Caffeine molecular structure

Caffeine, also known as trimethylxanthine, coffeine, theine, mateine, guaranine, and methyltheobromine, is an alkaloid found naturally in such foods as coffee beans, tea, kola nuts, Yerba maté, guarana, and (in small amounts) cacao beans. Plants create caffeine as a pesticide, to paralyze and kill the insects feeding on them. While caffeine in its pure form is the chemical standard for bitterness, it is added to some soft drinks such as colas, Irn-Bru and Mountain Dew ostensibly for its taste. Caffeine molecule. ... An alkaloid is a nitrogenous organic molecule that has a pharmacological effect on humans and other animals. ... Coffee beans and a cup of coffee Coffee as a drink, usually served hot, is prepared from the roasted seeds (beans) of the coffee plant. ... A tea bush. ... The kola nut is obtained from several West African or Indonesian trees, such as Cola nitida or Cola vera, and the Abata Cola (Cola acuminata), of the Cacao family (Sterculiaceae). ... Binomial name Ilex paraguariensis A. St. ... Binomial name Paullinia cupana Kunth Guarana or Guaraná (pronounced gwa-ra-naa), Paullinia cupana, is a shrub or small tree in the Sapindaceae, native to Venezuela and northern Brazil, known for the high caffeine content of the fruit. ... Binomial name Theobroma cacao L. Cacao (Theobroma cacao) is a small (4-8 m tall) evergreen tree in the family Malvaceae (formerly Sterculiaceae), native to tropical South America, but now cultivated throughout the tropics. ... A soft drink is a drink that contains no alcohol. ... A cost-of-living index measures differences in the price of goods and services over time. ... Irn Bru Irn Bru is the most popular caffeinated soft drink in Scotland. ... Current logo Previous logo Mountain Dew is a citrus flavored soft drink, produced by PepsiCo. ...

Caffeine's main pharmacological properties are: a stimulant action on the central nervous system with psychotropic effects and stimulation of respiration, a stimulation of the heart rate, and a mild diuretic effect. Many drugs are provided in tablet form. ... A stimulant is a drug which increases the activity of the sympathetic nervous system and produces a sense of euphoria or awakeness. ... The vertebrate central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord. ... A psychoactive drug or psychotropic substance is a chemical that alters brain function, resulting in temporary changes in perception, mood, consciousness, or behaviour. ... Respiration can refer to: Cellular respiration, which is the use of oxygen in the metabolism of organic molecules. ... The heart rate is the number of contractions of the heart in one minute. ... A diuretic is any drug that tends to increase the flow of urine from the body (diuresis). ...

Chemical properties

Caffeine is an alkaloid of the methylxanthine family, which also includes the similar compounds theophylline and theobromine. In its pure state it is an intensely bitter white powder. Its chemical formula is C₈H₁₀N₄O₂, its systematic name is 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine or 3,7-dihydro-1,3,7-trimethyl-1H-purine-2,6-dione, and its structure is shown above. An alkaloid is a nitrogenous organic molecule that has a pharmacological effect on humans and other animals. ... Xanthines are a group of alkaloids that are commonly used for their effects as mild stimulants and as bronchodilators, notably in treating the symptoms of asthma. ... Theophylline is a drug, a phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor, that is widely used in therapy for respiratory diseases. ... Theobromine is an alkaloid of the methylxanthine family, which also includes the similar compounds theophylline and caffeine. ... A chemical formula (also called molecular formula) is a concise way of expressing information about the atoms that constitute a particular chemical compound. ... General Name, Symbol, Number Carbon, C, 6 Chemical series Nonmetals Group, Period, Block 14 (IVA), 2, p Density, Hardness 2267 kg/m3 0. ... General Name, Symbol, Number Hydrogen, H, 1 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 1 (IA), 1, s Density, Hardness 0. ... General Name, Symbol, Number Nitrogen, N, 7 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 15 (VA), 2, p Density 1. ... General Name, Symbol, Number Oxygen, O, 8 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 16 (VIA), 2, p Density, Hardness 1. ... There are millions of possible objects that can be described in science, too many to create common names for every one. ... In chemistry a methyl-group is a hydrophobic Alkyl functional group which is derived from methane (CH4). ... Xanthines are a group of alkaloids that are commonly used for their effects as mild stimulants and as bronchodilators, notably in treating the symptoms of asthma. ... In chemistry a methyl-group is a hydrophobic Alkyl functional group which is derived from methane (CH4). ... Purine is a heterocyclic aromatic organic compound, consisting of a pyrimidine ring that is fused with an imidazole ring. ... Dione (pronounced in three syllables) may refer to several things: In Greek mythology, Dione (divine queen), in three syllables, was the mother of Aphrodite by Zeus. ...

