Age Restriction when Caffeine Drinks: Induced Psychosis - Essay Example

Caffeine drinks Student’s Name: Instructor’s Name: Course Code: Date of Submission: Abstract Caffeine is a substance that when taken alters the normal functioning of the body. In this discussion and from the evidences, caffeine has been found to be a substance that affects mainly people of less than 18 years. The adverse effects caffeine according to the research include high blood pressure, stimulation of the central nervous system, headaches, joint pains, sleeping syndrome, poor performance among teens and adolescents, poor growth and development in young people and increases depression to its consumers. The paper also discussed the major ways of avoiding the effects of caffeine instead of restriction which include sensitizing the public on the effects of excess consumption of caffeine. Another way is to develop alternative sources which have less caffeine. Finally, the paper recommends that it is better to restrict the consumption of caffeine among people of over 18. Introduction This paper intends to assess the various effects of caffeine giving drinks on the body functioning of a person of less than 18 years-teens, adolescents and children. From the research which has been conducted, there is clear evidence that caffeine causes adverse effects on the body of a person of less than 18 years and that is why there is debate whether it should be restricted (Dworzanski et al 2009). Caffeine is the substance found in plants like coffee, tea, chocolates and cocoa. Caffeine can also be found in some prescribed substances like drugs (Wildwater, 2010; Boehlke, 2010). Caffeine has some effects in the body which are both negative and positive. When taken, it alters the normal functioning of the body by interfering the central nervous system, especially among adults. Some of the effects of Caffeine include; an increase in heartbeat, increased level of sugar in the blood, and high blood pressure, increased sleepless in young people and bed wetting in children (Thomson & Schies 2011). There has been a debate whether caffeine should be restricted to people of over 18 years due to some of these side effects like increased heart burns, depression and lack of sleep. This paper will discuss the various harmful effects of caffeine and if these problems are specific to people of less than 18 years, evidence showing the effects of caffeine to people of less than 18 years, the reliability of the evidence, effects of restricting the use of caffeine, better ways of reducing its effects and if this ban is something that is sensibly enforced. In this regard, this paper provides evidence that caffeine should be restricted to people of 18 years and over. Caffeine drinks should be restricted to people of 18 years and above because excess consumption of caffeine leads to intoxication of the substance in the body. The effects of the intoxication in adults include feeling restless, being excited and being insomniac. According to the research, which was conducted in America and reported by the American medical association, coffee has some adverse effects on the central nervous system of a person (Hedges et al 2009). According to this research, coffee has substances which affect the normal functioning of the body of human beings like irritability, depression and loss of appetite. In order to minimize these effects, caffeine substances should be restricted from consumption to people of less than 18 years. Caffeine affects children adversely especially when they consume energy drinks which are rich in proteins daily. The child finds it hard to sleep at night because the substance affects the psychological functioning of the central nervous system thus there is no sleep in children (Boehlke 2010). When the child does not sleep as prescribed as per the normal standards, he or she will not be able to function normally. Daily consumption of Caffeine leads to addiction by the children. From the research which has been conducted, it has been found that about 90 percent of children consume caffeine on a regular basis (Boehlke 2010). Once addicted to this substance, it is difficult to stop it because of its withdrawal effects and the view that one cannot do without Caffeine drink. In this regard therefore, caffeine should be restricted to people of over 18 years to avoid children being addicted at an early age and to avoid same effects on adults. Caffeine also interferes with the central nervous system which is responsible for controlling the response to stimulus. Children may develop a habit of consuming caffeine so that they will be alert of which, failure to take a drink rich in caffeine will lead to effects such as headaches, restlessness and muscle tensions (McCarthy 2011). These effects affect the child concentration and growth and therefore, caffeine should be restricted to people of over 18 as well. Caffeine among teens and adolescents leads to anxiety (Wildwater, 2010). Caffeine induces anxiety among the young people which changes their reasoning capacity. In this sense, the teen and adolescents feel so much social and productive (Ryan 2010). They think after taking caffeine they will be able to socialize better but in the process, they get addicted and face the withdrawal effects like headaches. Moreover, caffeine causes irritability. When the teens become addicts of caffeine, they develop character of being irritated than when they could not use caffeine (Wildwater 2010). A person with chronic caffeine addiction cannot do without a drink that contains caffeine in the morning. In this sense, different individuals have different psychological effects of caffeine and to