With too many activities and strenuousclasses, many students are turning to the quick pick-me-up effect of caffeine.Whether it is popping No-Doz pills or gulping down a couple cans of pop, caffeineis the quick fix of choice for late-night cramming. But how harmful is caffeineto teenagers, and how much is okay to consume?

Caffeine is a mildstimulant. It causes an increase in heart rate and alertness. According toHealth.com, when a teen eats or drinks a product with caffeine, their bloodpressure and adrenaline levels shoot up.

Caffeine consumption once in awhile is fine, but long periods of excessive adrenaline can damage blood vesselsand weaken the immune system. Teens Health reports that "caffeine may causethe body to lose calcium and potassium, causing sore muscles and delayed recoverytimes after exercise." People also have a harder time concentrating withcaffeine in their systems. Overall, the negative effects of caffeine outweigh thepositive ones.

"Doctors recommend that people should consume no morethan 100 milligrams of caffeine daily," said Teens Health. One can ofMountain Dew contains 54.0 mgs, Coke has 45.6 mgs and Pepsi has 37.2 mgs. Onebrewed cup of coffee averages 115 mgs and one No-Doz tablet has 100 mgs. Anexcess amount of these products has damaging effects. People need to be moreaware of the amount of caffeine they take in each day.

So, beware the badeffects of caffeine. While it may seem mild and harmless, it easilybecomes addictive and can cause damage.


For moreinformation go to kidshealth.org/teen/nutrition/menu/caffeine.html