Assignment Chemistry

Caffeine and it’s effects

Submitted by:

Muhammad Nadim Jawad

Roll No. BSCH-20-28
BS Chemistry 8th Semester
Morning B

Submitted to:

Dr Javed Iqbal

Department of Chemistry

University of Sahiwal, Sahiwal

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 Caffeine, the stimulant in coffee, has been called “the most widely used
psychoactive substance on Earth.”
Caffeine formula is essential in the field of medicine as this organic
compound is among the Most Essential Medicines of the WHO. To recall about
caffeine, it is also known as 1, 3, 7-Trimethylpurine-2,6-dione and is a popular
stimulant present in coffee.

Caffeine Formula
Caffeine is one of the organic compounds and it composes of 49.48%
carbon, 5.19% Hydrogen, 16.48% Oxygen, and 28.85% Nitrogen. It is soluble
in water and has a molar mass of 194.19 g/mol.

Chemical Formula of Caffeine: C8H10N4O2

From the above formula, it is seen that caffeine contains 8 carbon atoms,
10 hydrogen atoms, 4 nitrogen atoms, and 2 oxygen atoms.
Caffeine is found in common food and beverages that we consume every
day, such as coffee and tea. Coffee and tea leaves contain a maximum of 5 % of
the caffeine in them. In chemical laboratories, caffeine is prepared by the
reaction between dimethylurea and malonic acid.
Caffeine is a natural chemical with stimulant effects. It is found in coffee,
tea, cola, cocoa, guarana (a popular additive in energy drinks), yerba mate, and
over 60 other products.
Caffeine is naturally found in the leaves and fruits of some plants. It is in
coffee, black and green tea, cocoa, cola soft drinks and energy drinks. It may
also be in chocolate bars, energy bars and some non-prescription medications,
such as cough syrup and slimming tablets.
Caffeine works by stimulating the central nervous system, heart, muscles,
and the centers that control blood pressure. Caffeine can raise blood pressure,
but might not have this effect in people who use it all the time. Caffeine can also
act like a “water pill” that increases urine flow.
Caffeine is a stimulant, which means it increases activity in your brain
and nervous system. It also increases the circulation of chemicals such as
cortisol and adrenaline in the body.
People most commonly use caffeine for mental alertness, headache,
migraine, athletic performance, memory, and obesity. It is also used for asthma,
gallbladder disease, ADHD, low blood pressure, depression, and many other
conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these
other uses.

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 Caffeine products sold in very concentrated or pure forms are a health
concern. People can easily take doses that are much too high by mistake. It’s
illegal in the US for these products to be sold to consumers in bulk. Taking
caffeine, within limits, is allowed by the National Collegiate Athletic
Association (NCAA). Urine concentrations over 15 mcg/mL are prohibited.
In small doses, caffeine can make you feel refreshed and focused. In large
doses, caffeine can make you feel anxious and have difficulty sleeping.
Like many other drugs, it’s possible to develop a tolerance to caffeine,
which means you need bigger and bigger doses to achieve the same effect.

What does caffeine do to your body?

Caffeine is well absorbed by the body, and the short-term effects are
usually experienced between 5 and 30 minutes after having it. These effects can
include increased breathing and heart rate, and increased mental alertness and
physical energy. Depending on the individual, these effects can last up to 12
hours.
Some of the signs and symptoms of
having too much caffeine include:

 A rise in body temperature

 Frequent urination
 Dehydration
 Dizziness and headaches
 Rapid heartbeat (palpitations)
 Restlessness and excitability
 Anxiety and irritability
 Trembling hands
 Sleeplessness
 First feeling energetic but then having an even greater feeling of tiredness.

How much caffeine is okay each day?

How you react to caffeine depends on your body mass, health and
metabolism. It also depends on whether your body is used to getting regular
doses of caffeine and how much you have in one serving. Research suggests
that 400mg per day or less is an acceptable dose of caffeine for the general
population.

