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Stimulants
Caffeine
It is a natural& mild stimulant
present in:
• Coffee;
• Tea;
• Chocolate&
• Cola drinks.
Caffeine
•It isn’t abused but can lead to
serious health problems;
•It increases mental alertness;
•It provides a great feeling of
energy.
• Studies conducted on this topic usually conclude
that the effects of caffeine are dependent on the
person
• Caffeine is a stimulant and it works by interfering
with the brain chemical adenosine. Adenosine
usually slows down activity and has a calming
effect. Higher consumption of caffeine results in
lower levels of adenosine and this is why caffeine
puts off sleep and raises concentration levels
• The peak levels of caffeine in the blood are
reached about 30 minutes after ingestion, and the
half-life in the blood stream is about 4 hours
• Caffeine improves performance in things requiring
“speed,” it is meant that tasks such as simple
arithmetic and visual-choice reaction time
• Caffeine, then, would be ideal for a student
preparing for a test that might require the use of
these tasks.
• However, there is no solid evidence whether
caffeine is or is not helpful in performing
intellectual tasks. It has been shown that caffeine
may worsen performance for more complicated
tasks such as long word problems that are quite
complex
• When caffeine intake becomes high – intakes of
200 milligrams (mg) and more
• nervousness,
• irritability,
• Irrigular heartbeat,
• and digestive system problems.
• Users tend to take longer to fall asleep, sleep less
soundly, and wake more often than non-users.
• Caffeine can also be harmful to your bones by
increasing calcium losses in the urine.
Are Some People More Affected by
Caffeine Than Others?
• The effect of caffeine is dependent in part, on
body weight.
• For example, only 12 ounces of cola (one can)
may have the same effect on a young child as
four cups of coffee would on an adult.
• In pregnant women, caffeine enters the
bloodstream of the fetus. Caffeine intake equal to
5-6 cups of coffee a day has been shown to
increase the number of birth defects in animals.
Although this has not yet been documented in
humans, it is wise for pregnant women to watch
their caffeine intake.
• Studies are showing an increased risk of delivering
an underweight baby for pregnant women with a
caffeine intake of 150 mg. or more per day
Do People Have "Withdrawal
Symptoms" When They Reduce or Stop
Caffeine Use?
• The main symptom a person may experience is
headaches. Other symptoms include fatigue and
depression. These should go away within one
week.
Caffeine Withdrawal
(12-14 hours after last intake)
• Headache
• Irritability
• Fatigue
• Anxiety
• Sleepiness
• Depression
• Drowsiness
• Flu-like symptoms
• Difficulty
concentrating
• Impairment in
psychomotor,
vigilance and
cognitive
performances
•  motivation for
work/tasks
Caffeine Withdrawal
Headache
• Caffeine is very similar in structure to another
chemical in our body called adenosine. One of
adenosine's jobs is to dilate blood vessels in the
head. Caffeine blocks this dilation. Your body then
has to become more sensitive to adenosine to
compensate. The only problem being that when
caffeine is withdrawn, your body is overly sensitive
to adenosine and blood vessels will dilate ,
creating a pounding headache .
Amphetamine
Amphetamine is a psychostimulant drug that is
known to produce:
•increased wakefulness in association with
•decreased fatigue and
•decreased appetite.
Amphetamine is related to drugs that act by
increasing levels of dopamine and norepinephrine
in the brain,
The group includes prescription CNS drugs
commonly used to treat:
•attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD) in children. It is also used to treat
symptoms of
•traumatic brain injury and
•the daytime drowsiness symptoms of
narcolepsy.
•Initially, amphetamine was more popularly
used to diminish the appetite and to
control weight.
The drug is also used illegally as:
•a recreational drug and as
•a performance enhancer.
Recreational users of amphetamine
have coined numerous nicknames for
amphetamine, some of the more
common street names for amphetamine
include:
•speed and
•crank. The name amphetamine is
derived from its chemical name :alphamethylphenethylamine..
Methamphetamines Sometimes Called:
•speed,
•uppers,
•chalk,
•ice,
•glass,
•Christmas tree,
•crank (when injected).
Methamphetamine is:
• a white,
• odorless,
• bitter-tasting crystalline
easily dissolves in:
1. water or
2. alcohol
and is taken:
• orally,
• intranasally
• by needle injection,
• or by smoking.
powder
that
What Adverse Effects Does
Methamphetamine Have on Health?
Taking even small amounts of methamphetamine can
result in many of the same physical effects of other
stimulants, such as cocaine or amphetamines,
including:
•increased wakefulness,
•increased physical activity,
•decreased appetite,
•increased respiration,
•rapid heart rate,
•irregular heartbeat,
•increased blood pressure, and
•hyperthermia.
Long-term methamphetamine abuse has many
negative health consequences, including:
•extreme weight loss,
•severe dental problems (“meth mouth”),
•anxiety,
•confusion,
•insomnia,
•mood disturbances, and
•violent behavior.