By Olivia Hurr, Robertson Knies and Manuela Sanchez Cortes
Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system (CNS). CNS stimulants affect wakefulness, neurological activity and reaction times, according to the National Institutes of Health. This explains why college students would gravitate toward caffeine while studying.
Marina Plottseva, a junior at USF, consumes caffeine every day in the form of coffee and energy drinks. She said caffeine often helps her wake up in the morning and focus. She also enjoys the taste of coffee.
“I only consume caffeine when it’s around, and I don’t drink energy drinks, just coffee,” said Alexa Revo, another USF student. “Caffeine affects me positively because it makes me feel energized and I am able to do my work. Sometimes it affects me negatively and makes me feel shaky.”
The University of South Florida features multiple suppliers of caffeine, including Buddy Brew Coffee in the Judy Genshaft Honors College.
While caffeine has many positive effects on the brain, it also affects the brain in a negative way, according to an article by the American Medical Association.
“The obvious side effect is that it can cause insomnia because it is intentionally trying to keep someone awake,” said Shannon Kilgore, a neurologist at the Veterans Affairs Health Care System in Palo Alto, California. “In people who don’t regularly drink caffeine, they’re the most vulnerable to the insomnia component.”
“There are concerns about increasing anxiety for some people,” said Dr. Nicole Clark, a neurologist at St. Peter’s Health Medical Group in Helena, Montana. “Caffeine is a stimulant, and it stimulates some of the chemicals in your brain, speeding everything up.”