Approximate caffeine levels per serve include:

 Chocolate drinks: 5–10mg per 250ml

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 Instant coffee: 80–120mg per 250ml
 Drip or percolated coffee: 150–240mg per 250ml
 Espresso coffees such as espresso or latte: 105–110mg per 250ml
 Decaffeinated coffee: 2–6mg per 250ml
 Black tea: 65–105mg per 250ml
 Cola drinks: 40–49mg per 375ml
 Red Bull energy drink: 80mg per 250 ml
 Energy drink: 160mg per 250ml
 Dark chocolate bar: 40-50mg per 55g serve
 Milk chocolate bar – 10mg per 50g serve
 Guarana: can contain up to 100mg per 1g of guarana
 Caffeine tablets such as No-Doz – 100mg per tablet.

Energy drinks and caffeine

Energy drinks contain caffeine, as well as ingredients such as taurine and
guarana (a natural source of caffeine). Energy drinks do not hydrate and should
not be confused with sports drinks.
The caffeine and sugar content of energy drinks is high. In fact it is often
higher than in soft drinks. The levels of caffeine in energy drinks vary between
brands, so it is important to read the label before having them.

Caffeine and Adenosine in CNS:

Whether consumed as a food or a medicine, the blood and body tissues
absorb caffeine within around 45 minutes. It reaches peak level in the blood
within 1 hour and remains there for 4 to 6 hours. While there, caffeine changes
the way the brain and body work.
Caffeine has a similar structure
to adenosine, a chemical that is present
in all human cells. In the brain,
adenosine acts as a CNS depressant.
Adenosine promotes sleep and
suppresses arousal by slowing down
nerve activity. Adenosine binding also
causes blood vessels in the brain to
dilate, to increase oxygen intake during sleep. When awake, the levels of
adenosine in the brain rise each hour, making the brain and the body less alert.
To a nerve cell, caffeine looks like adenosine, and caffeine binds to the
adenosine receptors. However, unlike adenosine, it does not decrease the cell’s
activity. As caffeine utilizes all the receptors adenosine binds to, the cells can no
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longer sense adenosine. As a result, instead of slowing down because of the
adenosine level, cellular activity speeds up.
Caffeine blocks adenosine’s ability to open up the brain’s blood vessels,
causing them to constrict. This is why caffeine is used in pain relief medicine
for headaches. If the headache is vascular, relief comes as the caffeine narrows
the blood vessels. The blocking of adenosine causes excitatory
neurotransmitters to increase in the brain. The pituitary gland notices this
increased activity and releases hormones that tell the adrenal glands to produce
epinephrine.

Uses & Effectiveness

Effective for
 Migraine:
Taking caffeine by mouth together with pain relievers such aspirin and
acetaminophen is effective for treating migraines. Caffeine is an FDA-approved
product for use with pain relievers for treating migraine headaches.
Pauses in breathing that may be followed by low heart rate and low
oxygen levels in newborns. Giving caffeine by mouth or by IV can improve
breathing in very premature infants. Caffeine citrate is approved as a
prescription drug for this condition. IV products can only be given by a
healthcare provider.
 Headache after surgery:
Taking caffeine by mouth or by IV is effective for preventing headaches
following surgery. Caffeine is an FDA-approved product for this use in people
who regularly consume caffeine. IV products can only be given by a healthcare
provider.
 Tension headache:
Taking caffeine by mouth in combination with pain relievers is effective
for treating tension headaches. It is FDA-approved for this use.
Likely Effective for
 Mental alertness:
Taking caffeine by mouth improves mental alertness. But it might not be
as effective as getting enough sleep.
Possibly Effective for
 Athletic performance:
Taking caffeine by mouth seems to increase physical strength and
endurance and might delay fatigue during exercise. But taking more than 800

