What is caffeine?

Caffeine is psychostimulant compound and a member of the xanthine chemical class. It is consumed worldwide for its ability in exerting psychostimulant effects of a mild extent usually devoid of severe unwanted consequences.

Other xanthines, including theobromine and theophylline also exhibit psychostimulant effects. Caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline are found in kola nuts and coco tree nuts, which find in cola soft drinks and chocolate.

Caffeine is the most widely used psychoactive drug in the world. In the United States, 80% to 90% of people routinely consume caffeine, and 179 million are addicted to it.

In most part of the world, people largely consume caffeine regardless of age and economic status. A large variety of tea leaves also contain caffeine. Coffee beans, which are brewed for coffee drinks, are significant source of caffeine.

Caffeine is a member of the uric acid/purine group of chemical compounds. Two of the compounds in this group, adenine and guanine, are two of the four compounds that make up the four basic letters of the genetically alphabet contained in DNA.

A 10 oz cup of tea contains approximately 100 mg of caffeine, or half as much caffeine as coffee. A 1 oz piece of chocolate contains approximately 25 mg of caffeine.

Energy drinks contain a large amount of caffeine, often around 200 mg. The frequent consumption of drugs like caffeine, as well as malnutrition induced by the dietary deficiency of protein, can disrupt the behavioral and electrophysiological organization of brain function.
What is caffeine?