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Caffeine – 5 Surprising Drug Facts You Didn’t Know

by Jadie Aranda 16 Comments

It was early morning and my eyes could barely stay open as I trudged to the kitchen to turn on my trusty red coffee maker. I expected to hear the machine steam and bubble, the smell of my favorite vanilla macadamia nut coffee filling the kitchen. But instead, there was silence.

I filled my water bottle, still waiting to hear and smell my morning routine, but there was nothing. No java goodness was brewing in my poor little red coffee maker.

Over 68 million Americans would panic in this situation. And that’s just the coffee drinkers. In the US, more than 90% of adults consume caffeine on a regular basis [1].

Caffeine is a drug - despite how many of us are addicted, there are a lot of things we don't know about it!
Caffeine is a drug – despite how many of us are addicted, there are a lot of things we don’t know about it!

Most of us know caffeine can be addictive, but there are some other random facts about the drug you should know.

1. Caffeine is produced naturally by plants – as a pesticide

Why does caffeine exist? To kill bugs, of course! Plants make the chemical to paralyze and kill predators that try to eat them. It can kill us too. Luckily we are a lot bigger than most bugs. It takes about 5 grams, or well over 30 cups of coffee, to kill an average human. Sadly, there are documented deaths from too much caffeine [1,2,3].

2. Some people are unaffected by caffeine

My mom can drink a cuppa joe at 9:30 PM, then settle in for a long winter’s nap. While most coffee drinkers can understand building a tolerance to the effects, about 10% of people are just not very sensitive to it. Either the liver metabolizes the caffeine too quickly, or it can’t bind to the right receptors (how it keeps you awake) [4].

Related:  Does Sugar Make You Tired, Lethargic? Here's Why

I did not get those genes from my mom. Which is good I guess, or I never would have made it through college #allnighters

3. Caffeine does not stunt your growth.

I was always told as a kid that drinking coffee would stunt my growth. There is absolutely no evidence that caffeine stunts growth in adolescents. In the early 1900’s C.W. Post (of Post cereal fame) developed a powdered drink called Postum as a non-caffeinated coffee alternative. The company used a negative add campaign against coffee and one of the attacks was that it kept kids from growing correctly [5]. So your great-grandmother wouldn’t let your grandmother drink coffee, your grandmother wouldn’t let your mother drink coffee, and your mother wouldn’t let you drink coffee, all because of false advertising. Now parents give their kids caffeine on purpose.

You can still get Postum! This is an affiliate link. Not because I think you are going to buy Postum. But I have to tell you anyway.

4. Some parents use caffeine as a non-prescription treatment for ADHD

ADHD can be treated with stimulants, and some parents swear caffeine turns their kid into the student of the month. Caffeine has been researched as an effective treatment for ADHD, but other drugs are more effective (and more profitable?) As mentioned above, about 10% of people don’t respond to the drug, so the treatment won’t work for every kid. If it works for yours, though, awesome! [6]

5. If caffeine was a regulated drug, coffee commercials would be 2 minutes long

Imagine a commercial, some good looking 20-somethings enjoying a laugh over a latte at a trendy coffee shop. At the end, like the prescription drug ads, the deep voice comes over –

central nervous system stimulation, less drowsiness, less fatigue, more rapid and clearer flow of thought, decreased reaction time, effects on muscular coordination, accurate timing and arithmetic skills, nervousness, restlessness, insomnia, tremors and hyperesthesia. At higher doses, symptoms include focal and generalized convulsions, Cheyne-Stokes respiration, apnea of preterm infants, vomiting, nausea, effects on circulatory system, small decreases in heart rate, tachycardia, arrhythmias, premature ventricular contractions and vasodilation. Overdosage may cause death, emesis, convulsions, excitement, mild delirium, sensory disturbances such as ringing in the ears and flashes of light, tense and tremulous muscles, extrasystoles and quickened respiration. Continued excessive use may lead to digestive disturbances, constipation, palpitations, shortness of breath and depressed mental states. Other symptoms may include pulmonary edema, myocardial infarction, ventricular fibrillation, stomach cramps, chills, cerebral edema and hypokalemia. It may also cause rapid pulse, hallucinations, photophobia, gastroenteric distress and diuresis. Anxiety and irritability may occur. Gastric irritation, headache, fever, agitation, hyperventilation and respiratory failure may also occur. Dizziness has been reported. It may also cause irritation of the skin, eyes, mucous membranes and respiratory tract. ACUTE/CHRONIC HAZARDS: This compound is harmful by ingestion, inhalation or skin absorption. It is an irritant of the skin, eyes, mucous membranes and respiratory tract. When heated to decomposition it emits toxic fumes of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides
These are real warnings from the National Center for Biotechnology Information [7]

Well, thank goodness coffee is a drug that doesn’t require a prescription. I met my dealer (Starbucks) to get my fix then headed to Target to get a new coffee maker. I hope this one lasts. They just don’t make them like they used to.