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mg of caffeine daily (6-8 cups) can lead to caffeine levels greater than those
allowed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
 Diabetes:
Drinking beverages that contain caffeine is linked with a lower risk of
developing type 2 diabetes. But it’s not clear if consuming caffeine helps to treat
diabetes.
 Memory:
Taking caffeine by mouth seems to improve short-term memory in
college students or people with outgoing personalities.
 Obesity:
Taking caffeine by mouth together with ephedrine seems to increase
weight loss, short-term. But there can be unwanted side effects. Even in
carefully monitored and otherwise healthy adults, caffeine/ephedra
combinations can cause changes in blood pressure and heart rate.
 Acute pain:
Taking caffeine by mouth together with painkillers such as ibuprofen can
reduce pain more than painkillers alone.
Possibly Ineffective for
 Irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation):
Taking caffeine by mouth does not reduce the risk for this type of
irregular heart rhythm following heart surgery.
 Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Taking caffeine by mouth doesn’t reduce ADHD symptoms in children.
There is interest in using caffeine for a number of other purposes, but
there isn’t enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.
Side Effects
Caffeine is likely safe for most healthy adults when used in doses up to
400 mg daily. This is equal to about 4 cups of coffee.
Caffeine is possibly unsafe when used for a long time or in doses over
400 mg daily. Caffeine can cause insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, nausea,
increased heart rate, and other side effects. Larger doses might cause headache,
anxiety, and chest pain.
Caffeine is likely unsafe when used in very high doses. It can cause irregular
heartbeat and even death. Products with very concentrated or pure caffeine.

Special Precautions And Warnings

Children: Caffeine is possibly safe when used by children and adolescents
in amounts commonly found in foods. Currently there are no guidelines for
children’s intake of caffeine. Caffeine intake should be investigated if children

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are showing symptoms of irritability, inability to sleep, interrupted sleep or
stomach upsets. Remember that caffeine is present in many soft drinks and
chocolate, not just coffee and tea. The consumption of energy drinks should also
be closely monitored
Anxiety disorders: Caffeine might make these conditions worse. Use
caffeine cautiously and in low amounts if you have anxiety.
Heart conditions: Caffeine can cause irregular heartbeat in sensitive
people. Use caffeine with caution.
Diabetes: Caffeine might affect the way the body uses sugar. If you have
diabetes, use caffeine with caution.
Diarrhea: Caffeine, especially when taken in large amounts, might
worsen diarrhea.
Epilepsy: People with epilepsy should avoid using caffeine in high doses.
Low doses of caffeine should be used cautiously.
Glaucoma: Caffeine increases the pressure inside the eye. The increase
occurs within 30 minutes and lasts for at least 90 minutes after drinking
caffeinated beverages.
High blood pressure: Consuming caffeine might increase blood pressure
in people with high blood pressure. But this does not seem to be a major
concern in people who use caffeine regularly.
Pregnant women: If you are pregnant, limit your caffeine intake to
200mg per day or less, or avoid it altogether. Having high amounts of caffeine
may increase your risk of miscarriage, experiencing a difficult birth and having
a baby with a low birth weight

Caffeine dependency and withdrawal

Caffeine have a high risk of being used in doses that are too high. Avoid
using these products.
Like many other drugs, it’s possible to build up a tolerance to caffeine.
This means you become used to its effects on your body and need to take larger
amounts to achieve the same results. Over time, you may become physically
and psychologically dependent on caffeine to function effectively.
If you are dependent on caffeine and you stop having it, you may
experience withdrawal symptoms. These may include:
• Fatigue
• Crankiness
• Persistent headache
• Sweating
• Muscle pain
• Anxiety.
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 Symptoms of caffeine withdrawal may begin within 12 to 24 hours and
can last about seven days.
The easiest way for you to break caffeine dependence is to reduce the
amount you’re having gradually. This gives your nervous system time to adapt
to functioning without the drug.
Takeaway
Moderate amounts of caffeine appear not to be harmful, and a moderate
intake of caffeine may bring health benefits.
The FDA recommends an intake of no more than 400 mg a day.
Pure caffeine can be dangerous, even life-threatening, and should be
avoided.
Anyone wishing to give up caffeine should cut down over a few days
rather than at once, to avoid uncomfortable symptoms.
Summary
 Caffeine is a drug that stimulates (increases the activity of) your brain and
nervous system.
 Caffeine is found in many drinks such as coffee, tea, soft drinks and energy
drinks. Chocolate also contains caffeine.
 Energy drinks often have more caffeine and sugar than soft drinks.
 Pregnant women, athletes and children should limit their caffeine intake.

References:
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-979/caffeine
https://drinksupercoffee.com/blog/nutrition/where-does-caffeine-come-from/
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/caffeine
https://byjus.com/question-answer/caffeine-the-stimulant-in-coffee-has-been-
called-the-most-widely-used-psychoactive-substance-on/