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__**Introduction:**__
Are you constantly tired? Do you think caffeine is an easy fix? Well think again. In today’s society, an adult’s intake of caffeine should be reduced, in order to prevent addiction and short-term health effects that develop. Learning some background information can be helpful if you consume a lot of caffeine. Knowing exactly what it is, how it gets into your body’s system, the many side effects, and the different forms it comes in, can help caffeine users consume it more safely. Also consumers may wish to look into the possibility of addiction. Addiction can happen without the user even knowing they are becoming addicted. Many consumers may not know their body depends on the caffeine to get through the day, and once a person recognizes he or she is addicted, the withdrawal symptoms can become severe if not handled correctly.

According to legend an Ethiopian shepherd guarding his flock, about a thousand years ago, first discovered the stimulant effect of caffeine from the coffee bean. “After the discovering of the coffee bean, Sufi monks cooked the beans in hot water and found that the resultant helped them stay awake for long nights of prayer” (“Caffeine”). The knowledge of this stimulant grew from year to year; by the middle Ages, coffee had become a popular drink of the Muslims. However, the Turks are the ones who had control over most of the coffee trade. In 1683 The Turkish Empire had a plan attempting to expand their empire into Europe. Their attempt failed majorly in Vienna and had to retreat, while retreating they left behind 500 sacks of coffee beans. With those 500 sacks of coffee beans, an unknown entrepreneur living in Vienna opened the first coffee house. In 1675 King Charles II Issued an order to close all coffeehouses, two days before this was to take affect he backed out in fear of protests from the coffee drinkers. After the popularity of coffee had spread all throughout Europe, it then made it’s way over to America. By the eighteenth century there were several plantations devoted to the coffee plant, mainly in Indonesia and West Indies. In 1979, decaffeinated coffee was created to help prevent the effects of caffeine.
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__**Legislation & Facts:**__
Caffeine is not just something for people to consume and magically be more alert and awake. Many users of caffeine would be surprised to know caffeine is considered a drug. Caffeine is not only a legal drug, but also a stimulant, which is very commonly used among Americans and is easily available to people of all ages, even children. Not only does caffeine affect the world and people in the world but specifically each person’s body.

Caffeine affects the body by moving through the blood stream to get to the brain and central nervous system. According to CBC News, In Depth Health, "Caffeine stimulates the brain in the same way cocaine and heroine does. It blocks adenosine reception which in return makes you feel alert, it injects adrenaline into the system to give an energy boost, and the caffeine also manipulates the body's production of dopamine to make you feel good.”

The consumption of caffeine causes many effects on the body. Consuming higher doses of caffeine can result in anxiety, dizziness, headaches, and getting the jitters. The effects experienced by each individual can vary depending on how each person’s body reacts to the caffeine.Caffeine can also cause dehydration, the caffeine is diuretic, which means it causes a person to urinate more often, which can result in dehydration. A major effect caffeine can have on your body is the loss of calcium. When your body losses calcium that can, over time, lead to bone loss. Drinking caffeinated beverages can even have a more severe effect on bone density and creates the risk of developing osteoporosis. Another harmful effect is the stress levels that can be reached after the consumption of caffeine. When a person is stressed the body releases a hormone called cortisol. When a person drink a large amount of caffeine excess of this hormone is released. The excess amount of this hormone in a body can cause even more stress, which is unhealthy for the body. All this stress put on a person can and will surely affect a pregnant woman and her fetus.

There have been many different claims as to how caffeine can affect the fetus. Many say the caffeine could reduce the chance of fertility by damaging the sperm, also can affect how long the baby can rest in the womb. One the other side, the use of caffeine has been approved to be administered to pre-term babies to stimulate a heart beat, to help them breathe better.

Another major affect, which is addressed often, is a persons sleep pattern. With the use of caffeine also comes lack of sleep. A person who consumes caffeine is more likely to take frequent naps and not sleep as well at night. Which in turn can cause many other problems, such as academic trouble, anxiety, decrease in cognitive development, depression, moodiness,and reduced motivation.

Caffeine also has a noticeable effect on performance in sports and other physical activities. It has been proven it enhances performance of high-intensity events. There have been many tests and studies to prove that caffeine does enhance a person's performance physically. Thanks to these studies caffeine was on the list of banned supplements in the Olympics from 1984 until January 1, 2004, when it was finally officially removed from WADA’s List of Prohibited Substances and Methods.



__**Case Study:**__
Kari Luoto is a victim of chronic caffeine poisoning. She has experienced many different symptoms with this such as: anxiety, depression, memory losses, and learning difficulties. Her most common and most interesting symptom she experienced was panic disorders. She has been free of caffeine for 10 months and is just figuring out what causes the panics and how to handle them.

**__Terms:__**
WADA:World Anti-Doping Angency

**__Further Resources:__**
Recommended Research Databases:
 * Health and Wellness Resource Center
 * Academic Search Premier