Biology Investigatory Project

on

COFFEE ADDICTION

Submitted by

T A Shakthi Vinodhini
 Certificate

This is to certify that this Biology Investigatory project on the topic “Coffee
Addition” has been successfully completed by Shakthi Vinodhini T A of
Class XII for the curriculum of Central Board of Secondary Education
(CBSE) leading to the award of annual examination of the year 2018-19.

Teacher In-charge External Examiner

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 Acknowledgments

I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to my Biology

faculties who gave me the golden opportunity to do this wonderful project
on the topic “Coffee Addiction”, which also helped me in doing a research
and I came to learn about many new things I am really thankful to them.

Secondly I also like to thank our principal and the management for
providing me with facilities required to do my project work.

I must to thank my parents and friends who helped me a lot in

completing this project within the limited time frame.

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 Index
Sl. No Content Page No
1 Abstract 5

2 What is Caffeine? A general Introduction 6

3 Is caffeine a drug? 11

4 Caffeine Consumption And Its Effects 12

5 Overuse of Caffeine 17

6 Signs of Caffeine Addicted 19

7 Caffeine withdrawal syndrome – A case study 20

8 Recovery - What the experts suggest? 21

9 Conclusion 22

10 Bibliography 23

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 Abstract
The goal of the project is to study coffee addiction its causes and
effects of coffee withdrawal in humans.

Coffee is a brewed drink prepared from roasted seeds, commonly

called coffee beans, of the coffee plant. They are seeds of coffee cherries that
grow on trees in over 70 countries, cultivated primarily in Latin America,
Southeast Asia, and Africa. Green unroasted coffee is one of the most
traded agricultural commodities in the world. Due to its caffeine content,
coffee often has a stimulating effect on humans.

Today, coffee is the third most popular drink in the world, behind
water and tea. Some controversy is associated with coffee cultivation and
its impact on the environment. Many studies have examined the
relationship between coffee consumption and certain medical conditions;
whether the overall effects of coffee are ultimately positive or negative has
been widely disputed. The method of brewing coffee has been found to be
important to its health effects.

Global consumption of caffeine

has been estimated at 120,000 tonnes
per year, making it the world's most
popular psychoactive substance. This
amounts to one serving of a
caffeinated beverage for every person
every day

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 What is Caffeine?
A General Introduction

Caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant of the

methylxanthine* class. It is the world's most widely consumed psychoactive
drug. Unlike many other psychoactive substances, it is legal and
unregulated in nearly all parts of the world.

Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that is a

psychoactive stimulant drug. it was isolated in 1820 by a German chemist,
Friedlieb Ferdinand Runge. In humans, caffeine acts as a central nervous
system (CNS) stimulant, temporarily warding off drowsiness and restoring
alertness.

*Methylxanthines represent a unique class of drugs for the treatment of asthma.

The methylxanthine theophylline has demonstrated efficacy in attenuating the three
cardinal features of asthma - reversible airflow obstruction, airway hyperresponsiveness,
and airway inflammation. 6
 It is most commonly consumed by humans in infusions extracted from
the bean of the coffee plant and the leaves of the tea bush, as well as from
various foods and drinks containing products derived from the kola nut.
Caffeine can be found most commonly in coffee, tea, energy drinks,
soft drinks, chocolate and some of the medications.

Natural occurrence of caffeine

Around sixty plant species are known to contain caffeine. Common
sources are the "beans" (seeds) of
the two cultivated coffee plants,
Coffea arabica and Coffea
canephora ; in the leaves of the tea
plant; and in kola nuts. Other
sources include yaupon holly
leaves, South American holly yerba
mate leaves, seeds from
Amazonian maple guarana berries,
and Amazonian holly guayusa
leaves.

In Products & Beverages

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The Cofee
The world's primary source of caffeine is the coffee "bean".Caffeine
content in coffee varies widely depending on the type of coffee bean and the
method of preparation used; even beans within a given bush can show
variations in concentration.

