CAFFEINE

Background

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant . It is legal and found in many beverages, including coffee, tea, and colas. It is the most widely abused drug in the world.

It is used therapeutically to relieve headaches, relieve fatigue, and as a diuretic. It can also be found in medications such as migraine and other headache treatments (cafergot, Fiorinal, Fioricet), pain relievers (Anacin, Vanquish, Excedrin, Midol, Darvon, Synalgos-DC, DGA), muscle relaxants (Norgesic, Forte), cold/allergy treatments(Coryban-D), diuretics (Aqua-Ban) and pep pills (No Doz. Vivarin).

The route of administration is usually ingestion, swallowed as coffee, tea, cola, soft drink, or as a tablet/capsule medication. It can also be eaten as a chocolate product or ingredient. Sometimes it is injected in sodium benzoate solution.

Effects

Caffeine induces a slightly elevated mood, alertness, sensitivity of touch, smell, sight, and hearing. It can also cause nervousness, irritability, insomnia, tremors, and depression. The physical effects can include constricted cerebral blood vessels, increased blood flow in the body, heart stimulation, increased basal metabolic rate, limited glucose metabolism, relaxation in some smooth muscles, and increased urine flow.

Caffeine also shortens sleep time, reduced depth of sleep, increases early dream-state sleep and reduces later dream-state sleep. It can intensify elevated blood pressure effects when combined with tobacco smoking. Caffeine is also sometimes substituted for amphetamine street drugs.

Harmful effects can include:

• rapid, irregular heartbeat.
• increased blood pressure
• high blood sugar levels
• urine acid
• tremors
• convulsions
• headache
• "caffeinism" (ringing in the ears, extreme sensitivity to pain and touch)
• sleep disorders
• possible cancer-causing effects
• withdrawal effects
• death from convulsion
• heart and breathing problems due to overdose
• overdose can be fatal in children

Dependence develops with tolerance to effects and psychological need for ritual, such as morning coffee. Abstinence syndrome can begin within 18 hours of last dose. This can bring on symptoms such as anxiety, nausea, lethargy, muscle tension, headache, constipation, and inability to think clearly.

Unborn children may be affected by caffeine passing through placental barrier.

Fact: Caffeine is the most widely used drug in the world, for children and adults.