Physical properties

Pure caffeine occurs as odorless, white, fleecy masses, glistening needles or powder.

• Boiling point: 178 °C (sublimes)
• Melting point: 238 °C
• Density: 1.2 g/cm³
• Volatility: 0.5%
• Vapor pressure: 101 kPa @ 178 °C
• pH: 6.9 (1% solution)
• Solubility in water: 2.17%
• Vapor density: 6.7 g/m³
• Molecular weight: 194.19 g/mol

The degree Celsius (°C) is a unit of temperature named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius (1701–1744), who first proposed a similar system in 1742. ... Sublimation of an element or substance is a conversion between the solid and the gaseous phases of matter, with no intermediate liquid stage. ... The pascal (symbol Pa) is the SI unit of pressure. ... pH (potential of hydrogen) is a measure of the activity of hydrogen ions (H+) in a solution and, therefore, its acidity or alkalinity. ...

Sources

One common source of caffeine is the coffee plant, the beans from which are used to produce coffee. Species Coffea arabica - Arabica Coffee Coffea benghalensis - Bengal coffee Coffea canephora - Robusta coffee Coffea congensis - Congo coffee Coffea excelsa - Liberian coffee Coffea gallienii - caffeine free Coffea bonnieri - caffeine free Coffea mogeneti - caffeine free Coffea liberica - Liberian coffee Coffea stenophylla - Sierra Leonian coffee ITIS 35189 2003-01-03 The coffee plant... Coffee beans and a cup of coffee Coffee as a drink, usually served hot, is prepared from the roasted seeds (beans) of the coffee plant. ... Coffee beans and a cup of coffee Coffee as a drink, usually served hot, is prepared from the roasted seeds (beans) of the coffee plant. ...

One dose of caffeine is generally considered to be 100 mg. In theory, a single serving (5 fl oz / 150 ml) of drip coffee or one-half caffeine tablet would deliver this dose. In the real world, coffee varies considerably in caffeine content per serving, ranging from about 75 mg to 250 mg.

Tea is another common source of caffeine in many cultures. Black tea contains somewhat less caffeine per serving than coffee, (usually about half as much, depending on the strength of the brew), and green tea contains significantly less (usually about 10% as much, or 10mg / serving). A tea bush. ...

Caffeine is also common in soft drinks such as Cola. Such drinks typically contain about 25 mg to 50 mg of caffeine per serving. Some "Energy drinks" such as Red Bull contain considerably more caffeine per serving, ranging from 100 to 400 mg. A soft drink is a drink that contains no alcohol. ... A cost-of-living index measures differences in the price of goods and services over time. ... Energy drinks are beverages which contain legal stimulants, vitamins, and minerals, including caffeine, guarana, taurine, various forms of ginseng, maltodextrin, carnitine, creatine, and ginkgo biloba. ... A 250ml can of Red Bull A Thai Krating Daeng bottle Red Bull is the brand name of an Austrian carbonated soft drink. ...

Mateine and Guaranine are other names for caffeine. The names come from yerba maté and guarana respectively, caffeine-containing plants used for tea and other things. Many yerba mate enthusiasts insist that mateine is a stereoisomer of caffeine and thus a different substance altogether. However, this is impossible; caffeine is an achiral molecule with no chiral centers, and therefore has no stereoisomers. Similar claims are sometimes made of guaranine. Binomial name Ilex paraguariensis A. St. ... Binomial name Paullinia cupana Kunth Guarana or Guaraná (pronounced gwa-ra-naa), Paullinia cupana, is a shrub or small tree in the Sapindaceae, native to Venezuela and northern Brazil, known for the high caffeine content of the fruit. ... Stereoisomerism is the arrangement of atoms in molecules whose connectivity remains the same but their arrangement in space is different in each isomer. ... In chemistry, a molecule is chiral if is not superimposable on its mirror image regardless of how it is contorted. ...

