CAFFEINE

Found in: Coffee, tea, soft drinks, pain relievers, over-the-counter stimulants, chocolate.

Source: Found in the leaves, seeds, or fruits of more than sixty plants, including coffee and cocoa beans, kola nuts, and tea leaves.

Legal code: Legal (it's consumed by an estimated 90% of the world's population).

History: People have been taking caffeine in the form of tea, coffee, and chocolate for thousands and thousands of years. Tea drinking was popular in China in the fourth century for its healing properties. Coffee was grown in the sixth century in Yemen and known for its ability to stimulate and combat fatigue. Europeans embraced coffee in the 1600s, and coffeehouses became known as places to enjoy coffee along with stimulating, often political, discussion. Americans have an interesting historical relationship to coffee, since they turned to it as a form of protest against the British tax on tea, beginning in the late 1760s. Coffee drinking reached a peak in the United States in 1940 and has declined since then, though soft drinks have picked up a lot of the caffeine slack.

Effects: Caffeine is a mild speed, stimulating the heart and respiratory system. It can increase concentration and attention; it can also slightly enhance endurance. Caffeine takes only about 15 minutes to be absorbed into the bloodstream.

Caffeine content of common substances:
chocolate bar--30 mg
stay-awake pill--100 mg
cold-relief tablet--30 mg
coffee (8 oz.) brewed or dripped--115 mg
coffee (8 oz.) percolated--80 mg
instant coffee (8 oz.)-- 60-80 mg
caffeinated soft drinks (12 oz.)--30-45 mg
tea (8 oz.) brewed--40-60 mg

Risks: Higher doses may cause nervousness, anxiety, irritability, headache, disturbed sleep, and stomach upset or peptic ulcers. Overdoses are extremely rare. Caffeine can aggravate stress and contribute to panic attacks. It has also been associated with (but not definitely connected to) cardiovascular disease, fibrocystic breast disease, birth defects, and cancer. Taken in conjunction with exercise, caffeine can increase the risk of dehydration and can be a stress on the heart rate.

Risks for women: Excessive caffeine consumption may aggravate PMS or reduce chances of getting pregnant. It may also result in benign breast cysts.

Do not combine with: Other drugs that increase blood pressure or stronger stimulants.

Addiction rating: Medium.