What Are the Myths and Facts About Caffeine?
So, what is caffeine? Before we get into the subject of this article I wanted to give you a little information on the myths and facts about caffeine. When ingested in adequate quantities, it is perfectly harmless and although it is classed as a mood altering drug, it is not addictive. If you think that you may have issues with caffeine, then please read the article I wrote on the caffeine addiction.
So What Exactly is Caffeine?
It is a naturally occurring xanthine alkaloid, which is also called mateine (mate), guaranine (found in the guarana plant) and theine. As explained above, it is also known as a psychoactive drug or mood altering and enhancing drug, but is obviously legal because it is widely consumed in our daily lives.
One of the major reasons that people add sugar and milk to their coffee and tea beverages is because caffeine has a very sour, bitter taste, which in its natural state is a white powdery substance. Common food sources of caffeine are coffee and tea, however cocoa and cola also contain it.
How Caffeine Works
Consume several cups of coffee, take a caffeine stimulant tablet or drink a few cans of Redbull and you’ll really feel how caffeine works! It increases your heart rate and expands your blood vessels, thus increasing blood flow and driving increased oxygen levels to the brain.
Effects On The Central Nervous System
Sounds scary, but in actually fact caffeine is quite harmless to our health (unless you are allergic to it – read my article on Caffeine Allergy Symptoms). It will increase alertness and also decreases tiredness. Stimulant effects last for about an hour.
Caffeine supplements are widely used in energy drinks in sport to give fitness fanatics and the weight training folk a ‘kick’ during times of physical exertion. If you are just getting into sport and fitness, then you may want to read my article on "caffeine in sport".
Caffeine Withdrawal Symptoms?
Be aware that if you consume lots of coffee or drink heaps of the infamous Redbull, that your body could get withdrawal symptoms because it will soon develop an intolerance. Again, I covered this in my article on becoming addicted to caffeine.