An average cup of instant coffee contains around 70-100 mgs. Instant

decaffeinated coffee contains about 3 mgs.
A 6 oz cup of espresso coffee (much larger than the normal cafe cup,
incidentally) contains about 80-90 mgs. A single-hit cappuccino will
contain the same amount. Filter coffee can contain 25-50% more caffeine
than instant.

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Tea
Tea contains more caffeine than coffee by dry
weight. A typical serving, however, contains much
less, since less of the product is used as compared
to an equivalent serving of coffee.
An average cup of tea contains around 50 mgs of
caffeine.

Soft drinks and energy drinks

Caffeine is also a common ingredient of soft drinks,
such as cola, originally prepared from kola nuts. Soft
drinks typically contain 0 to 55 milligrams of caffeine per
12 ounce serving. By contrast, energy drinks, such as Red
Bull, can start at 80 milligrams of caffeine per serving.
A 340 ml or 12 oz can of regular or diet cola contains
between 35 and 45 mgs. of caffeine depending on the
brand

Other beverages
Popular South America drink “Mate”, Brazilian drink
“Guaraná Antarctica” etc. Some so-called 'energy drinks'
contain very high doses of caffeine - equivalent to to 4 or more cups of
strong coffee in one dose!

Chocolate
Chocolate derived from cocoa beans
contains a small amount of caffeine. A typical
28-gram serving of a milk chocolate bar has
about as much caffeine as a cup of decaffeinated
coffee. By weight, dark chocolate has one to two
times the amount of caffeine as coffee: 80–160
mg per 100g. Higher percentages of cocoa such
as 90% amount to 200 mg per 100 g

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approximately and thus, a 100-gram 85% cocoa chocolate bar contains
about 195 mg caffeine.
One ounce or 28 grams of chocolate contains about 10-15 mgs.

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 Is caffeine a drug?
Absolutely
Caffeine belongs to a group of drugs known as Central nervous system
stimulant, along with cocaine and nicotine. It is not strong as ones like
cocaine but has the same addictive properties. People can become addicted
to caffeine unknowingly and experience withdrawal symptoms such as head
ache, fatigue, anxiety, irritability, depressed mood and difficulty in
concentration.

Caffeine takes 5 to 7 hours to eliminate half of it

from your body. Some one who drinks
something caffeinated 6 hours before the bed
can experience insomnia.

Caffeine Drugs
Caffeine is sold in the form of tablets which offer several advantages over
coffee, tea, and other caffeinated beverages, including convenience, known
dosage, and avoidance of concomitant intake of sugar, acids, and fluids.
These tablets are commonly used by students studying for their exams and
by people
There are several products being marketed that
offer inhalers that deliver proprietary blends of
supplements, with caffeine being a key
ingredient. There is no safety information
available about inhaled caffeine.

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 Caffeine Consumption And Its Effects
How Caffeine Works
Caffeine is a powerful influence in our lives. Caffeine wakes you up by
fooling adenosine receptors. Adenosine slows down nerve cell activity along
neural pathways like these, but caffeine (which binds to the same
receptors) speeds activity up.

To a nerve cell, caffeine looks like adenosine: Caffeine binds to the

adenosine* receptor. However, caffeine doesn't slow down the cell's activity
like adenosine would. As a result, the cell can no longer identify adenosine
because caffeine is taking up all the receptors that adenosine would
normally bind to. Instead of slowing down because of the adenosine's effect,
the nerve cells speed up. Caffeine also causes the brain's blood vessels to
constrict, because it blocks adenosine's ability to open them up.
Caffeine is a potent and quick-acting drug which produces an
effect similar to the stress response in our bodies. Caffeine affects each
person differently, depending on individual circumstances such as weight,
build, etc. It has an almost instant effect on your mind-body which will
continue to influence your state for 6-8 hours afterwards.
*Adenosine is created in the brain, it binds to adenosine receptors. This
binding causes drowsiness by slowing down nerve cell activity. In the 12
brain, this also causes blood vessels to dilate, most likely to let more
oxygen into that organ during sleep.
 Every time we drink tea, coffee, cocoa, chocolate, or cola we are giving
our body a 'hit' of caffeine. Along with nicotine and alcohol, caffeine is one
of the three most widely used mood -affecting drugs in the world.
If you have more than two or three caffeine drinks per day your 'habit'
may be affecting you emotionally and physically much more powerfully
than you might expect.
This effect is why some headache medicines like Anacin contain
caffeine - constricting blood vessels in the brain can help stop a vascular
headache.
Caffeine's effect on the brain causes increased neuron firing. The
pituitary gland senses this activity and thinks some sort of emergency must
be occurring, so it releases hormones that tell the adrenal glands to
produce adrenaline (epinephrine). Adrenaline is the "fight or flight"
hormone, and it has a number of effects on your body:

