Antoinette Obiefuna, Features Editor
It is a late night and you find yourself cramming for five different tests that are all tomorrow. There is no possible way that your body can stay awake and alert based solely off of pure adrenaline and energy; nevertheless, you take a look at the Red Bull sitting in the corner or you head to your nearest Starbucks to get your venti fix of an iced coffee with extra shots of espresso.
Evidently, caffeine is widely known as a performance enhancer and a stimulant and now more than ever, many individuals are turning towards many forms of caffeine to stay attentive. However, all good things come with their advantages and disadvantages.
This conception essentially derives from the obvious scientific basis that caffeine inherently blocks adenosine receptors. The main function of adenosine is to provoke sleepiness; thus, when its receptors in the brain are obstructed by caffeine, your alertness increases and the sensation of fatigue dissipates. Sophomore Benjamin Lightfoot expresses his perspective on this idea as he declares that he personally believes that caffeine does provide him with “the extra boost” that he needs to “complete whatever task the day brings to him”.
In addition to this, he also mentions that coffee especially keeps him “awake and alive” whenever he needs to revive his energy. So, as you can see, there is repetition in the perception that caffeine is the best aid to a heavy day or night and coffee as a main source of caffeine has been proven to contain antioxidants.
When you are taking a deep dive into the drawbacks of high caffeine intake, you will find that caffeine also prompts frequent urinations, blood pressure spikes, digestive issues, insomnia, and of course, addiction.
Senior Nhyira Neizer describes her viewpoint on this matter as she states that she feels like caffeine is genuinely harmful because it can make an individual “jittery or easily aggravated or too alert to the point where they cannot sleep because they are so hyped up on all sorts of energy”. Thus, with caffeine, it does not hurt to be cautious of how much you drink. Caffeine can be perceived as a potential savior to a tiring day or a demon to those who cannot tolerate the negative effects of this “drug-like” stimulant. Nevertheless, you might want to take a second look at that Red Bull and venti iced coffee and really ask yourself if caffeine is the right option for you.
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