Caffeine helps millions of people stay awake and survive the morning. Growing up, my parents did not allow me to drink any coffee. However, as a college student, caffeine has officially become an essential part of my life. Despite its popularity, caffeine actually has a lot of negative effects and can be harmful to the body. According to “19 Horrible Things That Can Happen if You Drink Too Much Caffeine”, it can actually lead to death if a person is overly sensitive to caffeine. Some may even argue that caffeine is an addictive drug just like methamphetamine. Drugs are substances that affect the mental or physical state of a person, stimulate the brain by changing the chemical that it receives and sends, and are used with the intention to treat …show more content…
However, they all have the same purpose and similar functionality. They affect the mental or physical state of the consumer. For example, alcohol can take a serious toll on one’s health. Some short term effects of alcohol are slurred speech and impaired judgment. It also causes a delay in the brain and makes people function abnormally for a short period of time. However, long term effects are much more serious. It can lead to liver diseases, permanent cognitive impairment and even cancer. Similarly, caffeine also affects the body, both physically and mentally. A small amount of caffeine can be beneficial to the body as it increases the metabolism rate. A study in the American Journal of Physiology, explains that a small amount of caffeine was given to two different test groups, lean and obese women. The test groups were observed over the span of two days. They study concluded that caffeine has the ability to increase fat burning in lean people almost 29%, whereas 10% in obese individuals. However, consuming too much caffeine can increase blood pressure and the speed of the heartbeats in the circulatory Even though caffeine does not have as much impact on the body as it does alcohol, it is still considered a …show more content…
According to “DrugFacts: Marijuana,” marijuana is a powerful stimulate that can be used for medical purposes such as pain relieve or to treat seizures. When one smokes marijuana, it first passes through the lungs. The chemical tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) travels along the vein and eventually arrives at the brain. When THC is in the brain, it initiates other chemicals that provide the sensation of being “high.” Like marijuana, caffeine matches the criteria of stimulating and changing chemical. According to the article by Lauren Friedman “Here is What Coffee Actually Does to Your Brain,” caffeine works by binding to the chemical, adenosine which controls the portion of sleep in the brain. When adenosine passes through the synapse, gap that allows neurotransmitter to pass through, it gives people the feeling of being sleepy. However, when caffeine is consumed, it attaches itself to the Adenosine and blocks the pathway to synapse. In the process, adenosine are unable to pass through and consumer start to feel awake and energized. Although caffeine does not seem to stimulate the brain as significantly as marijuana, it is still considered a