The amount of caffeine typically found in some common consumables is as follows:

Chocolate

• Cocoa powder - 0.1% - 0.5%
• Chocolate, bittersweet - 25 mg/oz (875 mg/kg)
• Chocolate, milk - 3 to 6 mg/oz (100 to 210 mg/kg)
• Cocoa - 0.5 mg/floz (17 mg/l)

Cocoa and chocolate contain larger amounts of the related but only weakly stimulating compounds theobromine and theophylline. Cocoa may refer to either the dried and partially fermented fatty seeds of the cacao tree, which are used to make chocolate; or, more usually in the United States, to cocoa powder, the dry powder made by grinding the seeds and removing the cocoa butter. ... Chocolate, ranging from dark to light, can be molded and decorated like these chickens with ribbons. ... Chocolate, ranging from dark to light, can be molded and decorated like these chickens with ribbons. ... Cocoa may refer to either the dried and partially fermented fatty seeds of the cacao tree, which are used to make chocolate; or, more usually in the United States, to cocoa powder, the dry powder made by grinding the seeds and removing the cocoa butter. ... Theobromine is an alkaloid of the methylxanthine family, which also includes the similar compounds theophylline and caffeine. ... Theophylline is a drug, a phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor, that is widely used in therapy for respiratory diseases. ...

Coffee

• Coffee, brewed (drip) - 4 to 20 mg/floz (130 to 680 mg/litre) (40 to 170 mg per 5 fl oz cup)
• Coffee, decaffeinated - 0.4 to 0.6 mg/floz (13 to 20 mg/litre)
• Coffee, instant - 4 to 12 mg/floz (130 to 400 mg/litre)
• Espresso - 100 mg/floz (3400 mg/litre)

Coffee beans and a cup of coffee Coffee as a drink, usually served hot, is prepared from the roasted seeds (beans) of the coffee plant. ... Espresso is a strong, flavorful coffee beverage brewed by forcing hot water through finely ground roasted coffee beans. ...

Teas and other infusions

• Black tea, brewed (USA) - 2.5 to 11 mg/floz (85 to 370 mg per litre)
• Black tea, brewed (other) - 3 to 14 mg/floz (100 to 470 mg/litre)
• Black tea, canned iced - 2 to 3 mg/floz (70 to 100 mg/litre)
• Black tea, instant - 3.5 mg/floz (120 mg/litre)
• Oolong, 3.75 mg/floz (120 mg per litre) (12 to 55 mg per tea bag, i.e. one serving)
• Green tea, 2.5 mg/floz (85 mg/litre) (8 to 30 mg per tea bag, i.e. one serving)
• White tea, 2.0 mg/floz (68 mg/litre) (6 to 25 mg per tea bag, i.e. one serving)
• Decaf, 0.5 mg/oz (17 mg/litre) (1 to 4 mg per tea bag, i.e. one serving)

