Focus - Main Story

While students’ dependence on caffeine remains high, many remain unaware of the drug’s potential consequences

Story by Kim Weisenberger, '09 and Kali Grant, '09

Junior Kristen Dahlen is slumped in her seat, staring blankly at a chalkboard covered in math problems. Her head is pounding, her eyes are drooping and her attention is waning. She is not sick, or bored with the class—she just did not get her coffee.

Dahlen is one of many students who rely on caffeine to make it through the school day. While students’ use of caffeine is evidenced by the number of coffee cups in the halls of UAHS every morning, their awareness of future health-related consequences is largely lacking.

The Daily Grind

Like Dahlen, a variety of students depend on caffeine to improve their performance in school or athletics.

“Being able to take something to perk up really helps during the day,” she said.
According to UA pediatrician Eileen Maher, caffeine is the most commonly consumed psychoactive drug in the world. This fact is especially evident in students, Maher said.

“Today, kids have to work very hard,” Maher said. “It will get to be late hours of the night and they will still have a lot of homework, and some need caffeine to get it done.”

Junior Meg Riley agreed, but she said that this is not the only reason teens drink caffeinated beverages.

“Most of the reason I go to [coffee shops] is not just to get the drinks—it’s because it’s a social thing,” Riley said.

This social trend is supported by an August 2007 Starbucks company fact sheet, which states there are 80 Starbucks locations in the greater Columbus area, and more than 10,000 stores nationwide. Caribou Coffee also has a large number of stores; according to the online Caribou

Coffee location search, there are 10 located in the area and hundreds more nationwide.
Caribou Coffee employee Tony Cleveland said large numbers of high school students come to the Zollinger Road coffee shop every day.

“Especially in the evenings, we get a lot of high school and college-aged people,” Cleveland said. “We have quite a few ‘regulars’ who are teens.”

Although caffeine is most commonly associated with coffee, it can also be found in energy drinks, soda, tea and even specially-caffeinated gum, Maher said.

“Drinks like Red Bull and Full Throttle have more caffeine than coffee, and they are fairly small so you can drink [them] pretty quickly and go for another,” Maher said.

However, such use and availability of caffeine can come with consequences, the most prevalent being addiction. This includes Dahlen, for whom it has become essential to have coffee each morning.

“I depend on caffeine; I usually drink two or three cups of coffee every morning,” Dahlen said. “Sometimes I will even drink a cup of coffee at lunch if I am feeling tired.”

Senior Jimmy Trotier also admitted to being addicted to caffeine.

“I do rely, most days, on caffeine,” Trotier said. “I don’t [have] much caffeine in the morning but if I have to study for a test I will drink some in the evening; it helps me focus.”

Both Trotier and Dahlen said they have experienced withdrawal symptoms when they were unable to have their regular caffeine dose.

“[If I don’t have coffee in the morning], I’m usually very tired and can’t focus in class,” Dahlen said. “Depending on how tired I am I will even get headaches.”

According to Maher, any substance that exerts withdrawal symptoms when use is stopped is considered addictive.

“[Caffeine] has serious withdrawal symptoms for people who have used it for a long time, such as headaches or sleep disorders,” Maher said.

In addition to becoming addicted to caffeine, a person may also build up a tolerance to it, Maher said.

“Oftentimes your body gets used to a certain amount [of caffeine], so you may need more and more the longer you’re taking it in,” Maher said.

The Caffeine Buzz

According to local physician John Winzenread, caffeine is a stimulant, meaning it improves concentration and raises energy levels. It is because of these advantages that some students overlook the negative effects caffeine may have, or they are simply misinformed.

“I have heard that coffee can stunt your growth, but that might be a myth,” Dahlen said.

According to Winzenread, this is not necessarily true.

“Caffeine itself wouldn’t stunt your growth,” Winzenread said. “But it suppresses hunger, so if a growing child [or adolescent] had a lot of caffeine they may not want to eat as much and their growth patterns could change that way.”

Although a change in growth patterns is not an issue in most cases, caffeine use still poses many other risks for students, Maher said.

“Caffeine can increase your heart rate, make you hyper-attentive, irritable, nervous and jittery,” Maher said. “It can also increase blood pressure and heighten anxiety.”

Symptoms, however, depend on the amount of caffeine consumed in proportion to an individual’s body weight, Winzenread said.

Trotier said he often sporadically consumes a large quantity of caffeine in a short amount of time.

“If I have to study for a test or get more focused, I really like drinking diet Pepsi,” Trotier said. “Sometimes I will drink seven or eight over the span of three hours.”

However, even a small amount of caffeine can cause health problems. School nurse Vicki Powelson said many students visit the nurse’s office with caffeine-related complaints.

“I see a handful of students come in [everyday] who are sick because of drinking [caffeinated beverages] on an empty stomach,” she said.

According to Powelson, dehydration can also be a result of drinking too much caffeine, which may prove to be detrimental to athletes.

UA physical education teacher Michael Schaefer said he suggests that athletes refrain completely from ingesting caffeine during their sports season. He said students and athletes can get addicted; they should stay away from the substance in order to stay healthy.

Short-term effects of caffeine on students and athletes, however, are only part of the problem, Winzenread said.

“In the long run, [caffeine] can worsen underlying kidney disease and breast cancer, and cause chronic sleep deprivation,” Winzenread said.

In addition, substances containing caffeine can be unhealthy themselves. This is especially true for many of the coffee drinks popular in local coffee shops.

“Two of the most popular drinks for teens [at Caribou Coffee] are the Caramel Cooler and the Ho Ho Mocha; I don’t think teens are aware of the high sugar or caffeine amounts in these [and other] drinks,” Cleveland said.

According to the Caribou Coffee website, a small Caramel Cooler has 340 Calories and 12 grams of fat; a small Ho Ho Mocha contains 370 Calories and 17 grams of fat; a large Ho Ho Mocha contains 570 Calories and 20 grams of fat.

Aside from potential health consequences, reliance on caffeine can also be a financial drain—just a small, plain coffee at Caribou Coffee costs $1.45. Though not a steep price in itself, over time a daily coffee drink adds up. Riley estimated she spends around $40 per month on caffeinated substances.

“When I was at the peak of my spending, I spent about $20 a week on coffee,” Riley said. “Today, I go to Caribou about four times a week and spend maybe $10 a week—but I still spend way too much on coffee.”

Breaking the Habit

Although caffeine may seem like an easy energy solution for a lack of sleep or the need to study, Schaefer encouraged students to monitor their caffeine intake and to make informed decisions about their lifestyle.

“There are no quick fixes to improve performance,” Schaefer said. “We reap what we sow: work hard … eat right, sleep right, drink plenty of water. These things will put you and your body at a huge advantage over the majority of people.”

As for Dahlen, she’s trying to stay awake in class—the right way.

“I’m really trying to cut back on how much coffee I drink everyday,” Dahlen said. “I want to be healthy and stay that way.”

Upper Arlington Weather Forecast, OH