The use of caffeine and energy drinks has dramatically increased recently. Many users focus on the benefits that the substances offer, such as boosting one’s mood, metabolism, and physical and mental performance (Hammond et al., 2018). Most energy drinks have high levels of caffeine that help their users stay alert and reduce tiredness and sleep, especially during long travels. However, when caffeine is taken in large amounts, and often, it may have adverse effects. Individuals may experience the impact as a result of a withdrawal or when they take high amounts of the substance. Nonetheless, the effect of caffeine varies on individuals’ genetic characteristics; some people are more caffeine-sensitive than others (Hammond et al., 2018). Moreover, persons with other underlying health problems like heart problems may also experience varied effects compared to healthy ones. Clearly, the consumption of caffeine has notable adverse effects such as anxiety, headache, insomnia, addiction, and heart-related problems.
Caffeine is well-known for boosting alertness; it blocks the brain’s chemical adenosine that makes one feel tired. However, when used in high doses, it may lead to nervousness and anxiety. This makes it hard for an individual to concentrate and make sound decisions. Others may avoid social activities because they believe they can trigger or worsen their condition. According to Preidt (2019), anxiety disorders are increasing, and many doctors ignore that caffeine may be the root cause. Therefore, it is imperative that people know the healthy limits and use the substance responsibly to avoid adverse effects.
The use of caffeine may be habit-forming; users may become physically or psychologically dependent. According to Jee et al. (2020), withdrawing from caffeine intake may lead to headaches for some users. Individuals who take this substance daily find it challenging to miss it even a single day. If someone does not take caffeine, they experience a headache that is not treatable until they take the substance. They may also feel fatigued and unable to complete their duties until they retake caffeine. To curb this side effect, individuals ought to monitor their daily intake to ensure that they do not become addicted.
The consumption of too much caffeine may lead to insomnia. Even though the substance is taken to get alert and reduce sleep, it may deprive one of sleep when used in high doses. It may take an individual a long time to fall asleep or reduce the total sleeping time. Research shows that caffeine takes approximately five hours in the system (Hammond et al., 2018). Therefore, taking it in the late afternoon may reduce one’s ability to fall asleep.
Caffeine increases blood pressure due to its stimulation of the nervous system. The increased blood pressure may lead to heart attack and stroke that may, in turn, lead to death in case the arteries are damaged. The stimulatory effect on the nervous system also may lead to a fast heart rate. Such is a result of atrial fibrillation, an irregular, a mostly rapid heart rate that leads to inconsistent blood flow, causing fatigue and shortness of breath. However, the effects may not necessarily be to the heart problems patients; thus, one should be vigilant in controlling their intake.
Effective decision-making requires evaluating various outcomes to ensure that the choice will not have adverse impacts. However, it becomes challenging to make critical decisions when one is fatigued. The effects of fatigue on making serious decisions include avoidance of making choices (Bendak & Rashid, 2020). When someone makes many stressful decisions, they become mentally exhausted and can barely concentrate on making other decisions; thus, they tend to ignore engaging in further decision-making. Fatigue may also lead to impaired self-regulation; as a result of draining the brain, one may not be able to function effectively. This effect leads to most personal and social problems such as impulse huge debts, underperformance in the workplace, and lack of self-control against impulses.
In addition, fatigue may lead to biasness; this may be a result of taking mental shortcuts. Fatigue may also make someone experience decisional conflict and regret. This is common when one is mentally exhausted; they tend to remain in a dilemma in determining which option to take (Bendak & Rashid, 2020). To avoid such effects, it is imperative to plan events well and choose to make the stressful decisions first, then the simple ones later. Taking a break and reflecting is also essential in avoiding decision fatigue.
In conclusion, even though the consumption of caffeine is known for many benefits, such as boosting alertness and increasing mental performance, it can have various negative effects on users. The common effects include anxiety, headache, insomnia, addiction, and heart-related problems such as high blood pressure and fast heart rate. Thus, individuals should determine the healthy limits of caffeine usage to reduce such impacts. On the other hand, fatigue is mostly an underlying factor in poor decision-making. It leads to avoidance of making choices and biasness and may result in impaired self-regulation that may affect the social problems of the users.
References
Bendak, S., & Rashid, H. S. (2020). Fatigue in aviation: A systematic review of the literature. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 76, 102928.
Hammond, D., Reid, J. L., & Zukowski, S. (2018). Adverse effects of caffeinated energy drinks among youth and young adults in Canada: A Web-based survey.Canadian Medical Association Open Access Journal, 6(1), E19-E25.
Jee, H. J., Lee, S. G., Bormate, K. J., & Jung, Y. S. (2020). Effect of caffeine consumption on the risk for neurological and psychiatric disorders: Sex differences in human. Nutrients, 12(10), 3080.
Preidt, R. (2019). Is caffeine fueling your anxieties?WebMD.