The Need for Caffeine Multimedia Video

A short video our group made to highlight both the prevalence of caffeine and the consequences of overconsumption.

Caffeine: Falsely Accused Villain?

By: Kris Cantrell

For far too long I’ve depicted caffeine* as villainous.  A few weeks ago I wrote about the dark side of caffeine–the potential headaches, heart problems and dehydration, but I neglected to shed light on the benefits of this drug.  According to a recent study by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine caffeine can help shift workers stay safe by decreasing errors while working during normal sleeping hours.  In addition, ScienceDaily.com has reported that caffeine can help prevent memory loss due to Alzheimer’s disease.  This is the kind of news that could wake up caffeine critics across the nation.

*Fortunately, caffeine may help prevent Alzheimer’s disastrous effects on families in the future.  At the current rate, every minute a new victim of Alzheimer’s disease is being diagnosed.  According to ScienceDaily.com, there are “Multiple beneficial effects of caffeine to normalize brain function and prevent its degeneration”.  This is great news considering the millions of Americans that struggle with this disease every day.  *According to the study, caffeine can help both prevent and reduce the harmful brain effects of Alzheimers disease.

Another benefit of caffeine is a little more obvious.  When most Americans are groggy or tired they reach for a caffeinated beverage.  This is no different amongst the 14% of Americans who* work at times when most of us are getting some shut-eye.  *When these shift workers consume some coffee, energy drinks, or any other form of caffeine, they are much more alert and produce less errors.

It’s obvious caffeine isn’t as villainous as its given credit for.  Joe Jenson, a local dentist, would have to agree.  “There isn’t particularly a problem with caffeinated beverages, it’s just that these beverages also usually contain large amounts of sugar,” he says.  Sugar is the real villain because it usually comes in a package deal with the caffeine.  If Americans would simply rinse their mouths with water after their next energy drink then they won’t be likely to see the harmful side effects of the sugar, not the caffeine.

So next time you reach for an energy drink or some coffee, don’t feel too guilty.  Your brain is giving you a pat on the back and as long as the drink isn’t highly concentrated with sugar, there aren’t very many reasons to give up the “cup of joe”.  Caffeine consumers rejoice.

Caffeine’s Effects

By: Kris Cantrell

Re-Edited 6/3/10

I know you’ve been there before. We all have. The clock shows 12:17 A.M. and you’ve just finished your first of three chapters due by nine A.M. class the next day. You’ll be lucky if you get four hours of sleep tonight. Here’s the problem: You were up the night before with the same objective in another class and you’re running on three or four hours of rest. What’s the solution? Caffeine. Enough caffeine to make an elephant tap dance. When you head to the local 7-11, do you ever stop to ponder the health effects of this caffeinated lifestyle?

The Fresh Prince once said, “Parents Just Don’t Understand,” and he may have been on to something. Parents may not understand that students today are seemingly more busy than ever. A lot of students are forced to balance a five class schedule, a 30 hour work week, an internship, extracurricular activities, and a respectable social life while still managing to get a few hours of shut eye. The result? An army of caffeinated college kids on campus. What kind of health effects could students be facing?

Caffeine mainly affects the central nervous system. Despite the typical awakening effect, caffeine can also cause some short-term side effects. Use of this energizing drug can cause restlessness, jitters, higher blood pressure, headaches, dehydration, increased heart rate, and possibly an uneven hearth rhythm. This is why doctors do not recommend caffeine use to patients with heart problems. In addition, caffeine can also contribute to stomach issues such as heartburn because it helps to release stomach acid.

FDA studies have shown that long-term users can become dependent on caffeine and build a tolerance towards it. The tolerance contributes to users feeling less energized by normal caffeine intakes. This tolerance is often paired with caffeine dependency that can cause withdrawals if caffeine is removed from a person’s diet. These withdrawal effects can include depression, extremely painful headaches, and crankiness.

Caffeine does have some gnarly side effects, but sometimes it’s a necessary evil. What’s going to keep you awake when you need to pull an all-night cram session before a final exam? Caffeine. What’s going to wake you up before an eight-hour work day? Caffeine. What’s going to have a few minor side effects? Caffeine. Like any over-the-counter, legal, stimulant, caffeine is a good form of energy to be used in moderation.

Caffeine does have some gnarly side effects, but sometimes it’s a necessary evil. * What’s going to keep you awake when you need to pull an all-night cram session before a final exam? Caffeine. *What’s going to wake you up before an eight-hour work day? Caffeine. *What’s going to have a few minor side effects? Caffeine. Like any over-the-counter, legal stimulant, caffeine is a good form of energy to be used in moderation.