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Some commonly observed effects of caffeine are:
● It stimulates the cortex of your brain heightening the intensity of
mental activity. This can result in a temporary feeling of alertness and,
in the short term, banishes drowsiness and feelings of fatigue. In
those who already have high levels of anxiety the heightened intensity
of mental activity can produce unpleasant effects.
● Affects the length and quality of sleep. Heavy caffeine users suffer
from sleep-deprivation because their nervous system is too stimulated
to allow them deep, restful or prolonged sleep.
● Stimulates your heart, respiratory system, and central nervous
system.
● Makes your blood more `sludgy' by raising the level of fatty acids in
the blood.
● Blood flow to the stomach slows. Causes your stomach to produce
more acid
● Irritates the stomach lining
● Makes digestion less effective by relaxing the muscles of your
intestinal system
● The liver releases sugar into the bloodstream for extra energy.
● Blood vessels on the surface constrict to slow blood flow from cuts and
increase blood flow to muscles.
● Raises blood pressure
● Causes messages to be passed along your nervous system more
quickly
● Its diuretic effect caused increased urination - although you would
have to drink about 8 coups of coffee in one sitting for this to occur
● The American Medical Journal has reported a correlation between
caffeine and decreased bone density or osteoporosis in women.
This explains why, after consuming a big cup of coffee, your hands get cold,
your muscles grow tense, you feel excited and your heart beats faster.

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 The caffeine can cause a vicious
cycle of problems in the long term. For
example, once caffeine-induced
adrenaline wears off, you face fatigue
and depression. Another cup of coffee or
energy drink can get the adrenaline
flowing again, but having your body in a
state of emergency, jumpy and irritable
all day long, isn't very healthy.

The most important long-term problem with caffeine is its effect on

your sleep. The half-life of caffeine in your body is about six hours. That
means that drinking a big cup of coffee containing 200 milligrams of
caffeine at 3:00 p.m. will leave about 100 milligrams of that caffeine in your
system at 9:00 p.m. Adenosine reception, which is affected by caffeine, is
important to sleep, and especially to deep sleep. You may be able to fall
asleep hours after that big cup of coffee, but your body will probably miss
out on the benefits of deep sleep.

That sleep deficit adds up fast. The next day you feel worse, so you
need caffeine as soon as you get out of bed. The cycle continues day after
day. Once you get into this cycle, you have to keep consuming the drug to
put off an inevitable comedown. Trying to quit can leave you tired and
depressed, fighting splitting headaches as blood vessels in the brain dilate.
These negative effects can be enough to force caffeine addicts back onto the
drug

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 Overuse of Caffeine

In large amounts, and especially over extended periods of time,

caffeine can lead to a condition known as caffeinism. Caffeinism usually
combines caffeine dependency with a wide range of unpleasant physical
and mental conditions as discussed earlier.
There are four caffeine-induced psychiatric disorders recognized by
the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition:
caffeine intoxication, caffeine-induced anxiety disorder, caffeine-induced
sleep disorder, and caffeine-related disorder not otherwise specified.

