VELAMMAL VIDHYASHRAM

SURAPET

BIOLOGY INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

ON

COFFEE ADDICTION

NAME : Vijay sai g

CLASS : xii AB
ROLL NUMBER :

SSCE -2023 -2024

CERTIFICATE

1
This is to certify that, VIJAY SAI G of class XII AB has successfully completed
the project on the topic COFFEE ADDICTION under the guidance of Ms.
LANCYLET BETZY in partial fulfilment of Biology practical examination
conducted by SSCE, CBSE, New Delhi for the academic year 2023 – 2024.

Signature of teacher in charge Signature of Internal Examiner

Signature of Principal Signature of External Examiner

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to sincerely and profoundly thank my Biology teacher Ms.LANCYLET BETZY(PGT
BIOLOGY )and our lab attendant for their guidance and support for completing my project. I would

2
also like to extend my thanks to the principal of VelammalVidhyashram for providing me all the
facility that was required for completion of this project.

Signature of the candidate

TABLE OF CONTENTs
S NO. TOPICS PAGE NO.

1 Introduction 5

3
 2 Caffeine consumption and its effects 5

3 Some commonly observed effects of caffeine are 6-7

4 Sources of caffeine 9

5 Overuse 10

6 Caffeine intoxication 10

7 Caffeine withdrawal a case study 11

8 What the experts suggest? 11

9 Conclusion 12
10 Bibliography 12

INTRODUCTION
Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that is a psychoactive
stimulant drug. Caffeine was isolated in 1820 by a German chemist, Friedlieb
Ferdinand Runge. Caffeine is found in varying quantities in the beans, leaves,
and fruit of some plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and
kills certain insects feeding on the plants.[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
4
derived from the kola nut. In humans, caffeine acts as a central nervous system
(CNS) stimulant, temporarily warding off drowsiness and restoring alertness.
Caffeine is the world's most widely consumed psychoactive substance, but,
unlike many other psychoactive substances, is legal and unregulated in nearly all
jurisdictions

CAFFEINE CONSUMPTION AND ITS EFFECTS

● 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.
● 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.

5
 SOME COMMONLY OBSERVED EFFECTS OF CAFFEINE ARE:
1. Stimulates your heart, respiratory system, and central nervous system.
2. Makes your blood more `sludgy' by raising the level of fatty acids in the blood.
3. Causes messages to be passed along your nervous system more quickly
4. Stimulates blood circulation
5. Raises blood pressure
6. Causes your stomach to produce more acid
7. Irritates the stomach lining
8. Makes digestion less effective by relaxing the muscles of your intestinal
system
9. Its diuretic effect caused increased urination - although you would have to
drink about 8 coups of coffee in one sitting for this to occur
10.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.
12. Caffeine addiction which involves nervousness, irritability, agitation,
headaches or ringing in the ears.
13. Causes your adrenal glands to release their hormones into your bloodstream
14. Causes blood sugar, or blood glucose, to be released from storage through the
effects of the adrenal hormones. This gives you a temporary lift but…requires
your pancreas to over-work. This is because your pancreas now has to produce
extra insulin to reduce this extra blood sugar. Once the extra insulin has 'mopped
up' the extra blood sugar your temporary lift from the caffeine ends. Your vitality
level is back to normal. However in heavy caffeine users the pancreas, in time,
becomes over-sensitive and over-zealous. Now it begins producing too much
insulin – it 'mops up' not just the excess blood sugar but the blood sugar you need
to feel alert and energetic. The initial effect of this is a let-down effect and a
craving for more caffeine to give you a further boost. 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.
6
15.Coffee Addiction- On the other hand.... some research indicates that caffeine
in coffee (though not cola) can be beneficial in preventing heart disease (1) - or,
at least, that coffee drinkers had a lowered incidence of heart disease.
Nevertheless they were unable to confirm that one caused the other nor why this
apparent relationship might be appearing

7
8
 SOURCES OF CAFFEINE
An average cup of tea contains around 50 mgs of caffeineAn average cup of
instant coffee contains around 70-100 mgs. Instant decaffeinated coffee contains
about 3 mgs.A 6 oz cup of espresso coffeecontains about 80-90 mgs. A single-hit
cappuccino will contain the same amount.Filter coffee (called 'drip' in the US)
can contain 25-50% more caffeinethan instant.

A 340 ml or 12 oz can of regular or diet cola contains

between 35 and 45 mgs. of caffeine depending on the
brandSome so-called 'energy drinks' contain very high doses
of caffeine - equivalent to to 4 or more cups of strong coffee
in one dose!

One ounce or 28 grams of chocolate contains about 10-15

mgs

9
OVERUSE :
In large amounts, and especially over extended periods of time, caffeine can lead
to a condition known as caffeinism. it usually combines caffeine dependency
with a wide range of unpleasant physical and mental condition
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 (DSM-IV
305.90), 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 and rhabdomyolysis (breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue) can be
provoked.
Extreme overdose can result in death.[110] 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 onhalf-life.
Though achieving lethal dose with caffeine would be 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.
An exception to this would be taking a drug such as fluvoxamine or levofloxacin,
which block the liver enzyme responsible for the metabolism of caffeine

10
CAFFEINE WITHDRAWAL A CASE STUDY:
The following symptoms were observed in common on the 4 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.
• 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

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.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 .

11
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
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine
http://pegasusnlpblog.com/caffeine-induced-panics
http://coffeetea.about.com/od/caffeine/a/symptoms.htm

12