Lexie Shadix, Campus Carrier deputy news editor
I always joke with my roommate that she has a caffeine addiction whenever I hear the can of her Celsius crack open. “I probably do,” she responds.
We are living in a caffeine culture. According to the National Institutes of Health, caffeine is the most-used psychoactive substance in the world. Roughly 80% of the world population consumes caffeine daily to improve cognitive function and physical performance. Coffee shops are social hubs where people go on first dates, to catch up with old friends, or study after class. Marketing for caffeinated drinks reinforces the idea that it is essential for productivity. A great example of this is the ever-popular slogan “Red Bull gives you wings,” which is used by the company to symbolize the heightened performance, or the ability to “fly,” one gains after drinking a Red Bull.
Caffeine is a stimulant, and it blocks the effects of a chemical called adenosine in the brain. This chemical is what makes people feel tired. According to WebMD, levels of the hormone melatonin, which your body needs to fall asleep, also decreases in the presence of caffeine. Like many things, it is not unsafe to use caffeine in moderation. It is generally considered safe for healthy adults to consume up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day, which is roughly four cups of coffee or two energy drinks.
However, people can develop a dependence on caffeine easily, and when someone feels they need caffeine to properly function, they may be developing an addiction. As people drink coffee, they become tolerant, and they need more and more to continue to feel the effects they have begun to crave. According to the Addiction Center, people who drink caffeine on the daily, experience changes in their brain’s chemistry and see changed in their physical appearences over time as the brain’s cells grow more adenosine receptors to counteract the caffeine trying to block them.
Because caffeine does not stimulate the area of the brain linked to reward and motivation as much as some other drugs do, such as amphetamines or cocaine, there is debate about whether it qualifies as an actual addiction. It was not until 2012 that the World Health Organization recognized caffeine addiction as a clinical disorder, and the American Psychiatric Association only recognizes caffeine withdrawal as a clinical condition, electing not to recognize caffeine addiction as a substance use disorder.
Caffeine addiction, however, can be quite harmful to one’s health, potentially leading to anxiety, insomnia, increased heart rate and digestive issues. It can trigger headaches, especially if a regular caffeine drinker reduces their intake, and it can cause muscle twitching and dehydration. Some studies also suggest that a long-term effect of a large caffeine intake is an increased risk of osteoporosis. Energy drinks are linked to even bigger risks than coffee or tea, such as irregular heartbeat, and increased risk of heart attack or stroke.
Compared to other substances, caffeine is a mild drug. While it can affect one’s quality of life, addiction to it is often trivialized in the face of something such as tobacco, alcohol or heroin. While caffeine does not necessarily need to be eliminated from everyone’s diet, perhaps it is time to rethink our caffeine culture and work on promoting balance and healthy lifestyles. That starts with recognizing it is addictive. Symptoms of caffeine addiction include a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to reduce intake, taking caffeine in larger amounts than recommended, tolerance, or spending a great deal of time to obtain or use caffeine or recover from its effects. We should not need caffeine to feel “normal,” and perhaps we should think twice before drinking that third or fourth cup of espresso rather than brushing it off as something totally unharmful.