What is caffeine? What are its Side effects?
In a layman’s language Caffeine can be called a stimulant which is widely consumed across the globe by millions of people every day. It is known to work on the central nervous system in more ways than one. Let’s take a look at how beneficial or unfavorable it can be.
Positive effects of Caffeine
Studies reveal that caffeine has the capacity to improve alertness of the mind. Amongst professionals who consume about 3-4 cups a day, it is said to have accentuated their performance drastically. Its effects are however temporary and may last from 1 to 4 hours.
A big revelation comes from the fact that caffeine intake on a regular basis can reduce the risk of liver cancer by half. This has also been said for mouth and throat cancers whose occurrence is seen to have gone down by 50 percent among coffee drinkers.
Further researches have also suggested that ingesting up to 300gms of caffeine daily can not only increase people’s memory but also calms down agitation of the mind. A lot of people who were considering suicide and later declined the thought were found to be regular coffee drinkers.
Medically, coffee seems to have undying benefits. Detailed studies have shown that high caffeine intake in the body has conspicuously reduced the incidence of brain strokes, heart diseases, Parkinson’s syndrome and diabetes.
Caffeine Side Effects
Negative effects of caffeine are found only under cases when its consumption is very high i.e. up to 500-600 mg a day. For people who are addicts and cannot do without 6-7 cups a day, caffeine can spell many unwanted side effects.
More often than not, obsessive coffee drinkers are known to have developed insomnia and restlessness.
It was found that lot of office goers complained irritability at work and upon study due to high consumption of coffee.
Besides, coffee is also seen to have caused disturbed bowel syndrome when ingested in high quantities. Many people have complained of muscle tremors and high palpitation as well.
Other symptoms caused by Caffine are frequent headaches, depression and fatigue.
Thus we see that when it comes to consuming this psychoactive drug in large quantities, it might trigger certain unwanted physical as well as behavioral patterns. Observing the quantities they intake becomes a must here.
Caffine is known to have increased sociability and over all well-being among those who take it in measured quantities.
Some common sources of caffeine include cacao seeds, cola nuts, coffee beans, tea leaves and many other plant sources.
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