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Filed Under: Science Bits, What's In Your Food Tagged With: caffeine, coffee, food, science

About Jadie Aranda

Jadie Aranda is a passionate biologist who secretly teaches people science so they can live better lives. As a scientist and skeptic of all the diet misinformation fed to consumers, Jadie works tirelessly to sift through scientific studies, distill the truth, and share it with her readers in an understandable and engaging way.

In addition to publishing Eat My Science, Jadie is featured regularly in Denver Parent Magazine (denverparent.net) and you can buy her book, "Your High Energy Life: Banish Energy-Sucking Foods and Supercharge Your Days" on Amazon.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Justin says

    March 13, 2018 at

    I remember those college nights 🙂 although I wasn’t drinking coffee, still don’t really. Maybe a capaccino every once in a while but very rare. Good article either way!

    Reply
    • Jadie says

      March 14, 2018 at

      If I remember correctly, we kept each other awake by throwing M&Ms at the sleeping person. Much better than caffeine!

      Reply
  2. Evita says

    July 18, 2016 at

    Caffeine triggers migraines for me. Had to stop all caffeine drinks and guess what? I don’t miss them. BTW, never was a coffee drinker.

    Reply
    • Jadie says

      July 18, 2016 at

      It’s so interesting how different our bodies deal with caffeine. For a lot of people, caffeine helps get rid of headaches! Then for you and others, they trigger them. I wouldn’t ever have caffeine if it did that to me.

      Reply
  3. Marsha Maxwell says

    June 14, 2016 at

    Fun facts! I wish I was less addicted to caffeine :/

    Reply
    • Jadie says

      June 14, 2016 at

      I feel that way sometimes, too. It’s part of my morning routine, but I sometimes wonder what would happen if I switched to decaf. Would it still be part of my routine? Is it the hot beverage that I like, or the caffeine? Who am I kidding. It’s the caffeine.

      Reply
    • Rena says

      July 3, 2016 at

      De tout coeur avec toi Serge, c’est un beau projet qui voit enfin le jour et que nous suivrons avec passion! Comme tu peux t’en douter… Nous t’embrassons bien fora;!!!Stndra&amp!Tib

      Reply
  4. Lainey Robinson says

    June 14, 2016 at

    Great read! I have my French Vanilla cappuccino every morning. If not, major headache.

    Reply
    • Jadie says

      June 14, 2016 at

      I get the headache too! I wonder, for those 10% whose bodies don’t react to the caffeine – if they stop, do they get a headache? Hmmm…

      Reply
  5. TheOrdinaryGirl (@mash_01x) says

    June 14, 2016 at

    Strangely, I think my body doesnt accept caffeine the way I would like it to. I am just a tea drinker!

    Reply
    • Jadie says

      June 14, 2016 at

      It’s amazing to me how people react differently to caffeine! Does your body not respond to it at all, or does it make you feel uncomfortable?

      Reply
  6. Marylee Mosgovoy says

    June 10, 2016 at

    Good job Jadie!! Marylee

    Reply
    • Jadie says

      June 14, 2016 at

      Thank you!

      Reply
  7. Mama says

    June 9, 2016 at

    Great article Jadie! I guess o2n this case the apple fell and rolled away from the tree a bit 🙂

    I love my coffee in the morning, delicious and no calories, have cut the number of cups as time gets along…but I do enjoy the aroma and warm taste!

    Sounds like everyone is affected differently!

    Always, Mama

    Reply
    • Jadie says

      June 14, 2016 at

      So I have a question – if you don’t drink coffee, do you get a headache?

      Reply
      • Mama says

        July 13, 2016 at

        Well yes, years ago in attempt to cut the coffee bad, I mean bad, headaches came on. However, I have no idea if I would now because I haven’t stopped since then! 🙂

        Reply

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