By Mia Hanuska
By far, one of the most normalized addictions in today’s society is caffeine. Between caffeinated sodas and tea, coffee, and energy drinks, America is addicted to the substance. There’s “don’t talk to me until I’ve had my coffee” shirts, “ideas/life begins after coffee” candles, and “coffee makes everything possible” mugs. I’ve heard so many students repeat these same sayings in the Westmont halls with their $6 Starbucks coffee or RedBull/Monster/Alani/Celsius energy drink in hand, bragging about how it’s their second or third of the day. Each energy and Starbucks drink ranges from 80-200mg of caffeine, or about a third to a half of the recommended “safe” level of daily caffeine consumption for a healthy adult. But these students aren’t adults, nor are they typically engaging in the most healthy activities—is it still safe for them?
First: what is caffeine? Caffeine, a simulant naturally occurring in various tropical plants and part of the methylxanthine class, works by “antagoniz[ing] all 4 adenosine receptor subtypes” in the brain, which then gives the consumer a more “awake” feeling. Since caffeine is both water- and fat-soluble, it can easily enter the brain and other cardiac muscles where the adenosine receptors lay, which then launches into a domino effect with the body’s cells. Adverse effects can be mild, with anxiety, fidgeting, restlessness, and irritability, to severe, with disorientation, hallucinations, and seizures.
However, while the safe level for adults is 400mg of caffeine, for adolescents the level is only 100mg. This means that drinking even one energy drink regularly can cause acute clinical signs of caffeine toxicity in teenagers, presenting as agitation, insomnia, and in extreme cases, pulmonary edema (the filling of the lungs with excess fluids) and hemorrhages. In one study, 77% of teenagers reported withdrawal symptoms from trying to reduce or cut out caffeine, with 38.9% failing to control their consumption. In other words, teens are overwhelmingly addicted to the drug.
Furthermore, adolescents and college students often consume caffeinated drinks alongside alcohol at parties, which places them at even greater health risks. Due to the stimulant nature of caffeine, serving it mixed with alcohol can mask true levels of intoxication and lead to drinkers unknowingly consuming more alcohol than they can tolerate. Plus, both alcohol and caffeine tend to have dehydrating properties that make it harder for the body to process alcohol, augmenting the substance’s toxicity. Even those who keep the two drugs separate but continue heavily drinking energy drinks have a high risk of developing alcohol dependence and binge-drinking issues, and thus have greater chances of “alcohol-related accidents and injuries.”
Non-alcohol drinkers will still encounter a fair share of caffeine-related symptoms, especially if they are dependent on it. Self-reports of “weekly jolt and crash episodes[,] headaches[,] and palpitations” are fairly common in energy drinkers. While some may opt for energy drinks as a coping-mechanism for stress, caffeine is actually associated by many with increased levels of anxiety, restlessness, and nervousness. High caffeine consumption also positively correlates to increased risk-taking behavior in adolescents.
Undoubtedly, the normalization of caffeine, especially from such a young age, simply encourages students to overwork and push themselves until they ultimately burn out. Instead of valuing sleep properly, they can push off their exhaustion with artificial energy that then proliferates the issue instead of solving or addressing it. What do students tell their peers when someone complains about being tired? “Just drink an energy drink”; “just drink some coffee.” Instead of emphasizing the importance of sleep, work-life balance, or time management, adolescents become attached to the idea of fueling themselves with caffeine—and the chemicals that come with it—because it’s a “necessary sacrifice” in order to continue their unhealthy and unrealistic work ethics and lifestyles. Caffeine evolves into a crutch they can hardly function without, essentially forcing them to rely on it for the rest of their lives due to the addictive nature of the drug. Now, does this mean all caffeine is evil and nobody should ever drink energy drinks? Of course not. Instead, students should be aware of their energy drink consumption, recognize when it becomes a problem, and be able—or at least open—to change their habits accordingly. The occasional indulgence of coffee or energy drinks is generally fine, but when it’s a ritual with multiple cups or drinks every single day, that’s when it becomes problematic. All those RedBulls will definitely give you wings—angel wings.