some extent, men are more prone to caffeine effects than women. Caffeine renders poor focus of teens and adolescent (Ryan 2010). Once addicted, they don’t concentrate and focus of the future or anything constructive than taking caffeine. Therefore, caffeine should be restricted to people of over 18years as such effects can as well affect them. There is also a psychological addiction of caffeine by teens and adolescents (Bernstein et al 2002). These effects include being aggressive, lack of vision among the caffeine consumers and it leads to anxiety as well as depression. This finally leads to a character with no moral values in the society. Caffeine drinks among teens and adolescents can lead to dependency as well which changes of the behavior among teens and adolescents (Babu et al 2008). They tend to develop unique behaviors and physiological functions. These behaviors may hinder the development of desired character among the young people because excessive consumption of caffeine changes their moral behavior in the society. It is therefore advisable that energy drinks containing caffeine be restricted to people of over 18 years. According to the above evidences from research, it can be said that caffeine has both positive and negative effects. The negative effects affect most people of less than 18 years which lead to the necessity of restricting caffeine consumption to over 18years (McCarthy 2011). To test the reliability of the evidences above, a research was conducted in Brazil by the University of Santa Catarina. It was done on the animals which showed the same effects of caffeine and therefore, these evidences can be relied upon to support that caffeine should be restricted to people of over 18 years. However, banning or restricting the consumption of caffeine violates the rights of individuals who prefer caffeine plants like coffee and tea. Banning or restricting the consumption of caffeine may not succeed because there are many outlets where the individuals can access caffeine. Caffeine can be accessed through the black market and its consumption could continue due to its availability. Therefore, the caffeine related problems will not stop until the restriction of caffeine has succeeded. On the other hand, there are better ways through which problems related to caffeine can be eliminated without interfering with the rights of individuals. One way is to educate the public and young on the importance of consuming caffeine in prescribed quantities to avoid the adverse effects of consuming excess caffeine. Another way to reduce the effects of caffeine without denying other peoples' rights is to ensure there are other alternatives which serve the same purpose as caffeine but with less effect. In this aspect, individuals will be satisfied with minerals they get instead of caffeine. Finally, the end can be achieved by banning production products which contain high caffeine and encourage products with low contents of caffeine. By doing this, energy drinks containing high levels of caffeine will be minimized thus avoiding related side effects. Conclusion Caffeine besides having positive effects, it also has negative effects. Especially in young people caffeine has adverse effects than in people of over than 18 years. The effects of caffeine in people of less than 18 include; high blood pressure, difficulty in sleeping, increased dependency, intoxication effects, stimulation of the central nervous system, stomach pains and headaches which lead to low concentration of individuals hence poor performances especially in schools and colleges by teens and adolescents (Babu et al 2011). Restricting the consumption of caffeine related drinks deprives the rights of individuals and there it should not sustain the effects associated with caffeine. A better way to achieve the end result is to sensitize the public on the effects of consuming excess caffeine and developing alternative drinks with less caffeine. References Boehlke, J. (2010). Effects of Caffeine on Children. Retrieved 21st May 2013 http://www.livestrong.com/article/124063-effects-caffeine-children/ Babu, K. M. Church, R. J. Lewander, W. (2008). Energy drinks: the new eye-opener for adolescents. Clin Pediatr Emerg, 9(1), pp. 35–42. Retrieved 21st May 2013 http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2011/05/25/peds.2011-0965.full.pdf Bernstein, G. A. Carroll, M. E. Thuras P. D. Cosgrove, K. P & Roth, M.E. (2002). Caffeine dependence in teenagers. Drug Alcohol Depend, 66(1), pp. 1–6. Retrieved 21st May 2013 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11850129 Dworzanski, W. Opielak, G & Burdan, F. (2009). Side effects of caffeine. Pol Merkur Lekarski, 27(161), pp. 357–361. Retrieved 21st May 2013 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19999796 Hedges, D. W. Woon, F. L & Hoopes, S. P. (2009). Caffeine-induced psychosis. CNS Spectr, 14(3), pp. 127–129. Retrieved 21st May 2013 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19407709 McCarthy, M. (2011). Overuse of energy drinks worries health pros. Retrieved 21st May 2013 www.usatoday.com/sports/2009-07-01-Drinks_N.htm Ryan, H. (2010). Psychological effects of caffeine, Retrieved 21st May 2013 http://www.livestrong.com/article/125614-adverse-psychological-effects-caffeine/ Thomson, B & Schiess, S. (2011). Risk profile: caffeine in energy drinks and energy Shots. Retrieved 21st May 2013 www.nzfsa.govt.nz/science/risk-profiles/fw10002-caffeine-in-beverages-risk-profile.pdf Wildwater, W. (2010). Negative Effects of Caffeine on Adolescents, Livestrong Foundation. Retrieved 21st May 2013 http://www.livestrong.com/article/293375-negative-effects-of-caffeine-on-adolescents/ Read More