Caffeine is sometimes called theine when it is found in tea, as the caffeine in tea was once thought to be a separate compound to the caffeine found in coffee. But tea does contain another xanthine, theophylline whose chemical structure is C₇H₈N₄O₂ compared to caffeine's C₈H₁₀N₄O₂. This is similar to the naming problem with mateine and guaranine. A tea bush. ... Black tea Black tea is a tea made from leaves more heavily oxidized than the white, green, and oolong varieties. ... Alternate meanings: Oolong (disambiguation) Oolong (烏龍 wūlóng in the Mandarin Pinyin romanization) is a traditional Chinese type of tea somewhere in between green and black in oxidation. ... Green tea (绿茶) is tea that has undergone minimal oxidation during processing. ... White tea consists of young leaves (new-growth buds) that have undergone no oxidation; the buds may be shielded from sunlight to prevent formation of chlorophyll. ... Xanthines are a group of alkaloids that are commonly used for their effects as mild stimulants and as bronchodilators, notably in treating the symptoms of asthma. ... Theophylline is a drug, a phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor, that is widely used in therapy for respiratory diseases. ... General Name, Symbol, Number Carbon, C, 6 Chemical series Nonmetals Group, Period, Block 14 (IVA), 2, p Density, Hardness 2267 kg/m3 0. ... General Name, Symbol, Number Hydrogen, H, 1 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 1 (IA), 1, s Density, Hardness 0. ... General Name, Symbol, Number Nitrogen, N, 7 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 15 (VA), 2, p Density 1. ... General Name, Symbol, Number Oxygen, O, 8 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 16 (VIA), 2, p Density, Hardness 1. ... General Name, Symbol, Number Carbon, C, 6 Chemical series Nonmetals Group, Period, Block 14 (IVA), 2, p Density, Hardness 2267 kg/m3 0. ... General Name, Symbol, Number Hydrogen, H, 1 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 1 (IA), 1, s Density, Hardness 0. ... General Name, Symbol, Number Nitrogen, N, 7 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 15 (VA), 2, p Density 1. ... General Name, Symbol, Number Oxygen, O, 8 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 16 (VIA), 2, p Density, Hardness 1. ...

• Tisanes (i.e. Herbal teas) - caffeine content depends on the herb, e.g. Chamomile and Rooibos "teas" have no caffeine while Yerba maté and Guarana do contain varying quantities. Many tea drinkers characterise herbal tea simply as that which, unlike black or green tea, contains no caffeine.

A herbal tea, tisane, or ptisan is a herbal infusion other than that made with real (black, oolong, or green) tea (Camellia sinensis). ... A herbal tea, tisane, or ptisan is a herbal infusion other than that made with real or black tea (Camellia sinensis). ... The name Chamomile or Camomile is ambiguous and can refer to several distinct species. ... Binomial name Aspalathus linearis Rooibos (Afrikaans for red bush; pronounced ROY-BOSS; scientific name Aspalathus linearis) is a member of the legume family of plants, and is commonly used to make a tisane (herbal tea). ... Binomial name Ilex paraguariensis A. St. ... Binomial name Paullinia cupana Kunth Guarana or Guaraná (pronounced gwa-ra-naa), Paullinia cupana, is a shrub or small tree in the Sapindaceae, native to Venezuela and northern Brazil, known for the high caffeine content of the fruit. ...

Other sources

• Energy drink - 10 mg/floz (340 mg/litre). Some countries limit the caffeine content at 135 mg/litre.
• Soft drink (caffeinated) - 3 to 8 mg/floz (100 to 270 mg/litre)
• Pill (caffeine) - 200 mg (100 mg in many countries within EU)

Energy drinks are beverages which contain legal stimulants, vitamins, and minerals, including caffeine, guarana, taurine, various forms of ginseng, maltodextrin, carnitine, creatine, and ginkgo biloba. ... A soft drink is a drink that contains no alcohol. ...

Equivalents to 200 mg of caffeine

• One caffeine pill (Two in some countries where these are 100 mg)
• One shot of espresso (2 oz)
• ~2 cups (5 floz) of regular coffee
• ~1.3 L soft drink (these can vary widely in content)
• ~1 kg (~2 lb) of milk chocolate or ~0.25 kg of bittersweet chocolate (~0.5 lb)
• ~5 cups (8 floz) of black tea or ~10 cups (8 oz) of green tea
• ~5 cans of soda (these can vary widely in content)

In the European Union, a warning must be placed on packaging if the caffeine content of any beverage exceeds 150 mg per litre. This includes caffeine from any source (including guarana, which is often found in energy drinks). In many countries, caffeine is classified as a flavouring. Binomial name Paullinia cupana Kunth Guarana or Guaraná (pronounced gwa-ra-naa), Paullinia cupana, is a shrub or small tree in the Sapindaceae, native to Venezuela and northern Brazil, known for the high caffeine content of the fruit. ... Flavouring (or flavoring) is a product which is added to food in order to change or augment its taste. ...

