What is caffeine?

The medical name of caffeine is 'trimethylxanthine' and it has the formula C8H10N4O2. Cafeine is white, powderly and has a bitter taste. It increases the heart rate, gives an energyboost and keeps you awake for a longer time. Cafeine is addictive and stimulates your brains in the same way as cocaine, heroin and amphetamine. Only, the effect is milder. When you consume caffeine every day and you think you that you can't live without it, then you're addicted.

How does caffeine work?

In a normal situation the substance 'adenosine'  attaches itself to your brain cells, making them fall asleep. Caffeine puts itself in the place of adenosine, wherethrough your brain cells absorb less adenosine and instead or working slower, speed up work. Your brains notice this activity and  start producing adrenaline. Caffeine also provides for more dopamine. This happens also after using cocaine, heroin or amphetamines, but in the case of caffeine the created amount of dopamine is much less. Dopamine makes you feel good and because of that it has an addictive effect. The level of cafeine in your body halves after six hours.

Effects

Short term:
In general terms caffeine gives an energyboost, you feel more active and your awareness increases. The adrenaline caused the following:

- It widens your pupils;
- It broadens your respiratory tract;
- Your liver produces sugar;
- Your heart rate increases;
- The amount of blood flowing to your stomach decreases;
- The amount of blood flowing to the upper blood canals decreases;
- The amount of blood flowing to your muscles increases;
- Your muscles tighten through which you feel excited.

Longer term:
The problems related to caffeine are mainly located in the longer term effects. As soon as the amount of caffeine in your body decreases, you will feel tired and depressed. Many people will then just take another cup of coffee to gain quickly a new dose of adrenaline. The result is that you're not able to sleep and in the morning you would like to have another cup of coffee. And so it goes on and on. This is not healthy.

Overdose:
A cup of coffee contains about 70 miligram caffeine, a glass of cola contains about 35 miligram caffeine and a cup of tea contains 30 miligram caffeine. When more than 250 miligram caffeine is consumed, problems can arise. If you experience at least five of the following symptoms, an overdose of caffeine is in your body:

1. you are restless
2. you are nervous
3. you feel excited
4. you bloost easily
5. you suffer from amnesia
6. you loose an abnormal quantity of urine
7. your digestion is impaired
8. you loose the control over your muscles
9. your thinking, and / or your speech has deteriorated
10.your palpitations are fast and / or unrhythmic  
11. you are indefatigable
12.you feel easily irritated

The effects are particularly annoying, but not fatal. A dose (with a survival rate of 50%) of about 150 miligram per kilogram of body weight, is lethal. That equals 50 to 200 cups of coffee per day.

Detox:
Cafeine leads to habituation: drinking quite a lot of caffeine during a long time, your sensitiviy to it will reduce. When you then stop drinking coffee, you will develop an extra sensitity to adenosine. Adenosine stimulates sleepiness and enlarges the blood vessels in the brains. This gives you a severe headache that can last up to five days. Other symptoms which go hand in hand with stopping the use of caffeine are: nervousness, restlessness, irritability and drowsiness. In some cases  vomiting and illness include the symptoms.