Blog #3 – How does caffeine affect mental health?

Hi! Welcome to my first research round about my project!

Im going to be researching firstly, about How caffeine affects mental health, or if it affects mental health at all? I also want to get into the actual affects it has, and what it can cause!

Caffeine is known to be a notorious “drug”, and drink that can cause jitters and anxiety, if overused, such as a person having a very high amount of coffee on a daily basis (1). Caffeine, can not only affect people who already have pre-existing mental health issues, but it can also cause aggravated symptoms within the mind, which can lead to anxiety and panic disorders, but this is a very serious case of a caffeine addiction such as having more than 4-5 cups a day of any caffeinated drink (1). Caffeine is the most popular drink that many people consume, and it’s most popular format is coffee, and any kind of it; a fun fact about it is that scientists were known to be the largest group to consume coffee, and they beat other careers by a lot, because they need to spend countless nights researching, and simply need energy to do that from (1).

The cognitive perks that caffein has is it boosts alertness, energy, and overall gives you a short-term good feeling about ones well-being, but it being overused can be dangerous, and some people ave gained the unpleasant side effected of it such as trouble sleeping, irritability and gastric distress, as well as a jitter within their arms (1). In the brain, caffeine is similar to a chemical within the brain called neuromodulator, which is gathered throughout the day, and induces sleep for the night time, but when consumers drink coffee, it blurs the adenosine receptors in the brain, almost blocking the effects of it, and it comes alongside letting the dopamine in the brain flow more freely making that feeling of well-being, a boost of energy, and alertness comes back (1). However, caffeine can actually both benefit and not benefit peoples mental health (2). Because Caffeine is a stimulant, it means that it increases the activity that is going on in the brain, and the nervous system (2). This mean that this increases the circulations of chemicals such as cortisol, and adrenaline inside of the body, ultimately making the body feel refreshed and focused (2). However, for the mental aspect, once someone is trying to be less dependant on coffee, they end up experiencing withdrawal symptoms such as fatigue, crankiness, headaches, muscle pain, and anxiety (2). It end up becoming a mental struggle for someone who is addicted to the caffeine to get off the caffeine, mentally destroying the health of that person (2).

Another dangerous fact that does benefit ones mental health for a limited amount of time, but does still help is that when someone consumes caffeine, it helps bind the adenosine receptions in the brain; this essentially effects the adenosine, and the side effect that is created from that is that it allows dopamine to flow more freely in the brain, and this causes that feeling of energy, and alertness as well as a refreshing feeling (3). It helps the brain increase its focus and problem solving skills, and it is researched that people who drink coffee, or energy drinks before an exam are more alert, meaning that they are more likely to get a better grade on said exam, because they are able to think and pick up on more problems and solutions (4).

Caffeine is also very socially accepted, and as a society, it is almost encouraged that people drink caffeine to start their day, or to help them focus and study better (4). It has even been proved that people who drink coffee are more likely to live longer, and happier lives because they tend to be more impulsive and risky with their decisions; this is because of the freely dopamine being spread throughout their nervous system and brain (4). It was researched that people drinking 2-3 cups of coffee a day had the largest reduction in early death, compared to those who did not drink coffee at all (this is only limited to coffee, as energy drinks are a different story) (5). This research also showed that those drinking coffee in moderate amounts, have a lower chance of having heart diseases, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, type 2 diabetes, liver disease, and prostate cancer as well, meaning that physically wise, coffee can help lots, alongside the social support that media speaks about coffee (5). However, for those mental aspects, coffee does cause a lack in sleep, meaning that this can cause one to become mentally tired because they are not resting their mind (5).

Overall, coffee does have it’s benefits, and its cons, but it all depends on what type of caffeine you are drinking, and how much of it you are consuming everyday. Caffeine can give people a short-term length of happiness, but it cannot be something that will give people happiness forever, which is why it can become an addiction, and something that can harm people later on, so making sure to drink it in moderation in order for ones physical and mental health to be healthy is key to enjoying caffeine, specifically coffee for what it was made for!

Thank you for reading my first research round, and I hope you guys enjoy my other ones that are up coming!!!

(1) Meredith, S. E., Juliano, L. M., Hughes, J. R., & Griffiths, R. R. (2013). Caffeine Use Disorder: A Comprehensive Review and Research agenda. Journal of Caffeine Research, 3(3), 114–130. https://doi.org/10.1089/jcr.2013.0016

(2) Department of Health & Human Services. (n.d.). Caffeine. Better Health Channel. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/caffeine#caffeine-dependency-and-withdrawal

(3) Lu, S. (n.d.). Too much coffee? https://www.apa.org. https://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2015/11/coffee#:~:text=When%20we%20consume%20caffeine%2C%20it,%2Dbeing%2C%20energy%20and%20alertness.

(4) Young, E. (2022, December 9). The psychological effects of your morning coffee. BPS. https://www.bps.org.uk/research-digest/psychological-effects-your-morning-coffee

(5) LaMotte, S. (2022, September 29). Coffee lowers risk of heart problems and early death, study says, especially ground and caffeinated. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/29/health/coffee-live-longer-wellness/index.html#:~:text=Drinking%20two%20to%20three%20cups%20of%20coffee%20a%20day%20was,11%25%20for%20instant%20caffeinated%20coffee.