Argumentative Essay On Caffeine

Caffeine is a chemical found naturally in few plants all over the world. From these plants it is processed into its pure form and then put into other things such as soda, energy drinks, tea, and pills. Energy drinks and soda are some of the most widely marketed products in the world, even though they contain the highest concentration of caffeine outside of pure caffeine supplements. It is a stimulant that affects everyone in strange but semi predictable ways. Research has been done on this topic since the 1920’s and many different conclusions have been reached. In modern schools of thought, caffeine has been found to be a lightly addictive, moderate to severe stimulant that affects neurological function in various ways, though scientists disagree

How strong the effects of the stimulant are is an area of debate, but some studies show that any amount above 400 milligrams of caffeine per day is unsafe for adults, and particularly dangerous for children (Mayo Clinic). Drinking amounts above this causes a variety of neurological side effects, such as irritability, insomnia, nausea, and anxiety (Drugs.com). Studies have also found that L-Theanine, a major chemical found in caffeinated tea, makes these effects stronger and more pronounced, as it allows your body to absorb the caffeine more efficiently (J, Bryan). But you do not need to consume a large amount of caffeine to experience these side effects, even in the average person just a small dosage can cause pronounced symptoms, though they are less severe in strength (Mayo Clinic). Certain people and groups are vastly more susceptible to caffeine than others as well (Persad, Leeana Aarthi Bagwath). One of these more susceptible groups is pregnant women. According Sarah Russell, a postgraduate student at Vanderbilt University, in her paper on the effects of caffeine on pregnant women, “Recent studies have shown that consuming more than 300 milligrams of caffeine a day will increase one’s chances of a miscarriage, and… high levels of caffeine may also cause birth defects, preterm delivery, reduced fertility and low birth weight.” The paper goes on to state that a fetus takes almost ten times as long to break down caffeine as the adult body does (Russell, Sarah). To explain this further, so as to make it easier to understand, pregnant women can only consume 75% of the amount of caffeine the average person can without risking major problems for the