What do you know about caffeine?

Since I finished my book a few weeks ago, I decided to do a blog on something that interests me a whole lot. Since so many people have a regular intake of caffeine, I was very interested by it. What is it? Why do we drink it so much? Where does it come from? What does it do to our bodies?



caffeine powder extract



The global consumption of caffeine is 120 000 tonnes per year. It is the world’s most popular psychoactive substance. This amount makes that every person drinks about one serving of a caffeinated beverage every single day. It is crazy how 90% of adults will consume caffeine every day. Caffeine acts as a central nervous system stimulant temporarily warding off drowsiness and restoring alertness. People might see this drug as a good or a bad thing for humans. On the positive side of caffeine, it is used on newborns to treat apnea (breathing problem) and correct irregular heartbeats. It is also shown that it gives better general body coordination, that it decreases fatigue and increases attentiveness. Various manufacturers sell caffeine tablets for students studying for exams and people who work or drive for long hours. These tablets are supposed to improve mental alertness. There are also many negatives for caffeine... The main side effects are blurred vision, dizziness, and dryness of the mouth, fast heartbeats, drowsiness, decreased or increased hunger, thirst, anxiety, confusion, irritability and insomnia.  Caffeine can also reduce hair growth. The overuse of caffeine can lead to a condition called caffeinism. It leads to nervousness, irritability, anxiety, tremulousness, muscle twitching, insomnia, headaches and heart palpitations. It also increases the production of stomach acid and over time, it can give you erosive esophagitis, where your oesophagus gets inflamed. Overdoses of caffeine can cause you to see flashes, to have seizures, to have ringing ears, to have nausea and to vomit, without considering the many more symptoms.

Caffeine is present in seeds, in leaves and in fruit of various plants. Sometimes, it serves as a natural pesticide to kill insects. One of the world’s primary sources of caffeine is the coffee bean, from which coffee is brewed. Caffeine is also produced artificially and added to certain foods.

Caffeine was first isolated from coffee in 1819. In its pure form, caffeine is a white, bitter-tasting powder. With all the processing, the bitterness is taken away from caffeine and great tasting drinks are made.

This research has taught me many things about caffeine. I think it is important to remember to never take too much of anything because it can become harmful. It is always better to take something in small portions then in bigger portions. I hope you learned something as well by reading this blog!