Pictured Above: College students with busy schedules often turn to caffeine for energy.
Courtesy of Tara Zimmerman
By Edyn Gottlieb
Do you ever feel like you can’t take on the day until you’ve had a cup of coffee?
If you have, you are not alone.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 80 percent of adults in the U.S. ingest some form of caffeine daily.
Offering increased alertness and improved focus, caffeine has become a popular study aid for many college students. A study by ScienceDirect found that 92 percent of students had consumed caffeine within the past year.
But Independence University’s article “Is Caffeine Affecting Your Study Habits?” offers a staggering statistic:more than 50 percent of the U.S. population drinks an average of 3.1 cups of coffee per day. It begs the question, how much is too much?
According to Mayo Clinic, healthy adults can safely consume up to 400mg of caffeine a day.
That equates to approximately four cups of coffee or about 10 sodas a day.
For college students keeping up with a busy schedule, caffeine can provide the energy to get through the day.
A study from the University of Kentucky showed that students who were involved in organized activity in college consumed an average of 60.7 percent more caffeine than those who did not participate in organized clubs.
“I drink coffee when I need to in order to help me stay awake and make me feel focused,” said Student Government Senator Veronica Jimenez.
When consumed in moderation, caffeine can help improve focus, alertness and endurance.
A study by Johns Hopkins University showed that caffeine can increase memory function and help retain select memories for 24 hours after consumption.
“Caffeine is the most widely used drug in the world. And like other drugs, caffeine has a profound effect on brain chemistry that makes it effective and pleasurable,” wrote Independence University.
While small amounts of caffeine can have positive benefits, consuming over the safe amount can cause adverse reactions.
According to Independence University, the repeated rising of blood pressure caused by caffeine can lead to an increased risk of heart disease.
A study from the University of Kentucky found that 83 percent of students reported having previously experienced at least one sign/symptom of caffeine intoxication.
An additional 51 percent of students reported having experienced at least one sign/symptom of caffeine withdrawal.
Consuming more than 300 mg of caffeine at a time can cause increased stress and anxiety according to Independence University.
It can also interfere with sleep.
Senior anthropology major Aldo Jesus has experienced the negative effects of caffeine dependency firsthand.
“On days where I had not started out with coffee or had it sooner than later, I would get numbing headaches, blurred vision and at times difficulty hearing, although that was most likely all from the headaches,” Jesus said. “Staying attentive or motivated was out of the picture and it would last the entirety of the day.”
Jesus has since significantly decreased his caffeine consumption and instead drinks a gallon of water a day.
“I indulge in coffee every now and then at a healthy pace but typically stay away from other sports drinks or sodas that have terrible health defects,” Jesus said.
If you’re not ready to empty the coffee pot for good, there are “healthier” ways in which to consume caffeine.
Independence University wrote that, when craving caffeine, it is best to opt for organic black coffee or green tea because they lack the unhealthy additives present in both soda and energy drinks.
