Written by Hannah Segal and Edited by Kevin Liu
College students love their caffeine. Oftentimes, they can be spotted picking up their daily morning Starbucks, having afternoon tea, or drinking a late-night cup of coffee to finish a last-minute essay. Either way, college students tend to consume large amounts of caffeine to stay awake during the day and process information for studying.
Caffeine, chemically known as 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine, is a psychostimulant, or antidepressant drug, containing mood-elevating properties known to change one’s alertness and performance by acting on their central nervous system [1]. A research paper published in the Journal of Caffeine and Adenosine Research focused on using caffeine to study how the brain processes information. The study concluded that caffeine helped individuals process information more quickly and make fewer mistakes when asked to solve problems and answer questions [2].
Caffeine can be consumed in various forms; it’s in herbal tea, coffee, sodas, and even bubble tea! Caffeine helps keep students awake and alert by blocking adenosine receptors in the brain and altering the levels of other neurotransmitters [3]. In the brain, receptors take in chemicals called neurotransmitters to transfer an impulse to another structure [4]. Once these adenosine receptors are blocked off by caffeine, the frequency of release of these neurotransmitters increases, prompting quicker processing and action [3]. Most of these neurotransmitters consist of adenosine, a common chemical found in human cells and medication that acts as the body’s natural sleep-inducing agent [5]. A while after caffeine has been consumed, its effects start to wear off; fewer adenosine receptors are blocked, hence, the body feels more drowsy and cell activity slows down [6]. Upon caffeine entering the body, it quickly metabolizes and raises the heart rate and the body’s blood pressure, thus increasing energy levels. The stimulating effects of caffeine on the nervous system can start as little as 15 minutes after consumption, and have an effect that persists for 4-6 hours [7].
While students usually consume caffeine to stay alert and use its benefits to help get last-minute work done, caffeine can also have negative effects on the body. The stimulant can lead to anxiety, excessive urination, rapid heartbeat, headaches, dizziness, and can cause dependence [7]. For college students, caffeine may be the boost we need to get work done; however, this psychostimulant should be consumed in moderation. Sources suggest that 400mg of caffeine per day, which is equivalent to approximately 4 cups, is a safe amount for the average healthy adult [8]. Despite the potential for dependence and even addiction, consuming caffeine has its benefits for helping busy students get work done.
References:
[1] Favrod-Coune, T., Broers, B. (2010). The Health Effect of Psychostimulants: A Literature Review. Pharmaceuticals, 3: 2333-2361
[2] Barry, R.J., Fogarty J.S., De Blasio, F.M. (2019). Caffeine as a Tool to Explore Active Cognitive Processing Stages in Two-Choice Tasks. Journal of Caffeine and Adenosine Research, published online.
[3] Dixit, A., Goyal, A., Thawani, R., Vaney, N. (2012). Effect of caffeine on information processing: evidence from stroop task. Indian journal of psychological medicine, 34: 218-22.
[4] Sheffler, Z.M., Pillarisetty, L.S. (2019). Physiology, Neurotransmitters. StatPearls [Internet], published online.
[5] Singh, S., McKintosh, R. (2019). Adenosine. StatPearls [Internet], published online.
[6] Discovery Health. “How Does Caffeine Keep Me Awake?: Coffee & Health.” Sharecare, 2019, www.sharecare.com/health/coffee-drink-health/how-caffeine-keep-me-awake.
[7] Belenky, Greg. “Caffeine & Sleep Problems.” National Sleep Foundation, n.d., www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/caffeine-and-sleep.
[8] Gunnars, Kris. “Coffee and Caffeine — How Much Should You Drink?” Healthline, 18 July 2019, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-coffee-should-you-drink.