Caffeine intoxication
An acute overdose of caffeine usually in excess of about 300
milligrams, dependent on body weight and level of caffeine tolerance, can
result in a state of central nervous system over-stimulation called caffeine
intoxication, or colloquially the "caffeine jitters". The symptoms of caffeine
intoxication are not unlike overdoses of other stimulants. It may include
restlessness, fidgetiness, nervousness, excitement, euphoria, insomnia,
flushing of the face, increased urination, gastrointestinal disturbance,
muscle twitching, a rambling flow of thought and speech, irritability,
irregular or rapid heart beat, and psychomotor agitation. In cases of much
larger overdoses, mania, depression, lapses in judgment, disorientation,
disinhibition, delusions, hallucinations, andpsychosis may occur, and
rhabdomyolysis (breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue) can be provoked.

Extreme overdose can result in death. Death typically occurs due to

ventricular fibrillation brought about by effects of caffeine on the
cardiovascular system. The median lethal dose (LD50) given orally, is 192
milligrams per kilogram in rats. The LD50 of caffeine in humans is
dependent on weight and individual sensitivity and estimated to be about
150 to 200 milligrams per kilogram of body mass, roughly 80 to 100 cups
of coffee for an average adult taken within a limited time frame that is
dependent on half-life. Though achieving lethal dose with caffeine would be

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exceptionally difficult with regular coffee, there have been reported deaths
from overdosing on caffeine pills, with serious symptoms of overdose
requiring hospitalization occurring from as little as 2 grams of caffeine.

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 Signs of Caffeine Addicted

Very heavy caffeine use can produce the following:

1. `Caffeine nerves' a jittery feeling with shaking hands, palpitations, and
wobbliness in the legs.
2. Caffeine addiction which involves nervousness, irritability, agitation,
headaches or ringing in the ears.
3. Causes your adrenal glands to release their hormones into your
bloodstream
4. Causes blood sugar, or blood glucose, to be released from storage
through the effects of the adrenal hormones.
A later effect can be excessive and chronic tiredness, even on waking in the
morning. Some people find that many of the psychological complaints
common to reactive hypoglycaemia (the emotional yo-yo effect, shakiness,
palpitations, weakness, tiredness, etc.) disappear within a few days of
stopping caffeine.

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 Caffeine withdrawal syndrome
A case study

The following symptoms were observed in

common on the 3 members of my society, I
conducted the study on. I choose them as
they drink coffee twice a day i.e. in morning
and in the evening.

The symptoms were observed roughly 12-18

hrs after withdrawal. They get worst after 24-
48 hrs and could last for a week.
The symptoms observed were:
• Irritable
• Restless
• Muscles stiffness
• Difficulty in concentrating
• Headache moderate to severe
• Chills &/or hot spells
• Causes more blood to gather in head causing migraine like headache due
to our body becoming over sensitive to adenosine.
• Excessive sleepiness

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 Recovery - What the experts suggest?

To avoid uncomfortable withdrawal effects it is wise to ease off caffeine

over a period of 7-14 days to reduce the discomfort. Reduce and then stop
the richest sources (especially coffee) first. It is unwise, particularly if you
are a heavy user, to suddenly stop caffeine altogether
When you stop caffeine you allow your body to catch up on its lost
rest. This takes some time. Using caffeine to force yourself into activity is
like flogging an exhausted horse.
For the first few weeks after stopping caffeine you may find that you
are sleeping deeper and for longer. For this reason it is a good idea to allow
yourself an extra hour per night for a few weeks, increasing this if you
continue to experience lethargy in the mornings.
If you feel drowsy during the day use breathing exercises preferably
out of doors, to alert yourself.
And remind yourself that the drowsiness is a sign that you are
allowing your body to get back into a more normal state and that your
natural energy levels will soon return once things have got back to normal
after the onslaught of the caffeine regime

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 CONCLUSION

Though the effect of coffee or caffeine on our body is debated many agree
for it being positive while many agree for it being negative. The most
accurate statement at such a debate will be using it in a controlled way can
be useful rather harmful. As is well said Conscience keeps more people
awake than coffee

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 Bibliography

NCERT Biology for class 12

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine
http://pegasusnlpblog.com/caffeine-induced-panics
http://coffeetea.about.com/od/caffeine/a/symptoms.htm
https://www.garmaonhealth.com/coffee-bad-good-for-you/

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