Metabolism and toxicology

Caffeine is thought to act on the brain (and in fact, most cells of the body, since all cells have adenosine receptors) by blocking adenosine receptors (thereby blocking a pathway that leads to the breakdown of cyclic adenosine monophosphate, cAMP). Adenosine, when bound to receptors of nerve cells, slows down nerve cell activity; this happens, among other times, during sleep. The caffeine molecule, being similar to adenosine, binds to the same receptors but doesn't cause the cells to slow down; instead, the caffeine blocks the receptors and thereby the adenosine action. The resulting increased nerve activity causes the release of the hormone epinephrine (adrenaline), which in turn leads to several effects such as higher heart rate, increased blood pressure, increased blood flow to muscles, decreased blood flow to the skin and inner organs, and release of glucose by the liver. In addition, caffeine, similar to amphetamines, increases the levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain. In the anatomy of animals, the brain, or encephalon, is the supervisory center of the nervous system. ... The chemical structure of adenosine Adenosine is a nucleoside formed when adenine is attached to a ribose ring (also known as a ribofuranose) via a β-N9-glycosidic bond. ... Structure of cAMP Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP, cyclic AMP or 3-5-cyclic adenosine monophosphate) is a molecule that is important in many biological processes; it is derived from adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ... A girl quietly at sleep Sleep is the fundamental anabolic process common to all life forms, plant and animal. ... A hormone (from Greek horman - to set in motion) is a chemical messenger from one cell (or group of cells) to another. ... Epinephrine (INN) or adrenaline (BAN) is a hormone and a neurotransmitter. ... Blood pressure is the pressure exerted by the blood on the walls of the blood vessels. ... Red blood cells (erythrocytes) are present in the blood and help carry oxygen to the rest of the cells in the body Blood is a circulating tissue composed of fluid plasma and cells (red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets). ... A top-down view of skeletal muscle Muscle is a contractile form of tissue. ... Model of the layers of human skin In zootomy and dermatology, skin is an organ of the integumentary system; which is composed of a layer of tissues that protect underlying muscles and organs. ... In biology, an organ (Latin organum: instrument, tool) is a group of tissues, which perform a specific function or group of functions. ... A space-filling model of glucose Glucose, a simple monosaccharide sugar, is one of the most important carbohydrates and is used as a source of energy in animals and plants. ... The liver is an organ in vertebrates including humans. ... Amphetamine is a synthetic drug originally developed (and still used) as an appetite suppressant. ... Neurotransmitters are chemicals that are used to relay, amplify and modulate electrical signals between a presynaptic and a postsynaptic neuron. ... Dopamine is a chemical naturally produced in the body. ...

Caffeine is quickly and completely removed from the brain and, unlike other CNS stimulants or alcohol, its effects are short lived. In many people, caffeine does not negatively affect concentration or higher mental functions, and hence caffeinated drinks are often consumed in the course of work. CNS can refer to: in air traffic control, Communication, Navigation, Surveillance often associated with the acronym ATM (Air Traffic Management) as CNS/ATM. the central nervous system This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... A stimulant is a drug which increases the activity of the sympathetic nervous system and produces a sense of euphoria or awakeness. ... In general usage, alcohol (from Arabic al-khwl الكحول, or al-ghawl الغول) refers almost always to ethanol, also known as grain alcohol, and often to any beverage that contains ethanol (see alcoholic beverage). ...

Continued consumption of caffeine can lead to tolerance. Upon withdrawal, the body becomes oversensitive to adenosine, causing the blood pressure to drop dramatically, leading to headache and other symptoms. Recent studies suggest that caffeine intake (in coffee) may decrease the risk of developing Parkinson's disease, but additional study is needed. The chemical structure of adenosine Adenosine is a nucleoside formed when adenine is attached to a ribose ring (also known as a ribofuranose) via a β-N9-glycosidic bond. ...

