For many students, caffeine has become a steady facet of day-to-day life. Coffee, soda, energy drinks, medicine and even chocolate all have various amounts of caffeine in them. Yet few ever stop to consider, or even remember, that caffeine is still classified as a drug in the medical community, and more importantly, has effects that can range from beneficial to lethal.
“The difference between a drug and a poison is the dose,” said Biological Sciences professor Donald Slish, quoting a phrase from his experiences in pharmacology. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant, and in small doses it has the effect of temporarily increasing awareness and energy. The effects extend throughout the body’s cardio-vascular system, and larger doses can cause cardiac problems and respiratory distress. Caffeine tolerance varies from individual to individual, but the average amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee, which is between 80 to 150 mgs, serves as the norm for desired effect.
Health problems arise when individuals consume more than 200 mgs in a single sitting. According to the online index for psychoactive plants and chemicals at www.erowid.gov, caffeine doses in excess of 200 mgs can cause nausea, headaches and irregular heartbeat. Doses of 750 mgs or greater may cause a state of caffeine intoxication similar to a panic attack. Rapid heartbeat, tremors, sweating, vomiting, anxiety and even rapid speech are some of the most common symptoms. Consuming more than 3 grams of caffeine in a single serving can have very serious health consequences and is considered to be in the lethal dose range.
According to a press release by John Hopkins Medicine in September 2008, the Food and Drug Administration placed restrictions on the amount of caffeine beverage companies can put in their products. The restriction is currently set to a maximum of 71 mgs of caffeine per 12-ounce serving. This restriction only applies to food beverages though, so manufacturers of popular energy drinks have classified their products as dietary supplements, which allows them to exceed the 71 mg limit.
The popular Red Bull energy drink has 80 mgs of caffeine in just one 8.3-ounce can. The concern expressed by the article focused on the risk of caffeine intoxication by teens and young adults who were unaware of the levels of caffeine being ingested. The article sought to have an additional warning label placed on dietary supplement products with large amounts of caffeine, emphasizing the dose.
Jerimy Blowers, director of health education services, has an area of interest in the study of drug use and substance abuse and feels that the social acceptance of caffeine has allowed it to be overlooked as a substance, which is commonly abused. His recommendation is that caffeine be treated like any other medication — taken as needed and not in excess. Individuals with natural hyperactivity should avoid caffeine products or drink their caffeine-free counterparts.
Sophomore Gabby Bilik said, “It’s so socially accepted, no one really stops to think of it as bad for our health.”
Student concerns over the subjects of caffeine abuse, addiction and intoxication are almost non-existent throughout the Plattsburgh campus.
Sophomore Manami Yamaguchi said, “Actually, I don’t know how dangerous caffeine is, but heard that too much caffeine is not good for my health. So I only drink two or three cups at most.”
The constant pressures to succeed scholastically have often demanded longer hours of study and students have come in many ways to depend upon the temporary boost effects of caffeine in all its various forms.
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