(Photo by Ahmed Rabea) Today kicks off Caffeine Awareness Month and we're buzzing with excitement at the thought of 31 days dedicated to our favorite addiction. In the spirit of the event, we wonder, are you aware of caffeine? Statistics suggest you are, since 90% of Americans consume caffeine daily, and it's the most widely-used drug in the world. Great! Our job is done: We're all aware of caffeine. But after another delicious cup of joe and some high-speed research, we discovered that we're supposed to be aware that caffeine is bad -- or at least that it has negative effects. While there are conflicting reports about its long-term effects on health, there's no denying that trimethylxanthine has immediate effects on the body. It releases dopamine in the brain, triggering feelings of pleasure and reward, just like food, sex, and many other drugs. Caffeine is a psychoactive drug, after all -- a stimulant, like cocaine and methamphetamines -- and it can be addictive and even fatal in large doses. But is it really that bad? Humans have consumed caffeine since the Stone Age, and just look how far we've come since then. Can that really be a coincidence? Suggested Sites... Caffeine Awareness Alliance - sponsors of Caffeine Awareness Month, they encourage you to calculate your daily caffeine consumption and find out if you're an addict with this online quiz. How Caffeine Works - an explanation of what caffeine is and how it affects you, from howstuffworks. Energy Fiend - the scoop on the latest caffeinated products, plus interesting tidbits like the half-life of caffeine and how countries measure up in caffeine consumption. Vaults of Erowid: Caffeine - tons of information about our favorite drug. CoffeeResearch.org - learn about coffee chemistry, agriculture, and the D-word.

Directory categories: Caffeine, Coffee, Tea, Drinks and Drinking, Coffee Humor

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