Caffeine Drugs and Our Society CJUS/HPE 151 Part 15

Popularity 1. Most frequently used stimulant -most popular - foods / beverages consumed - average daily intake: 2 cups coffee (200 mg) - 30%: 500 mgs or more daily a. Most common sources: - coffee bean / tea plants / kola nuts / mate leaves / guarana paste / yoco bark b. Coffee drinking throughout history

Popularity - early 1820s: active stimulant identified - French / German scientists - extracted from green coffee beans - substance with alkaloid properties b. 40 / 60 years later: identified in several other plants - stimulate effect found desirable 2. Chemical Nature - group of drugs similar chemically

Properties, cont. - Xanthines - theobromine (1842): cacao bean - theophylline (1888): tea leaves c. Unique pharmacological properties - most potent CNS stimulant 3. Beverages containing caffeine - unique role in US society - most common source: unfermented beverages

Beverages a. Coffee - derived from coffea plants - Coffea Arabica: shrub / small tree - 3 to 5 feet (wild) - South America / East Africa (1) Ethiopian prince “Kaffa” - Ethiopia to Arabia - important in Arabian civilization - writings of 900 AD

Beverages, cont. (2) Reached Europe through Turkey - medicine s: coffee houses England / France - relax / talk / learn news (3) Consumed by English colonists - tea preferred / replaced by coffee - symbol of English repression - political expression rather than taste (4) Movement west: popularity grew

Beverages, cont. - daily intake peaked in consumption: 10 lbs. per person (5) Side effects: - attributed to decline - sleeplessness / heart disease / etc. (6) American lifestyles - plays major role - considered America’s drink

Beverages, cont. b. Tea - Camellia sinensis plant - China / India / Burma / Thailand / Viet Nam - caffeine / theophylline - earliest use unknown (1) Emperor Shen Nung (273 BC) - first reliable account: medicinal plant - Chinese manuscript: 350 AD

Beverages, cont. (3) Use grew slowly - Dutch brought to Europe (1610) - adopted by British / integral part - major economy / colonize India (4) Dutch (1650) introduced to America - New Amsterdam - British: exclusive rights to sell - high taxes levied - symbol of ‘British rule’

Beverages, cont. c. Soft drinks - 2 nd most common source - 12 ounce serving: 30 / 60 mgs (1) Consumed by children / teenagers - others: soda replaces coffee (2) Added to juices / water - alluring names - Surge / Jolt / Aqua Buzz / Krank H2O

Beverages, cont. - targets young consumers 4. Social consequences - consuming caffeine-based beverages a. Impossible to accurately assess - both subtle / non-subtle - stimulant effects = some social influence b. Integrated into social customs / ceremonies

Social Consequences, cont. - traditional drinks c. Consumed with ritualistic devotion - morning - meals (or after) - “interludes” throughout day - coffee breaks / tea times d. Popularity: stimulant action - “jump start” effect - avoid withdrawal

Other Natural Caffeine Sources 5. Coffee / tea most common - other sources popular in rest of world - guarana: Brazil - mate: Argentina / Brazil / Paraguay - kola nut: West Africa/ West Indies/ So. America a. Chocolate - contains small amounts - principle stimulant: alkaloid theobromine - theobroma cacao tree - Aztec: “fruit of the gods”

Sources, cont. b. High esteem: fruit / seed pods - medium of exchange c. Mayan Indians: warm drink from beans - chocolatl: warm drink - thick / unsweetened / ate with spoon d. Hernando Cortes: chocolate to Spain - Dutch (1828): chocolate powder / cocoa e. Over-the-counter drugs

Physiological Effects 6. Significant influence - minor / short-term effects - high doses / medical problems = dangerous a. CNS effects - most potent: caffeine - followed by: theophylline - theobromine: little influence b. CNS responses vary considerably

Physiological, cont /200 mgs: enhance alertness / arousal / diminishes fatigue - block drowsiness / facilitate mental activity c. Stimulates formation of thoughts - does not improve learning ability d. More pronounced: un-stimulated / drowsy - diminishes sense of boredom - compensate for tedium

Physiological, cont. 7. Xanthine drinks popular: stimulate effects a. Adverse effects (greater than 300 mgs) - insomnia / tension / anxiety / muscle twitches b. Over 500 mgs: dysphoric feelings - panic sensation / chills / nausea / clumsiness c. Extremely high: grams (1 = 1000 mgs) - seizures / respiratory failure / death

Physiological, cont. 8. Cardiovascular / respiratory effects - stimulate brain / stimulate cardio system a. Tolerance can occur - low doses: may increase / decrease - higher doses: contraction of heart increases 9. Caffeine intoxication - high dose: physiological/psychological problems - caffeinism (10% of adults)

Intoxication, cont. a. American Psychiatric Association - caffeine intoxication of CNS - “psychoactive substance-induced psychiatric disorder” b. Essential features: - restlessness / nervousness / excitement / insomnia / flushed face / diuresis / muscle twitching / rambling thoughts – speech / heart arrhythmia / motor agitation

Intoxication, cont. - higher doses: ringing in ears / seeing flashes of light c. Medical profession: - large quantities: cancer of kidneys / bladder / ovaries / colon - fetus problems in pregnant women 10. Caffeine dependence: limited - most: relatively minor

Dependence, cont. a. 50% consume 1 to 3 cups: headaches b. 10%: significantly depressed / anxious / fatigued without coffee c. Some experience withdrawal every morning - before first cup of coffee