Caffeine, what do we say to you?

For a long time, caffeine has haunted my conscience and its addictive qualities has made it an object of my curiosity. Like most in the world, I get my caffeine mostly from coffee or tea. From the outside, all seems quite innocent. However, start diving deeper into caffeine consumption and you'll eventually wonder if all the jitters plus alarming health problems that can come from a caffeine addiction make consuming it worth it at all. From nasty withdrawal to glaucoma resulting from overconsumption, caffeine needs to be looked at more carefully in a world that looks upon it too lightly.

Probably the first problem to cover is whether caffeine can be addictive. In order to judge whether or not it can be, a careful look at what caffeine is and how it interacts inside our body must be examined. According to Steven E. Meredith and others, "Caffeine acts as an antagonist at adenosine receptors, thereby blocking endogenous adenosine.25,26 Functionally, caffeine produces a range of effects opposite those of adenosine, including the behavioral stimulant effects associated with the drug.27 Importantly, caffeine has been shown to stimulate dopaminergic activity by removing the negative modulatory effects of adenosine at dopamine receptors.28" (2013). In simpler terms, caffeine encompasses adenosine receptor sites thus blocking adenosine from inducing sleep. Caffeine then acts as a catalyst for dopamine activity thus increasing cognitive and cardiac functions until caffeine is dissolved into the bloodstream. From what has been gathered, it is easy to understand how caffeine can become an addiction when dopamine, a neurotransmitter known for it's reaction with cocaine, is taken into account.

To make the task of determining whether caffeine is addictive or not even simpler, it is wise to know what leading officials say in regards to the question. Steven E. Meredith and others summarize the American Psychiatric Associations' statements on caffeine: "Specifically, the disorders of Substance Abuse and Substance Dependence found in the DSM-IV83 have been combined and are now referred to as Substance Use Disorder in the DSM-5. Although neither the DSM-IV nor the DSM-5 officially recognizes these disorders applied to caffeine, the DSM-5 recognizes Caffeine Use Disorder as a condition for further study." (2013). The statement is fairly straightforward regarding whether or not it is addictive: it probably is, but further study is needed to solidify that it is. It is also important to know the World Health Organization "already recognizes a diagnosis of Caffeine Dependence Syndrome in the ICD-10" (Meredith et al., 2013).

Given the physiology of how caffeine acts within the body and the statements from official health organizations, one should definitely be concerned about how much caffeine they consume. When considering "how much," "About 250 to 300 milligrams of caffeine per day is considered a moderate amount, roughly equivalent to three cups of coffee." (Psychology Today, 2021). Concerning "what happens," caffeine withdrawal symptoms can include "Headache, Significant fatigue or drowsiness, Depressed mood, Difficulty concentrating, Flu-like symptoms such as nausea and muscle pain" (Psychology Today, 2021). More debilitating symptoms also exist: "...consumption of higher doses by vulnerable individuals can lead to increased risk for negative health consequences, including cardiovascular problems and perinatal complications.5,6" (Meredith, 2013).

Though there is still a debate concerning whether or not one can truly be addicted to caffeine, the view that it definitely can be seems to fall most in line with the facts. It is true most symptoms are not severe, but one should at least be aware of the severe symptoms, cardiovascular problems, glaucoma, and perinatal complications, that caffeine can create. Struggling with caffeine is not fun and I hope the facts presented will spark greater caution concerning caffeine consumption.

SOURCES

• Meredith SE, Juliano LM, Hughes JR, Griffiths RR. Caffeine Use Disorder: A Comprehensive Review and Research Agenda. J Caffeine Res. 2013 Sep;3(3):114-130. doi: 10.1089/jcr.2013.0016. PMID: 24761279; PMCID: PMC3777290.

• https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/conditions/caffeine