Caffeine is one of the most widely consumed substances on the planet. It is found in beverages and confectionaries that people love so much. Caffeine is so common in foods and drinks that people often fail to recognize that it is a drug just like heroine of cocaine. The drug changes the way the human brain operates and makes people feel alert. People who crave caffeine often seek this feeling of motivation that they cannot find from using any other legal substances. Despite the thrill and buzz that people get from consuming caffeinated beverages and foods, caffeine is a dangerous and highly addictive substance that should be regarded with care. Caffeine addiction is a real threat that people …show more content…
Joseph Stromberg is a digital reporter for the Smithsonian who has written extensively about drug addiction. In his article “This Is How Your Brain Becomes Addicted to Caffeine”, Stromberg explains that caffeine is soluble both in fat and in water (2013). It is this characteristic that makes it a very fast acting drug. Soon after consumption, the drug penetrates the blood-brain barrier and enters the brain. Stromberg further elaborates that the molecular structure of caffeine is similar to that of adenosine, a naturally occurring compound in the human brain (Stromberg, 2013). Adenosine is responsible for the feelings of fatigue that people often have. When caffeine enters the brain, it blocks off adenosine from cell receptors. This consequently makes a person feel alert and energetic for an extended period before the caffeine wears …show more content…
Some researchers have proposed that caffeine does not actually have any serious negative effects on the health of users. In a study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, researchers established that the benefits of caffeine on human health outweigh the detrimental effects of using the drug (2009). In another study, researchers determined that regulated caffeine intakes may lower the risk of cancers of the prostate and breast and type two diabetes (Bhupathiraju, et al., 2012). The Harvard health scientists also determined that consuming some beverages that contain caffeine like green tea results in lower risks of high blood pressure (Havard 2009). Thus the effects of consuming caffeine on the body of the user should never be