The Negatives
Given the beneficial and positive effects that caffeine has on the body, it has also become a detriment to a small percentage of the population.
Some individuals may become dependent on its effects, causing the absence and/or reduction of its consumption transform into a form of withdrawal.
Signs of withdrawal:
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Headaches
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Nausea
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Reduced alertness
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Sleepiness (crashing)
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Mood changes
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Irritability
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Problems concentrating
Risks for the Youth
Teens and children are more susceptible to the stimulant's more unwarranted symptoms. Even if consumed in moderation, caffeine use in the afternoon and evening can have negative impacts on sleeping habits and schedule. If consumed in high amounts, heart dysrhythmia is possible alongside seizure and hallucination.
Other possible side effects that may occur but are not limited to:
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Tension
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Nervousness
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Worry
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Jitteriness
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Agitation
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Hyperventilation
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Dizziness
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Delayed or disrupted sleep
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Poorer sleep quality
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Increase fatigue
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Elevated blood pressure and heart rate (temporarily, goes down after short amount of time similar to exercise)
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Abdominal pain
(Doepker et al., 2018)
**each individual may have a different caffeine tolerance level, so may experience different symptoms when consuming caffeine of any amount
Excessive Caffeine Intake
Caffeine intoxication can occur when extremely high amount of caffeine are taken. The lethal limit has been to found to be 10g/day (400mg/day is the recommended limit for an average, healthy adult). Severe adverse affects that can occur in those who consume excessive amounts include:
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Abdominal pain
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Altered consciousness
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Rigidity
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Abnormal heart rhythms
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Reduced blood flow
(Doepker et al., 2018)
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*to put in perspective, the average undergraduate college student consumes around 173mg/day (Mahoney et al., 2019)
