Caffeine
Caffeine is a psychoactive central nervous system stimulants, one of the alkaloids. Caffeine is an ingredient of coffee. Although caffeine is the most widely used psychoactive substance in the world the knowledge about its effects and risks among users is very small. Long-term use of caffeine leads to abuse and develops tolerance, dependence with all unpleasant effects of intoxication and withdrawal.
Caffeine Abuse and Addiction
Trade
Trade & street names | caffeine, theine, guaranine, mateine |
Products | coffee, tea, energy drinks (e.g. Red Bull), soft drinks (e.g. Coca-Cola) |
Medical info
Class | central nervous system stimulant |
Medical use | no medical use |
Routes | oral |
Effects of use | tiredness reduction |
Effects of overdose | nervousness, restlessness, insomnia, periods of inexhaustibility, diuresis, excitement, gastrointestinal disturbance, muscle twitching, psychomotor agitation, flushed face, tachycardia or cardiac arrhythmia, rambling flow of thought and speech |
Withdrawal effects | headache, fatigue, lethargy, sluggishness, sleepiness, drowsiness, dysphoric mood, difficulty concentrating, work difficulty, unmotivated, depression, anxiety, irritability, nausea or vomiting, muscle aches and stiffness |
Onset | 20-30 minutes |
Duration of action | 3-4 hours |
Chemistry
Chemical name | 1,3,7-trimethyl-1H-purine-2,6(3H,7H)-dione |
Chemical formula | C8H10N4O2 |
Molecular mass | 194.19 g/mol |
