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Mallory Rosenberg

Mrs. Smearsoll

Anatomy & Physiology – 3

3 February 2020

Effects of Caffeine

What is caffeine? Caffeine is most commonly found in tea and coffee and is a natural

stimulant (Petre). It works by helping to stimulate the brain and central nervous system. It also

can help prevent tiredness and keep you alert. After consuming caffeine, it gets absorbed rapidly

from the gut to the bloodstream. It then travels to the liver, where it is broken down into

compounds (Petre). However, the main effect caffeine has is on the brain. It works by blocking

the effects of the neurotransmitter that relaxes the brain and makes you feel tired, called

adenosine (Petre).

It is okay to consume caffeine. But, it is in more things than we might think. Most

commonly, caffeine is found in coffee, tea, soft drinks, energy drinks, and things of that nature.

Surprisingly, decaffeinated coffee, chocolate, some cereals and ice cream, and pudding all

contain caffeine (“Caffeine: How Much Is Too Much?”). Consuming caffeine helps one stay

alert and reduces tiredness. Normally, adenosine levels are being built up throughout the day,

which makes you more tired and can make you want to go to sleep (“Caffeine: How Much Is

Too Much?”). Caffeine can help block that neurotransmitter. It helps you stay awake by

connecting the adenosine receptors in the brain without activating them (“Caffeine: How Much

Is Too Much?”). In general, it is okay to consume caffeine and it can have positive effects.

With that being said, some should pay attention to their caffeine intake. Adolescents

should limit their consumption of caffeine. Also, women who are pregnant, trying to become
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pregnant, or breastfeeding, should limit their caffeine intake and talk to their doctor about it

(Temple et al.). Caffeine could have many negative effects on a population of people who should

not consume it. Younger adults, people with heart issues or conditions, and people with mental

illness should limit their intake of caffeine (Temple et al.). Limiting it will protect them and keep

them healthy and safe.

Knowing how much caffeine is in a beverage is very important. You can find this

information on the label or online through websites and databases. To help provide

understanding, one twelve-ounce can of a soft drink that is caffeinated contains about thirty to

forty milligrams of caffeine (“Spilling The Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?”). An

eight-ounce cup of green tea contains about thirty to fifty milligrams (“Spilling The Beans: How

Much Caffeine Is Too Much?”). An eight-ounce cup of coffee has about eighty to a hundred

milligrams of caffeine (“Spilling The Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?”). The FDA

says, for healthy adults, they can consume about 400 milligrams of caffeine a day (“Spilling The

Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?”). Certain conditions or medications can make people

more sensitive to caffeine. Consuming more than 400 milligrams of caffeine a day can cause

negative and dangerous effects.

After all of my research and looking at the data, I think that it is okay to consume

caffeine. However, I think it is most important to watch children’s intake of caffeine. It can have

major negative effects on them so I think we must pay attention to that. According to the FDA,

the amount of caffeine that one can/should consume in a day is about 400 milligrams which is

about four to five cups of coffee. I think that this is plenty of caffeine and that no one should

need to consume more than that. Caffeine has many positive effects like helping one stay alert
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and reducing tiredness. I think with these facts; consuming caffeine is okay and could help many

people fight against their sleepiness.

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Works Cited

“Caffeine: How Much Is Too Much?” Mayo Clinic, 2017, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-

lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/caffeine/art-20045678. Accessed 3 Feb.

2020.

Petre, Alina. “What Is Caffeine, and Is It Good or Bad For Health?” Healthline, 2016,

www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-caffeine#section3.

“Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?” U.S. Food & Drug Administration,

FDA, 12 Dec. 2018, www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/spilling-beans-how-

much-caffeine-too-much. Accessed 4 Feb. 2020.

---. U.S. Food & Drug Administration, FDA, 12 Dec. 2018, www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-

updates/spilling-beans-how-much-caffeine-too-much. Accessed 4 Feb. 2020.

Temple, Jennifer L., et al. “The Safety of Ingested Caffeine: A Comprehensive

Review.” Frontiers in Psychiatry, vol. 8, 26 May 2017,

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5445139/, 10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00080.