Too much caffeine can lead to caffeine intoxication. The symptoms of this disorder are restlessness, nervousness, excitement, insomnia, flushed face, diuresis, gastrointestinal complaints, even hallucinations. They can occur in some people after as little as 250 mg per day. More than 1,000 mg per day may result in muscle twitching, rambling flow of thought and speech, cardiac arrhythmia or tachycardia, and psychomotor agitation. Caffeine intoxication can lead to symptoms similar to panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterised by an inability to sleep and/or to remain asleep for a reasonable period during the night. ... Diuresis is the production of an unusually large amount of urine by the kidney. ... Gastroenterology or Gastrology might be better described as the field of digestive diseases, which are traditionally separated by anatomic or functional category. ... Thought or thinking is a mental process which allows beings to model the world, and so to deal with it effectively according to their goals, plans, ends and desires. ... Speech: (n. ... A cardiac arrhythmia, also called cardiac dysrhythmia, is a disturbance in the regular rhythm of the heartbeat. ... Tachycardia ??? is an abnormally rapid beating of the heart, defined as a resting heart rate of over 100 beats per minute. ... Psychomotor Agitation involves purposeless motion that usually stems from mental tension of the individual. ... A panic attack is a period of intense fear or discomfort, typically with an abrupt onset and usually lasting no more than 30 minutes. ... General anxiety disorder or generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is an anxiety disorder that is characterized by uncontrollable worry about everyday things. ...

The minimum lethal dose ever reported was 3,200 mg, intravenously. The LD₅₀ of caffeine (that is the lethal dosage reported to kill 50% of the population) is estimated between 13-19 grams for oral administration for an average adult. The LD₅₀ of caffeine is dependent on weight and estimated to be about 150-200 mg per kg of body mass, roughly 140-180 cups of coffee for an average adult taken within a limited timeframe that is dependent on half life. The half-life or time it takes to metabolize 50% of the caffeine, ranges from 3.5 to 100 hours. In adults the half-life is generally around 5 hours. However contraceptive pills increase this to around 12 hours and for women over 3 months pregnant it varies from 10 to 18 hours. In infants and young children the half-life may be longer than adults. With common coffee and a very rare half-life of 100 hours it would require 3 cups of coffee every hour for 100 hours just to reach LD₅₀. Though achieving lethal dose with coffee would be exceptionally difficult, there have been many reported deaths from intentional overdosing on caffeine pills. In toxicology, the LD50 or colloquially semilethal dose of a particular substance is a measure of how much constitutes a lethal dose. ... Half-Life For a quantity subject to exponential decay, the half-life is the time required for the quantity to fall to half of its initial value. ... Santorio Santorio (1561-1636) in his steelyard balance, from Ars de statica medecina, first published 1614 Metabolism (from μεταβολισμος(metavallo), the Greek word for change), in the most general sense, is the ingestion and breakdown of complex compounds, coupled with the liberation of energy, and the consequent generation of waste...

While safe for humans, caffeine and its related compounds theobromine and theophylline are considerably more toxic to some other animals such as dogs, horses and parrots due to a much poorer ability to metabolize these compounds. Theobromine is an alkaloid of the methylxanthine family, which also includes the similar compounds theophylline and caffeine. ... Theophylline is a drug, a phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor, that is widely used in therapy for respiratory diseases. ...

Intake of caffeine can up to halve a patient's risk of diabetes mellitus type 2. While this was originally noticed in patients who consumed high amounts (7 cups a day), the relationship has now been shown to be linear (Salazar-Martinez 2004). Diabetes mellitus is a medical disorder characterized by varying or persistent hyperglycemia (elevated blood sugar levels), especially after eating. ...

Intravenous caffeine is often used medically to treat post-lumbar puncture ("spinal tap") headache. In medicine, a lumbar puncture (colloquially known as a spinal tap) is a diagnostic procedure that is done to collect a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for biochemical, microbiological and cytological analysis. ...

Abuse and overdose

Caffeine, in its many forms, has been used for its stimulating effects. In modern times, though, the substance can be produced in much higher quantities, and has found its way into many products. Purer forms, such as those in caffeine pills, are easily available. These pills are sometimes used by college students and graveyard shift workers to last an entire night with no sleep. For other meanings please see Tablet (disambiguation) Common disk-shaped pills A pharmacological tablet is a medicinal or other active substance mixed with binder powders and pressed into a tablet form. ... Shift work is a pattern of hours of work designed to make use of the 24 hours of the clock, rather than a standard working day. ...

