Caffeine: Benefits, Risks and Effects-A Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37506/ijphrd.v11i3.1161Keywords:
Caffeine, coffee, dependence, safety doses, toxicity.Abstract
Caffeine, the world’s most widely consumed psychoactive drug is a central nervous system(CNS) stimulant
of the methylxanthine class. It is a white crystalline purine, a methylxanthine alkaloid which is bitter in taste.
Caffeine is structurally related to the adenine and guanine bases of DNA and RNA. It is found in the nuts,
seeds or leaves of a number of plants native to East Asia, Africa, and South America, and its natural function
is to prevent germination of nearby seeds and to protect them against predator insects. Caffeine can have
both positive and negative impact on human health. It can be used to treat and prevent the premature infant
breathing disorders such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia of prematurity and apnea of prematurity. Caffeine
citrate is on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines which confers a modest protective effect against
some diseases, including Parkinson’s disease. Caffeine is classified by the US FDA as generally recognized
as safe(GRAS). Toxic doses are over 10 gm/day for an adult, which are much higher than the typical dose
of under 500 mg/day. However, pure powdered caffeine, available as a dietary supplement, can be lethal in
tablespoon-sized amounts. In this review article, we discuss about the health benefits and adverse effects of
caffeine along with its future prospects.
