Caffeine Facts and Effects

What is so special about a cup of hot coffee, the pleasure, the stimulation or the aroma? Have you ever wondered what makes coffee so stimulating? It's the presence of a psychoactive stimulant drug called "Caffeine" that makes your experience so rich. Besides coffee, the drug is present in eatables and beverages like chocolate, tea, cola drinks, soda drinks, and energy drinks. The impact of Caffeine intake is an immediate boost to mental alertness and concentration power and an aversion of drowsiness feeling. It is referred to as "Caffeine Kick". The phenomenon is temporary however.

Caffeine is addictive in nature. However it is mildly safe and completely legal across United States.

Coffee intake is an integral part of daily life for millions of individuals today specially in the morning hours when the need to invigorate oneself for the challenging day ahead is felt the most. It gives you the right energetic start every day. The mechanism of "Caffeine Kick" is very simple to understand. Pituitary glands secrete a hormone called "Serotonin". Serotonin regulates anxiety, anger, energy, mood swing, sleep, and hunger in your body. The primary action of serotonin, though, is to regulate addiction and pleasure. Hence it is also called Pleasure Hormone. The hormone is routinely absorbed into dedicated brain receptors. With the caffeine intake, the absorption is completely blocked leaving the serotonin in the blood circulation. This causes temporary alertness and wards off sleepiness.

Caffeine has been used in a number of over-the-counter medicines to fight several common ailments like headache and cardiovascular diseases. Just like intercepting the brain receptors, caffeine creates a protective shield over the surface of the heart mitigating the risk of possible heart ailments. A cup of coffee comes in very handy in many other situations. You need enthusiasm at the start of aerobics or physical training for example, or you are working in night shift and you have to stay vigilant and well-concentrated. However there is a limit to daily caffeine intake overstepping which may be hazardous for your health.

Normal caffeine intake should be restricted to 3 or 4 cups of coffee per day. Measured alternatively, a 200 to 250 mg intake should be fine. If you take excess intake than the safe daily limit, you are most likely to trigger a morbid condition called "Caffeinism". Caffeinism, or the over-dosage of caffeine, is marked by anxiety, over-excitement, heart palpitation, and restlessness. In extreme cases, hallucination and disorientation have been reported. Persistent Caffeinism results in severe medical complications like peptic ulcers, hypertension, chronic and transient insomnia. Any effort for the cessation of caffeine intake should not be sudden though and be spread over a reasonable period of time to avoid developing withdrawal symptoms characterized by drowsiness, insomnia, nausea, headache, frustration, and disorientation.

Caffeine is a safe psychoactive drug provided it is taken in the prescribed safe limits. Be safe and enjoy your coffee, chocolates, tea, and soft drinks.