Disadvantage of Caffeine

Republic of The Philippines
University of Southeastern Philippines
Institute of Computing

Caffeine
Informative Speech

John Cedrick D. Balaguer
BSIT 3

English 3 : Speech and Oral Communication Skills
1st Semester S.Y. 2013 – 2014

July 17, 2014

1 of 1 Caffeine has been used widely around the world over centuries, and today it is estimated that 80% of the world’s adult population consumes caffeine in one form or another. What is it about caffeine that has made it so popular? To begin with, one of the first characteristic effects of caffeine is its ability to stimulate the central nervous system of the human body. As a result, there is the common increase of alertness and heart rate accompanied by a change in blood pressure. Most of the effects of caffeine begin about 15 minutes after it has been consumed and can last for several hours in our systems. These effects of caffeine on the body differ from one person to another. The most common source of Caffeine is the Coffee. In this informative speech you will learn about , What is caffeine? What are the benefits we get from caffeine and what are the disadvantages when taking too much of it.

Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid and a stimulant drug. Caffeine is found in varying quantities in the seeds, leaves, and fruit of some plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding on the plants, as well as enhancing the reward memory of pollinators. It is most commonly consumed by humans in infusions extracted from the seed 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. Other sources include yerba maté, guarana berries, guayusa, and the yaupon holly.In humans, caffeine acts as a central nervous system stimulant, temporarily warding off drowsiness and restoring alertness. It is the world 's most widely consumedpsychoactive drug, but unlike many other psychoactive substances, it is legal and unregulated in nearly all parts of the world. Beverages containing caffeine, such as coffee, tea, soft drinks, and energy drinks, enjoy great popularity. In North America, 90% of adults consume caffeine daily.

Caffeine stimulates your central nervous system. This may provide you with additional energy for exercise and daily tasks. Caffeine may also enhance your aerobic metabolism, which provides you with increased energy for physical performance. Caffeine may especially benefit you if you engage in aerobic exercise, such as running and swimming.If you drink 2 to 3 cups of coffee per day, you may lower your risk of heart disease, according to the Steady Health website. Caffeine is loaded with antioxidants, which may help prevent damage to the heart muscle and arterial walls. Antioxidants are chemical compounds that prevent free-radical molecules from receiving oxygen and attacking healthy muscle and tissue cells. Caffeine also has anti-inflammatory properties, which may aid in preventing the weakening of the heart muscle.Caffeine may have a beneficial effect on your mental performance. This chemical compound increases your alertness, helping you to absorb information more efficiently and possibly perform better on tests. Your increased alertness and mental focus may also help you perform job functions more efficiently and enhance your ability to participate in sports particularly team sports that require you to focus on the actions of other players.

1 of 2
The negative effects of caffeine are well documented, but not all research agrees on the results of caffeine. Some is specifically caffeine negative, citing numerous bad effects. Other studies take a more positive approach and cite both benefits and possible problems with caffeine consumption. Most studies correlate the negative effects with high caffeine intake, and with certain physical conditions or groups of people who tend to have more problems with caffeine.
A small amount of caffeine intake by a completely healthy person may have minimal effect. Caffeine is a stimulant and it will elevate heart rate, increase blood flow, and raise body temperature. It increases blood sugar levels and act as a diuretic, meaning you urinate more frequently and reduce water intake. Caffeine makes most users more alert, and some studies have suggested that it may reduce the risk of diseases like Parkinson 's. People with certain conditions, or who consume large amounts of caffeine, may suffer more negative effects, however.
One of the negative effects of caffeine is that small amounts taken daily can create a physical dependence. If a regular coffee drinker, for example, fails to drink his daily dose of caffeine, he can end up with headaches, excessive sleepiness, a feeling like he cannot function. Withdrawal from caffeine can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks depending upon how much caffeine a person customarily consumes.

Caffeine is a very potent, yet unrecognized drug. Although there are beneficial side effects to caffeine intake, the negative effects clearly indicate that one should limit their caffeine consumption. Many major organ systems are adversely affected by high amounts of caffeine consumption, including the heart, stomach, respiratory, and reproductive organs. Age and diet are both factors in caffeine 's effects on the body. Young children and older people must be much more careful in monitoring their caffeine intake and should limit themselves to less than 100 mg of caffeine per day. Those in between can take in slightly more, but 200 mg of caffeine each day is about the maximum that the average person can ingest without adverse side affects. Although caffeine is a common substance found in many foods, beverages, and other supplements, it is clearly a drug and can be extremely harmful to the human body. Caffeine consumption should clearly be monitored and limited.

References :

http://www.udel.edu/chem/C465/senior/fall00/Caffeine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_effects_of_caffeine

http://www.healthandbeautypages.com/tag/positive-and-negative-effects-of-caffeine-on-the-human-body-negative-and-positive-effects-of-caffeine/

1 of 3

References: : http://www.udel.edu/chem/C465/senior/fall00/Caffeine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_effects_of_caffeine http://www.healthandbeautypages.com/tag/positive-and-negative-effects-of-caffeine-on-the-human-body-negative-and-positive-effects-of-caffeine/ 1 of 3