Caffeine is the most popular psychoactive drug in the world. Millions of people consume caffeine, in various forms, daily in order to feel more energized, but when consumed in amounts that are out of proportion, the effects can be counterproductive or dangerous.
Caffeine is both a natural and man made substance that is classified as a drug, food additive, and stimulant of the central nervous system. Its chemical classification is Xanthines because it 's derived from the purine base Xanthine. Xanthine consists of a group of naturally occurring agents that act on the central nervous system. Xanthines act on the central nervous system by stimulating the myocardium, the thickest layer in the middle of the heart wall, relaxing smooth muscle, muscle …show more content…
As a solid, caffeine can physically can be described as a white, odorless crystalline substance. Caffeine’s molecular formula is C8H10N4O2 which is similar to the neurotransmitter, Adenosine whose molecular formula is C10H13N5O4. They both consist of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen and have relatively close amounts of each. Since caffeine and adenosine both share similar molecular formulas, they also share similar looking structures.
Caffeine has been used for both recreational and medicinal purposes since before recorded time. Some anthropologists believe caffeine has been used as early as 600,000 BCE. In 900 BC, according to multiple Arabian legends, the famous poet Homer, refers to a “mysterious black and bitter beverage with the power to ward off sleep”. In 850, there was a legendary discovery of coffee by an Ethiopian herder known as Kaldi. According to the legend, one night the herder’s goats …show more content…
It is used by people of all ages for a multiplicity of reasons. Approximately ninety percent of adults consume caffeine regularly and on average intake about 227 mg daily. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, the use of caffeine by adolescents has more than doubled since 1980. In the article, Caffeine Use in Children: What we know, what we have left to learn, and why we should worry, the author, Jennifer L. Temple states, “caffeine-containing drinks are now consumed regularly by children” and “some caffeine-containing beverages are specifically marketed to children as young as four years of age”. Most of the time, people do not even realize they are even consuming caffeine because they are not aware of its prevalence in so many of their everyday foods. When thinking about substances that contain caffeine, most people’s thoughts jump right to coffee, tea, and energy drinks, but in reality it is such a common additive used in a wide variety of foods and beverages. Most adolescents and adults purposely consume caffeine to temporarily feel more energized and to improve alertness, concentration, and motor performance so that they can be more productive and successful in accomplishing work. In premature infants, caffeine is often used to treat and prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia, a serious lung condition based on an impairment in lung maturation in premature infants. According to a comprehensive
Caffeine is both a natural and man made substance that is classified as a drug, food additive, and stimulant of the central nervous system. Its chemical classification is Xanthines because it 's derived from the purine base Xanthine. Xanthine consists of a group of naturally occurring agents that act on the central nervous system. Xanthines act on the central nervous system by stimulating the myocardium, the thickest layer in the middle of the heart wall, relaxing smooth muscle, muscle …show more content…
As a solid, caffeine can physically can be described as a white, odorless crystalline substance. Caffeine’s molecular formula is C8H10N4O2 which is similar to the neurotransmitter, Adenosine whose molecular formula is C10H13N5O4. They both consist of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen and have relatively close amounts of each. Since caffeine and adenosine both share similar molecular formulas, they also share similar looking structures.
Caffeine has been used for both recreational and medicinal purposes since before recorded time. Some anthropologists believe caffeine has been used as early as 600,000 BCE. In 900 BC, according to multiple Arabian legends, the famous poet Homer, refers to a “mysterious black and bitter beverage with the power to ward off sleep”. In 850, there was a legendary discovery of coffee by an Ethiopian herder known as Kaldi. According to the legend, one night the herder’s goats …show more content…
It is used by people of all ages for a multiplicity of reasons. Approximately ninety percent of adults consume caffeine regularly and on average intake about 227 mg daily. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, the use of caffeine by adolescents has more than doubled since 1980. In the article, Caffeine Use in Children: What we know, what we have left to learn, and why we should worry, the author, Jennifer L. Temple states, “caffeine-containing drinks are now consumed regularly by children” and “some caffeine-containing beverages are specifically marketed to children as young as four years of age”. Most of the time, people do not even realize they are even consuming caffeine because they are not aware of its prevalence in so many of their everyday foods. When thinking about substances that contain caffeine, most people’s thoughts jump right to coffee, tea, and energy drinks, but in reality it is such a common additive used in a wide variety of foods and beverages. Most adolescents and adults purposely consume caffeine to temporarily feel more energized and to improve alertness, concentration, and motor performance so that they can be more productive and successful in accomplishing work. In premature infants, caffeine is often used to treat and prevent bronchopulmonary dysplasia, a serious lung condition based on an impairment in lung maturation in premature infants. According to a comprehensive