1.
Caffeine
Addiction
By: Brianna Capone

2.
What is Caffeine?
 Caffeine
is a bitter substance which
occurs naturally in over 60 plants
including:
 Coffee
beans
 Tea leaves
 Kola nuts
 Man-made
caffeine is added to other
foods, drinks, and medicines too
Source 5 &6

3.
Is Caffeine Addictive?
 Caffeine
is a stimulant of the central
nervous system
 Regular use/consumption does cause
mild physical dependence
 Does not threaten one’s
physical, social, or economic health in the
way addictive drugs (i.e. heroin) do
Sources 1 & 4

4.
Reasons for Consumption
 Increases
alertness and provides a boost
of energy
 Prescribed medicine containing caffeine
in order to treat tiredness/drowsiness
 Can increase well-being, happiness, and
sociability
Sources 4, 5, & 6

5.
Negative Effects of Caffeine

Caffeine effects individuals differently and can
sometimes cause problems such as:








Jitteriness
Increase heart rate
Irregular sleep patterns, making it difficult to fall
asleep or stay asleep
Cause uneven heart rhythms
Raise blood pressure
Headaches, nervousness, or dizziness
Dehydration
Cause dependency so one needs to take more of
it to avoid withdrawal symptoms
Source 2

6.
Withdrawal Symptoms
 On
average if one consumes two or more
cups of coffee per day and abruptly stops
one may experience the following:
Headache
 Fatigue
 Anxiety
 Irritability
 Depressed Mood
 Difficulty concentrating

Source 1

7.
Quote
 “In
North America between 80 and 90
percent of adults and children habitually
consume caffeine.”
 “Even bad coffee is better than no coffee
at all.” − David Lynch
Source 4

8.
Tolerance
 Those
who consume caffeine on a day to
day basis tend to build up a tolerance
 Tolerance means that one’s body is
becoming used to the drug

Unable to experience or unresponsive to
the “good effects” of being more
alert, awake, and able to concentrate
 In
order to experience the “good effects”
again one must use more caffeine
Sources 4 & 5

9.
When to Take Precautions
 Those
with heart problems/conditions
should not consume caffeine
 It
makes their heart work too hard
 Individuals
with anxiety or who experience
panic attacks
 May
make them feel worse
 Pregnant
women should consume
caffeine in moderation, avoid large
amounts
Source 5

10.
Video Time
http://www.webmd.com/diet/video/truthabout-coffee
Source 3

11.
Agreed vs. Disagreed
 Physical
dependence is not
equivalent to
addiction
 Coffee contains a
lot of antioxidants
 2-4 cups per day is
a safe amount


Coffee increases
sociability (varies
from person to
person)
It can overtime
effect one
economically
depending on how
frequent one feels
the need to
purchase caffeine
Sources 1 & 6

12.
Discussion Question
 Based
off the information presented, do
you believe that you are “addicted” to
caffeine? Why or why not?

If so, have you even experienced any of
the withdrawal symptoms once you
stopped drinking coffee?

13.
Conclusions
 Overall,
caffeine can lead to a mild form
of physical dependence but when
consumed in moderation it tends to yield
more positive results than negative.
 Be aware of how much caffeine is in the
foods and beverages we consume on a
daily basis

14.
References
1 Caffeine Facts: Addiction, Insomnia, Pregnancy Effects, and More. (n.d.). WebMD.
Retrieved January 26, 2014, from http://www.webmd.com/balance/caffeinemyths-and-facts
2 Caffeine: MedlinePlus. (2012). U.S National Library of Medicine. Retrieved January
26, 2014, from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/caffeine.html
3 Coffee's Health Benefits - Watch WebMD Video. (n.d.). WebMD. Retrieved January
26, 2014, from http://www.webmd.com/diet/video/truth-about-coffee
4
Information about caffeine dependence. (2003). Information about caffeine
dependence. Retrieved February 1, 2014, from
http://www.caffeinedependence.org/caffeine_dependence.html
5
Medicines and Drugs: What's Helpful, What's Harmful . (2012). Background.
Retrieved January 26, 2014, from http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/brainpower/grades-2-3/medicines-drugs-whats-helpful-whats-harmful-module4/background
my Home:
6 Medicines in 2014, from Caffeine and Your Body. (2007). MedlinePlus. Retrieved
January 26,
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/BuyingUsing
MedicineSafely/UnderstandingOver-the-CounterMedicines/UCM205286.pdf