Caffeine can be a lifetime drug for many. We begin with hot chocolate or chocolate bars, which contain some caffeine, move into colas or other soft drinks with caffeine, and then add coffee and tea. Many adults use caffeine daily, but this is slowly changing with education and experience revealing the long-range problems resulting from caffeine abuse.

Caffeine, one of the class of methylxanthine chemicals/drugs, is present in coffee and many other drinks and products. Another of the xanthines, theophylline, is found in black teas; it is also commonly used in medicine to aid in breathing. Theobromine, the third xanthine derivative, is found in cocoa. Methylxanthines are found in many other plants, including the kola nut originally used to make cola drinks.

Physiologically, caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant. A dosage of 50-100 mg., the amount in one cup of coffee, will produce an apparent temporary increase in mental clarity and energy level while reducing drowsiness. For many users, it specifically improves muscular-coordinated work activity, such as typing. Through its CNS stimulation, caffeine increases brain activity, but it also stimulates the cardiovascular system, raising blood pressure and heart rate. It generally speeds up our body, increasing the basal metabolic rate (BMR), which can help burn more calories. Initially, caffeine may lower blood sugar, leading to increased hunger or craving for sweets. After the adrenal stimulation, the blood sugar rises again. Caffeine also increases the respiratory rate, and for people with tight airways, it opens the breathing passages, as do the other xanthine drugs. Caffeine is also a diuretic and a mild laxative, an effect that many coffee drinkers appreciate.

The amount needed to produce the wake-up and stimulation effect increases with regular use, as is typical of addictive drugs. Larger and more frequent doses are needed for the same effect, and symptoms can develop if we do not get our "fix." Eventually, we need the drug to function; without it, fatigue and drowsiness occur. So caffeine is a natural stimulant with both physical and psychological addiction potential and with withdrawal symptoms similar to the symptoms of its abuse.

A nutritional concern of most caffeine products is that they do not contain any of the nutrients (coffee and tea have a little manganese and copper) needed to support the increased activity that they cause. Also, the diuretic effect of caffeine leads to the urinary loss of many nutrients.

There are many possible symptoms and signs of caffeine intoxication and abuse. People who are already overstimulated, busy types (adrenal or fiery types) do not necessarily like the effects of caffeine. I have never been inclined to drink coffee because of both the taste and the effects, yet I understand that many people thoroughly enjoy the experience. The key to its use is moderation and avoiding addiction (even daily use can be considered as addiction). Allergy-type addiction is also fairly common, especially with coffee, but also with tea, chocolate, and cola. With allergy, withdrawal from the substance may lead to even worse symptoms.

Overall, addiction to caffeine is not as bad as addiction to most other drugs, but it is a problem for many. Completely stopping its use or tapering it off over time before stopping may produce several symptoms. Usually, the slower the tapering, the easier the withdrawal. After withdrawal and detox from caffeine, it is possible that it can still be used in moderation, but for many people, it can easily become a habit and addiction again. We cannot really know the severity of our addiction until we get off caffeine.