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Late night studying, a ton of homework, and long classes means coffee time for many students.

Most caffeine habits start in college or university because of the irregular hours, the workload, and the stress inducing exam season. Though caffeine is a great quick fix when your eyelids start to droop, it is still a drug (the most widely used drug in North America, actually). The negative effects of caffeine have been debated and studied and debated again, and we still have no definitive answer about whether caffeine is good or bad. Either way, it is a good idea to know about what you’re putting in your body.

So lets start with the good. 10 years ago, studies found that caffeine consumption can prevent Parkinson’s disease, and can help inhibit the degeneration the disease causes. Also, coffee has been linked to diabetes prevention, whether you’re drinking the strong stuff or decaf. Caffeine itself though has been known to increase the risk of type-two diabetes.

Another good: caffeine can help you lose weight, but only when it is taken in a natural form like green tea. Things like coffee (especially those milky Starbucks drinks), energy drinks or colas will have the opposite effect.

Now for the bad: caffeine is addictive, consuming large amounts can lead to jitteriness, heart palpitations, and can have negative effects on learning and memory. Meaning that drinking too much coffee or Red Bull while studying can mean you aren’t retaining much of anything.

In controlled, small amounts, caffeine can be great, increasing alertness, and ability to concentrate (which is why students love it so). The suggested caffeine intake for adults is about 300-400 mg/day according to Health Canada. This is found in about 2 cups of coffee. One energy drink, such a Red Bull or Monster has on average about 300 mg of caffeine per can, plus a whole lot of sugar.

Another drug commonly associated with student life is alcohol. We all know that alcohol reduces your alertness and works almost like a sedative. A study by a professor at Dalhousie University found that when energy drinks and alcohol are mixed, the consumer would drink almost twice as much alcohol than they would without the caffeine boost. This is because the caffeine has the opposite effect of alcohol, and inhibits the signals that would tell you to slow down your drinking. This is incredibly dangerous, as it can lead to alcohol poisoning and binging.

So when you’re studying, or when you’re out with friends, make sure you limit your caffeine intake. And maybe try some of these alternatives to caffeine.

Karan Warraich,
President, CCSAI
416-289-5000 ext 2324
kwarraich@centennialcollege.ca

Read more Karan's Corner here.