Caffeine pills have been under media fire for recent and past deaths of students, usually take on the form of a caffeine overdose. One such example of this was the death of a North Carolina student, Jason Allen. He swallowed most of a bottle of 90 such pills [1] (http://www.collegepublisher.com/media/paper87/DFPArchive/science/1103981.html). This was the equivalent of about 250 cups of coffee (or, alternatively, a gallon and a half (5 liters) of espresso, or 22 gallons (~85 liters) of Mountain Dew, though the soft drink is not caffeinated in all areas). Allen probably ingested about 18 grams of caffeine, since caffeine pills are restricted to 200 milligrams or less in the U.S., and most manufacturers make them in that size. A few other deaths by caffeine overdose have been known, almost always in the case of massive pill consumption on dares. A drug overdose occurs when a chemical substance (i. ... State nickname: Tar Heel State Other U.S. States Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Governor Michael Easley Official languages English Area 139,509 km² (28th)  - Land 126,256 km²  - Water 13,227 km² (9. ... Coffee beans and a cup of coffee Coffee as a drink, usually served hot, is prepared from the roasted seeds (beans) of the coffee plant. ... Espresso is a strong, flavorful coffee beverage brewed by forcing hot water through finely ground roasted coffee beans. ... Current logo Previous logo Mountain Dew is a citrus flavored soft drink, produced by PepsiCo. ...

Excessive ingestion of caffeine can result in increased blood pressure and pulse, increased urine production, tightening or constricting of superficial blood vessels (sometimes resulting in cold hands or fingers), increased amounts of fatty acids in the blood, increased production of stomach acid.

Long periods of abuse can lead to detrimental effects on the esophagus (persons who consume high amounts of caffeine may have a risk for higher incidents of ulcers, erosive esophagitis, and Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome), heart problems, insomnia, chronic muscle tension and nervousness.

One dangerous form of caffeine use is to stay alert when one is under the influence of alcohol or in severe sleep debt. This tricks users into thinking they are more alert than they really are. Taking part in certain activities, such as driving, may be dangerous in such cases. Sleep debt is the cumulative effect of not getting enough sleep. ... Driving is the controlled operation of a vehicle, which is usually a motor vehicle such as a truck, bus, motorcycle, or car. ...

The term caffeinism has been coined to mean addiction to (debilitating dependence on) caffiene. This article is being considered for deletion for the 2nd time in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... Addiction is an uncontrollable compulsion to repeat a behavior regardless of its consequences. ...

History

Caffeine was isolated by the German chemist Friedrich Ferdinand Runge in 1819. According to the legend, he did this at the instigation of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (Weinberg & Bealer 2001). Friedrich (or Friedlieb/Friedlob) Ferdinand Runge (born near Hamburg on 8 February 1795, died in Oranienburg on 25 March 1867) was an analytical chemist. ... 1819 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (pronounced [gø tə]) (August 28, 1749 – March 22, 1832) was a German writer, politician, humanist, scientist, and philosopher. ...

References

• Salazar-Martinez E, Willet WC, Ascherio A, Manson JE, Leitzmann MF, Stampfer MJ, Hu FB. "Coffee consumption and risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus." Ann Intern Med 2004;140:1-8.
• Weinberg BA, Bealer BK. The world of caffeine. New York & London: Routledge, 2001. ISBN 0-415-92722-6.

External links

• Caffeinism's Mimicry of Mental Illness (http://www.CaffeineWeb.com)
• Caffeine Content in Beverages (http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/caffeine/caffeine_info1.shtml)
• Caffeine Content of Foods (http://www.cspinet.org/new/cafchart.htm)
• Caffeine Intoxication (http://www.digitalnaturopath.com/cond/C569985.html)
• Caffeine Intoxication (http://www.drowning.com/caffeine.html)
• Caffeine Health (http://www.coffeeforums.com/viewforum.php?f=4)
• Description of the Yerba Mate (http://platense.dyn.dhs.org/personal/argentina/mate_desc.htm)
• Is Caffeine a Health Hazard? (http://www.benbest.com/health/caffeine.html)
• Why do plants make caffeine ? (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/html/columnists/dalyacolumn2.htm)
• The Caffeine Faq (http://www.coffeefaq.com/caffaq.html)