Dear Caffeine Lovers …

Have you ever craved that morning coffee so bad that you would trade your happiness for it? Or that the gum you were chewing would make your head hurt? Without recognizing it, you may have made those sacrifices and you didn’t even know it. Recognized as a stimulant, caffeine does more than cause the jitters. This legal, psychoactive drug finds itself in many drinks to even foods. But one cannot overlook the potential harms from a natural substance like such. This common ingredient may have an unforeseen darkside, but nevertheless boasts some healthy advantages as well.

Obliviously, that morning Starbucks run may be placing you in the dumps and giving you the grumps. The reason being? Caffeine. With its properties, caffeine has been proven to be a major cause of depression according to Kris Gunnars from Healthline. 

Vanessa, a student from Olathe East, was asked why they drank their caffeinated beverage and they responded “for the Aesthetic”.

If one becomes reliant on caffeine, cutting  off the addiction all at once could end up making an individual more depressed than before. The sudden termination of caffeine could add on to problems with sleep, like insomnia. To stay away from the temptation, don’t avoid drinking caffeine completely–reduce caffeine intake little by little until at a safer daily intake of caffeine. If one suspects a caffeine addiction, they may experience the common symptoms, including low energy, drowsiness, decreased alertness, “bad mood”, and many other groggy feelings.

When students were asked if they could give up their caffeinated drinks they said they could do it “easily” (william), but little did they know that it’s not their minds that are addicted it’s their bodies that once relieved from the caffeine, will be driven to have it back.

The chances of having a child may even be diminished by this drug. Surprisingly, Caffeine and pregnancy do not pair well. According to HealthLine, with a coffee addiction, one might never conceive because caffeine reduces the chances of pregnancy by 27%.Caffeine hides in foods like chocolate, ice cream, pain relievers, and weight loss pills which all disguise the drug well, meaning even avoiding caffeine may be very difficult. Some might question why weight loss pills contain Caffeine, which leads into the next point; caffeine helps burn fat and improve physical performance, like enhancements legal for sports. 

Surprisingly, caffeine helps increase reaction time, memory, and general brain behavior for a duration after consuming. Although the ingredient enhances daily function, getting your morning coffee on a stressful day might not be the best idea. Caffeine leads to an increase in anxiety so that an upcoming intimidating test can become slightly more horrifying. Einstein was a man of relativity, and the relativity of jitters and shakes after an energy drink are from its caffeine content. Einstein once said “The faster you go, the shorter you are.” However, in our terms the faster one drinks an energy drink or coffee can result in a shorter lifespan. According to doctors, the daily dose should only be about 300 mg, equaling roughly a grande coffee from Starbucks.