What exactly is caffeine?
Caffeine is a stimulant that occurs naturally in many plants, including coffee beans, tea plants, kola nuts, mate tea and guarana berries. It blocks adenosine receptors in the brain, which leads to an increase in mental alertness, physical stamina, concentration and a reduction in fatigue (Yesil, 2021).
How many people unfortunately suffer from harmful consumption in Germany and worldwide?
- No real figures
- 77.6% of students surveyed at RPTU (TUK at the time of the survey) drink caffeine in their daily lives, 9.9% of students drink more than the recommended maximum dose on a typical unit day (UHR,2021)
What does consumption make worse and what are the benefits of stopping?
Excessive caffeine consumption can cause sleep disturbances, headaches or an increase in blood pressure. The benefits of quitting include improved sleep quality, fewer headaches and a reduction in blood pressure (Yesil, 2021).
What can I do about it or how can I quit?
Measures can be taken to manage or quit caffeine consumption, such as reducing consumption, switching to caffeine-free alternatives, setting consumption limits and adhering to recommended dosages (Yesil, 2021).
Are there also positive sides to caffeine consumption and why do people consume it?
Positive aspects of caffeine consumption include increasing mental alertness, physical stamina, concentration and reducing fatigue. Caffeine is consumed to achieve these effects and to take advantage of the positive health aspects, such as reducing the risk of various diseases and promoting performance (Yesil, 2021). Apart from this, the consumption of caffeine, especially coffee, has a social aspect. Many people meet up with their friends and acquaintances for a coffee to socialize and catch up.
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Yesil, Nevriye (2021). Drugs have short legs: Ways Out of Addiction Back to a Stable Life. Berlin: Springer.
