Science&Health: Addicted to staying awake?

Within a 2-mile radius of UCLA, community members can come across 23 Starbucks and Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf chain stores.

The popularity of coffee shops is often enhanced by wireless Internet access offered, ample seating room, and ambient music.

But these features are only supplementary to the reason why most people frequent the shops ““ most go for a caffeine fix.

“I’ve grown so dependent on making my coffee run to the Starbucks in the Village almost every morning,” said Swiny Aziz, a second-year psychology and anthropology student.

Researchers say though caffeine can have some positive physiological and social benefits, if abused it can lead to undesired side effects.

Caffeine, a substance in many food products and beverages ““ including coffee ““ changes a person’s mood by altering some of the chemicals in the brain.

Caffeine works by inhibiting the natural chemical in human bodies that induces sleepiness.

Adenosine, the natural chemical in the brain that causes sleepiness, attaches to the receptors of nerve cells in the brain and causes them to slow down. The slowing of nerve cells triggers a feeling of sleepiness.

When caffeine is consumed, its molecular structure allows it to bind to the same nerve cell receptors as adensosine, which prevents adenosine from binding to and slowing down the nerve cells, inhibiting sleepiness.

In a study conducted by the National Coffee Association, 54 percent of American adults drink coffee daily, while another 25 percent drink coffee occasionally.

“Coffee has a good effect on people who need stimulation or simply a kick-start in their day,” said Harold Kassarjian, professor emeritus of psychology at the UCLA Anderson School of Management.

“Coffee consumption has increased because it brings people together socially, and it is thought of as an appropriate alternative when compared to smoking cigarettes,” he added.

The increase in popularity of caffeine drinks may be a result not only of their social benefits, but also of their overall acceptance and availability.

“Other stimulants are more dangerous and illegal, and this society factor leads more people to use caffeine more frequently than other stimulants,” said Arthur Brody, associate professor of psychiatry at UCLA.

The National Institute of Health lists caffeine as a stimulant and experts say that if abused, caffeine can have negative effects, especially after they have become physically dependent on it.

Most people consume caffeine daily in amounts that can cause the individual to become physically dependent on it, said Roland Griffiths, professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Once a person becomes dependent on caffeine, they need a consistent dose to avoid experiencing withdrawal symptoms, Griffiths added.

Symptoms of caffeine withdrawal include headaches, drowsiness, irritability, nausea and vomiting.

“To alleviate these symptoms, people consume a small dose of caffeine in the morning, and continue to do so to avoid the symptoms,” Griffiths said. “This can generate and sustain habitual self-administration of caffeine.”

Studies show that an average person’s daily caffeine intake should not exceed 250 to 300 milligrams. The Mayo Clinic reports that 500 milligrams in a day can cause negative symptoms.

“Coffee and other caffeinated drinks can have positive effects, so long as they are not overused or abused,” said Maher Karam-Hage, an addiction psychiatrist at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. “Problems occur when people drink too much caffeine in a single sitting several times a day.”

A drink should not have more than 80 milligrams of caffeine, and people should be mindful of how much caffeine is in the drinks they consume from coffee shops, he added.

While most get their caffeine fix from coffee, others opt for tea, a recommended substitute for coffee since it contains a lower caffeine concentration, Brody said.

Data from Associated Students UCLA records indicate that, based on the number of cups served, overall coffee consumption has steadily decreased while tea consumption has increased since 2002.

“The trend in the industry has shown more demand for tea, and we’ve tried to add more choices and options for students and faculty,” said Roy Champawat, student union director and former associate food service director for ASUCLA.

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