Breaking Down the Buzz The causes and effects of caffeine dependency ARTICLE & INFOGRAPHIC BY KATHERINE NGUYEN PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS BY ALEXANDRA ROZMARIN DESIGN BY JOE SHEM
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fter countless hours of touring the coast of Australia during his own ninth-grade field trip, Director of Curriculum and Instruction Matt Daugherty finally took a respite in his hotel room. The jet lag from traveling to another country had been “killer.” A coffee maker stood on the counter as part of the hotel’s complimentary service. “Let’s try this to see if it will help us stay awake for the trip,” his roommate suggested. One cup of coffee later marked the start of Daugherty’s caffeine journey. The trend of caffeine consumption has been around since as early as 3000 B.C. and has influenced newer generations to stop at their local Starbucks for a quick caffeinated beverage. However, the constant intake of the stimulant can eventually blur the line that distinguishes a casual enjoyment from a severe addiction. Dopamine receptors are a reward mechanism that play a role in
A venti iced vanilla latte with oat milk from Starbucks contains 225 mg of caffeine. The pictured beans are the espresso Gamut blend from Chromatic Coffee Co.
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cognition and movement, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Caffeine intake enhances the release of dopamine that stimulates those receptors, and the alertness it brings causes people to consistently consume caffeinated substances to be continually rewarded with that effect. Verywell Mind—an online resource that provides health and wellness information—describes caffeine addiction as the excessive and harmful consumption of caffeine that negatively affects a person’s physical and cognitive functioning over time. Jeffrey Kehoe, a naturopathic doctor and acupuncturist with a specialty in addiction, finds that building an addiction is not dependent on how often a person consumes caffeine. “If it starts to interfere with daily activities, work, and starts to present maybe other physical or psychological problems, those are all factors that I would say the medical community looks at more when it’s talking about dependence or abuse as opposed to a specific dose,” Kehoe said. Introduction to caffeine can start with the family, like in the case of freshman Karen Heng, who began drinking coffee in the morning because of her father’s caffeine habits. She initially added creamers to her coffee and has gradually used less for a stronger taste. Others, such as junior Britney Stout, still use sweetened creamers in their coffee to mask the bitter taste. “[My family] saves a lot more money brewing our own coffee,” Stout said, “so I’ll just have two and a half cups of whatever coffee we’re brewing, like vanilla with oat milk creamer in it.” Juggling the workload of classes and extracurriculars, students often consume caffeine for additional energy. This is especially true for Stout, who said she can “work it all off and then crash when [she gets] home.” Stout’s compulsion for caffeine is driven by her need to start her day with energy and finish schoolwork that she tends to procrastinate on. “I need more caffeine now than I did when we went to school [in person],” Stout said. “When I kind of just get out of bed and roll into class, I’m so tired that I need some caffeine to get me going.” The effects of caffeine can persist for around six hours, but an individual can become tolerant to them and require greater doses to obtain the desired effects. Caffeine dependence forms as caffeine blocks adenosine receptors from attaching to their corresponding neurotransmitters, inhibiting drowsiness as a result. Without caffeine to suppress the tiring effects of
