Throughout history, coffee has made its grand entrance to its popularity today. It has circulated quickly throughout the world.
“I think that coffee is more popular today for the younger generation because of the added sugars that the youth enjoys,” said the sports medicine teacher Catherine Bongo.
Later, advertisements became popular, showcasing successful athletes, business women, and famous musicians. This period was known as the “coffee achievers.” The targeted audience was young individuals who wanted to keep the product sustainable. The advertisement was that their generation would be more productive if they drank coffee. This became a trend for many young people drinking coffee.
“Caffeine at a younger age is most like an addiction; starting young causes the need and want for it as people grow. If they drank caffeine when they were younger, they are likely to want it when they are older,” said health teacher Denise Garcia.
Drinking caffeine in school can help students concentrate, but there are adverse effects to the addiction.
“Caffeine interferes with sleep. The brain does a lot of processing during sleep that teenagers need to succeed,” said Garcia
Students need to realize the harm of drinking caffeine on their brain before drinking it because it tastes good.
“Your brain is not done developing until age 25. The average teen shouldn’t get more than 100 grams of caffeine when the brain is underdeveloped. It’s a stimulant drug and addictive. It affects the focus, attention span, and ability to learn,” said Garcia
In addition to the brain, caffeine has damaging effects on the body.
“There is information that says caffeine stops the absorption of calcium for bones, which is also a problem for adolescents because this is the time to build up the bones,” said Bongo
Many student-athletes drink caffeine because they think it will help them perform better.
“Caffeine, in moderation, acts as a stimulant. It can help with endurance and power, but it can also make students more nervous during sports,” said IB exercise and Health Science teacher, Alisa Israel.
There are mixed opinions reading caffeine consumption as this is still being studied in many research studies and universities.
“Consumption of 3 to 5 standard cups of coffee daily has been consistently associated with a reduced risk of several chronic diseases. However, some individuals may not tolerate higher amounts of caffeine due to symptoms of jitteriness, anxiety, and insomnia. Specifically, those who have difficulty controlling their blood pressure may want to moderate their coffee intake, “according to a study done at Harvard University.
“In my opinion, most things in moderation are safe, including caffeine,” said Israel.
Many students spend a significant amount of money on their addiction to caffeine, whether they are addicted to the taste or race of dopamine it triggers.
According to Grand Canyon University, “If they are coffee drinkers who do not brew their own coffee, they can expect their grocery budget to increase substantially. College students spend an average of almost $100 each month on coffee alone.” ◼️
