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Caffeine and its Effects
What are the effects of caffeine?
Caffeine can alter one's health in many ways. It is found in sodas,
teas, coffees, and even bottled waters.
Since our culture doesn't regard caffeine in the same manner as it
does many other drugs, its powerful stimulant effects are often
either underestimated or even ignored. Caffeine's kick comes with
a cost.
Want the jitters? Gulp that beverage and you've got 'em. Caffeine
stimulates parts of the brain that are responsible for the "fight or
flight" mechanism, which is why people who consume the drug
may experience anxiety. Similarly, it interferes with sleep patterns,
and can disrupt a good night's sleep. College students try to take
advantage of this, and may make a habit of keeping the coffee
percolating all night long in order to finish that term paper before
the deadline. Of course, they are often sitting in front of the
computer with shaky hands staring at a blank screen. Panicking.
The screen is blank because they can't concentrate enough to
think of even remotely interesting ways to discuss the significance
of, say, the Spanish-American War.
Caffeine can also specifically affect women. For one, it can have
the same effect on the kids of breastfeeding mothers who drink the
stuff as it does on sleep-deprived collegians everywhere. Even the
equivalent of three cups of coffee a day can cause Baby to be
irritable and may make him or her have difficulty with sleeping, just
like Mom.
Also, if a woman suffers from PMS symptoms, caffeine may easily
make her irritability symptoms worse. Caffeine use has also been
linked to PMS' breast tenderness and fibrocystic breasts as well.
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