Caffeine is an alkaloid of the methylxanthine family, present in many foods, which acts as a stimulant and psychotropic drug as a mild diuretic. Caffeine was discovered in 1819 by German chemist Friedrich Ferdinand Runge. He called it “kaffeine” as a chemical compound of coffee, which in French became caffeine.

Caffeine is present in seeds, leaves and fruits of different plants where it acts as a natural insecticide , chilling or killing insects that feed on them. It is most commonly consumed as teas from the seed of coffee or tea leaves, as in many foods and drinks containing products derived from Kola nuts. Caffeine is also a component of chemical complexes that are insoluble guaranine the matacine and caffeine , respectively found in the guarana seed, yerba mate leaf and tea.

In humans, caffeine acts as a stimulant of the central nervous system and cardiovascular system, decreasing sleepiness and increasing attention temporarily. Beverages containing caffeine such as coffee, tea, some sodas and some energy drinks are very popular. In fact, caffeine is the most consumed psychoactive substance in the world, it is legal in all countries unlike other psychoactive substances. In North America, 90% of adults consume caffeine daily. The Food and Drug Administration lists caffeine among the “multipurpose food substances generally recognized as safe”.

There is caffeine in different species of plants where it would act as a natural pesticide, especially in seedlings whose leaf is under development and which have not yet established a protective mechanism ; caffeine leads to paralysis and even death of some insects that feed on the plant . High levels of caffeine were measured in the soil around the seedlings of coffee, caffeine is therefore acting also as an inhibitor of germination and growth of coffee seedlings to neighbors, thus increasing the chances of survival of seedlings by removing the competition .

Globally, the primary source of caffeine is the “grain” of coffee (actually the seed of the coffee) from which the coffee is brewed. The caffeine content of coffee varies greatly and depends on the type of coffee bean and method of preparation, even the seeds from one foot may have been differences in concentration. The amount contained in one serving of coffee ranges from about 40 milligrams for an espresso (30 milliliters) of arabica variety, about 100 mg per cup (120 ml) of filtered coffee. The roasted coffee shop usually has less caffeine than the one that is less because the roasting reduces the caffeine content of the seed , . Arabica coffee normally contains less caffeine than robusta. The different kinds of coffee have varying levels of caffeine Charrier’s Coffee (Coffea charrieriana) from Cameroon in 2008 and described thus produces virtually grain without caffeine. Coffee also contains trace amounts of theophylline, but no theobromine.

Tea is another source of caffeine, but its effect on humans is milder and more gradual than from coffee. This difference is mainly explained by the fact that tea contains a large amount of tannins that slow the absorption of caffeine. Furthermore, although the tea contains more caffeine than coffee to equal weight, a usual portion contains much less because the tea is usually brewed more weakly. Besides the intensity of the infusion, the type of tea, growing conditions, processing techniques and other variables also affect caffeine content. There is no relationship between the color of tea and caffeine . Thus teas such as pale green Japanese tea Gyokuro contain more caffeine than other teas such as darker Lapsang Souchong, which contains very little. The tea contains a small amount of theobromine and theophylline content slightly above the cafe.

Caffeine is also a common ingredient in some soft drinks such as Coca-Cola, which replaced its stimulant properties extracts of coca leaves and kola nuts used originally for its preparation. These sodas generally contain between Tadalis SX 10 and 50 mg of caffeine per serving. In comparison, an energy drink like Red Bull over 80 mg of caffeine per serving. The caffeine in these drinks comes from ingredients used or is added as an additive, it is then obtained by a natural product of decaffeination or from chemical synthesis. The guarana, an ingredient of typical energy drinks, contains large amounts of caffeine and theobromine and low levels of theophylline .

Chocolate, cocoa derivative, contains a small amount of caffeine. The slight stimulatory effect of chocolate is it seems as much due to the combination of theobromine and theophylline than caffeine . However, chocolate contains too little of these compounds to cause a similar effect to portion equal to coffee. A bar of milk chocolate contains 28 g and about as much caffeine as a cup of decaffeinated coffee.

In recent years, several manufacturers have begun to add caffeine in bath products like shampoo and soap, claiming that caffeine can be absorbed through the skin . However, the effectiveness of such products has not been demonstrated and it is unlikely they have a stimulating effect on the central nervous system, because caffeine is hardly absorbed through the skin .

Some manufacturers sell caffeine pills, saying that using pharmaceutical grade caffeine improves alertness. This was contradicted by a study showing that caffeine, whether in tablet or not, reduces fatigue and increases alertness as effectively . These tablets are generally used by students preparing for their Kamagra jelly exams or by persons working or driving for long hours .

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