regular basis. To this cause caffeine is America’s most popular drug and has symptoms that no one realizes connects to caffeine consumption.
The article Caffeine by webMD states that caffeine is a drug. This is because caffeine stimulates your central nervous system. The definition of a drug is a substance that affects behavior, and physiologic abilities. Caffeine does just that, for most people caffeine assists with alertness or poses as a temporary energy booster, and mood elevator. Caffeine also has medical purposes, most commonly it aids in improving mental alertness. Is usually combined with painkillers, like aspirin and acetaminophen or treating headaches after epidural anesthesia. It is also used for gallbladder disease, asthma, ADHD, and other conditions. It is popular and acceptable for athletes to take doses under 15ml, that is equal to the suggested amount of 100mg.
An article on Medical News Today called Adecolants Drink Too Much Caffeine states that teens main reasons for partaking in caffeinated beverages are because they are easily accessed, considered “grown-up”, or provide energy for completing assignments or studies. Media, social norms, and advertisements viewed are also an encouragement for consumption, everyone wants to be included. With these social norms what isn’t taken into account is the effects on their health. An article called Is it safe for teenagers to drink caffeine? says, consuming caffeine can have a major effect on concentration periods and sleep patterns, which may also cause the maturing process to slow. Caffeine has double the impact on teenagers compared to adults which makes teens more susceptible to lifetime addiction and symptoms, which include: anxiety, nervousness, jitteriness, alertness, dizziness, dehydration, faster heart rate, or stomach pains. When an overdose or “heavy daily caffeine use” occurs symptoms can be more fatal, some include: tremors, vomiting, nausea, panic attacks, heart pressure and or seizures.
Studies of the ADF show that adecolants are consuming anywhere between 60-800mg a day. Besides coffee, energy drinks, soft drinks, and tea, caffeine can also be consumed from foods. According to an article called Foods and Drinks You Didn’t Know had Caffeine, some surprising foods with caffeine include: oreos, cocoa pebbles, chocolate, clif bars, decaffeinated coffee, and iced tea. Each oreo contains about 1.3mg of caffeine. Cocoa pebbles have 1mg per ¾ cup, which is an average serving, that adds up when
