My Favorite Organic Molecule
C A F F E I N E
Emil Fischer, a German chemist in the late 1800s, was the first to work with the organic molecule and to determine its molecular structure.
PROPERTIES
Caffeine is a nitrogenous compound found in the naturally occurring
alkaloid class. The alkaloid class simply means that the substance is
produced at the end of nitrogenous metabolism in a variety of plants.
This, and the fact that it also possess properties known to organic
amine bases, is what makes the pure form of caffeine an extremely bitter
white powder. Caffeine is soluble in water, as well as other organic
solvents. In some arguments, caffeine is said to be one of the most
widely used drugs in the world considering more than one hundred million
people consume caffeine in the United States each day. WHERE IT'S FOUND
Surprisingly, there are more than sixty plants that produce caffeine from xanthine. Xanthine is a purine, meaning it is a natural substance that is found in the cells of our bodies and in almost all foods. Some of the plants that provide us with caffeine include plants that are used to produce coffee, tea, cola, and even chocolate.
PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTSApproximately ten minutes after you consume a food or beverage containing caffeine, this organic molecule enters enters your bloodstream and can be found there up to twelve hours after consumption. Being that caffeine is an alkaloid, it produces significant physiological effects. In addition to having a diuretic effect on the human body, other effects include cardiovascular stimulation/relaxation and even central nervous system stimulation. The effect that caffeine has on the CNS is what stimulates the body, causing an increase in alertness, energy level, and even brain function. These facts explain why drinking a cup of coffee can relieve someone of an excruciating headache, help a student stay awake during late nights of studying, and inconveniently cause one to have an urgent need to urinate. There happen to be several studies that prove that caffeine is moderately habit-forming. This would explain not only why I get such a terrible headache when I have not had my usual cup of coffee, but also why after getting "my fix" my headache goes away.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=51
http://www.chemistryexplained.com/Bo-Ce/Caffeine.html
This one is one of my favorite ones too! I'm not so much of a coffee person, but tea is definitely my thing! I didn't know that people could get headaches from not getting their usual dose. I also didn't know that it was in chocolate too! Thanks for the great information!
ReplyDeleteHey! Yeah I always thought it was a coincidence that I would only get a bad headache on the days that I did not stop at Starbucks in the morning, but after reading a few articles online I was surprised to see the effects that caffeine has on our bodies. Thanks for commenting!
ReplyDeleteHi Jessica, your post is very thorough. Well done!
ReplyDeleteA similar thing happened to me. When I was working at an office I would drink about 2+ cups a day during the week, plus sweet tea. When I was at home during the weekends I would get such headaches. I had to do a 40 day challenge and forced myself to only have one cup during those 40 days to change my habit. If I had coffee, I did not allow myself to have tea and vice versa.
Hi Dailian,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! It is crazy to take a deeper look into some of our favorite things and realize the effects they have on our bodies. I have often found myself doing some of the same things you mentioned! Thanks for the comment.