It's a common scene around college campuses nationwide - students trying to stay awake during late-night review sessions, struggling to keep their bleary eyes focused on page after page, counting the minutes until... a coffee break.
Many students turn to coffee and other caffeinated products to keep them awake, but this raises the question of whether too much caffeine is harmful to their health. According to Dining Services Dietician Julie Lampie, caffeine only becomes a problem when people become dependent on it. That means they cannot get by without drinking several - usually four to five - cups of coffee a day.
"If they don't drink that cup of coffee they end up with headaches," Lampie said.
Freshman Chris Kottke found himself in just that situation. He started drinking coffee during his sophomore year of high school, and every morning he felt that he needed more and more.
"I was definitely addicted to it," Kottke said.
He made the decision to stop consuming coffee, partially because, as a musician, he noticed that he plays jazz better when he lays off the caffeine. When Kottke first stopped drinking coffee, though, he suffered a headache that lasted for three days.
Lampie suggests that, rather than taking a swig of coffee, people might choose to exercise to help them stay awake. She emphasized that moderation is key, and drinking coffee every once in a while will not make much of a difference.
Although people often claim or complain about their reliance on caffeine, the symptoms related to caffeine addiction are slight in comparison to those of serious drugs. Some individuals who are particularly sensitive to the effects of caffeine, and then suddenly discontinue all caffeine consumption, might experience mild effects, such as headaches, inability to sleep, or irritability. None of these side effects will last long, though, and they can be eliminated entirely by a gradual weaning off of caffeinated beverages, rather than suddenly halting all consumption.
Also, different people have different tolerance levels for caffeine. While some people can down one caffeinated beverage after another and not feel anything at all, others will feel the effects of caffeine after a single serving.
"I drink what's called a red eye - black coffee with three shots of espresso," freshman Pritesh Gandhi said. "It's an acquired taste."
Gandhi maintains that he is not addicted to caffeine, though, and that he feels fine when he goes without his daily cup. For him, the red eye drink simply tastes good - when he needs caffeine to keep him awake, he drinks Mountain Dew instead. In fact, the only time Gandhi drinks carbonated beverages at all is when he needs them to stay awake.
The most well-known effect of caffeine is that it may make tired people feel more alert, and thus help them to stay attentive for work or studying. Gandhi uses caffeine for that purpose, and he adds that he does not have problems with being overly tired after he has used caffeine to stay up late. In fact, he says he has gotten used to functioning on very little sleep.
While this sort of use may seem potentially harmful, the US Food and Drug Administration classified caffeine as GRAS, or Generally Recognized As Safe, in 1958. Unlike many other substances, caffeine does not accumulate in the bloodstream or body, and it actually leaves the body just hours after it is consumed.
Experts emphasize the fact that caffeine consumption, when kept to a minimum, is not as problematic as consumers might be led to believe.
"Of all the problems Tufts students have with how they eat and drink, I'd put caffeine way down on the list," said Jeanne Goldberg, Professor of Nutrition at the School of Nutrition Science and Policy.
Most experts say caffeine consumption is not a problem, as long as people use moderation and common sense. Moderation is defined as about 300 milligrams, or three cups of coffee daily, but that amount can vary from person to person depending on their reaction to caffeine.
Different beverages contain varying amounts of caffeine. An eight-ounce cup of brewed drip coffee has about 85 milligrams of caffeine; the same size cup of espresso has 40 milligrams, and decaf has three milligrams.
Tea contains less caffeine, with an eight-ounce cup of brewed American tea containing about 40 milligrams of caffeine, instant tea containing 28 milligrams, and iced tea 25. As for other beverages, an average eight-ounce soft drink has 24 milligrams, and the same size chocolate milk has just five milligrams.
Caffeine has been around for thousands of years and, during this time, many myths have spread about it. Most of these, however, prove to be untrue. One such myth is that the effects of caffeine are more apparent in children. Both adults and children process this naturally occurring substance in the same manner, so caffeine affects people in the same way regardless of age.
Another myth concerning caffeine dictates that pregnant women should not consume it. While pregnant women are advised to consume caffeine only in moderation, studies have shown that, even in the case of heavy coffee drinkers, birth defects do not occur at an increased rate.
Coffee does not help drunken people sober up, and it also does not cause cancer. Recent studies have been unable to find a link between cancer and moderate caffeine consumption.
Caffeine is not a significant risk factor for osteoporosis, heart disease, stroke, or increased blood pressure, although people who are particularly sensitive to caffeine may experience increased blood pressure for a short time after initial consumption.
