Caffeine, the Drug You Find in Everyday Foods
Caffeine is a drug found in several foods, such as chocolate, coffee, guarana, cola, cocoa and mate tea, some painkillers and appetite suppressants, therefore, it is the most consumed in the world.
Caffeine, controlled use and excessive use
It is a chemical compound, classified as an alkaloid, which acts both on the central nervous system and by increasing the production of gastric juice, resulting from the metabolic change that it causes. By causing stimulation in the nervous system, caffeine promotes alertness. Thus, its proven effects are: increased mental attention, increased concentration, improved mood, decreased fatigue. On the other hand, excessive consumption can cause: irritability, agitation, anxiety, headache and insomnia.
Although it is used in treatments to help people with nervous depression due to the use of alcohol, opium and even heart problems, caffeine can cause physical and psychological dependence, since the brain manipulates the same stimulation channels as other drugs, even those effects of caffeine being considered mild. Thus, it can lead the individual to dependence.
