Coffeine

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Introduction
Caffeine is a xanthine alkaloid with stimulant properties. It is used to elevate mood, increase energy, and block fatigue. It is both safer and far less euphoric than stronger stimulants like Амф and Кока. Tolerance to it can be built extremely rapidly.

Caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive drug in the world.

Timeline of Experience (Erowid)
Onset: 15-45 minutes (dependent on form and stomach contents)
Duration: 1.5-5 hours
Residual: up to 24 hours

Note: Caffeine's desirable effects peak for about an hour, so frequent low-level redosing can effectively prolong them.

Caffeine Effects (Erowid, Erowid Experiences Calmclinic)

• Increased alertness
• Decreased boredom
• Increased energy
• Greater performance on endurance exercises
• Greater performance on simple, repetitive tasks
• Excitability
• Elevated mood
• Reduction of anxiety (Calmclinic)
• Euphoria (rare) (Erowid Experiences)
• Increased heart rate

Dosages (Erowid)

(Oral Caffeine Dosages)

Threshold 10-20 mg
Common 50-150 mg
Strong 150-400 mg
Very Strong (or with tolerance) 400+ mg
Lethal Dose 3-20 grams oral
LD50 192 mg/kg in rats

Method of administration
Oral
Caffeine is usually consumed in a liquid form. This route has excellent bioavailability and is difficult to accidentally overdose on because it is absorbed so rapidly. Negative effects will appear quickly and the user can easily tell when they need to stop their consumption.

It can also be taken in pills. This is a more dangerous method, as their absorption is slower and a greater amount can be consumed at one time. A large portion of overdoses have occurred this way.

Insufflation
This route is not very well documented. It would presumably have a more rapid onset than oral use.

Contraindications and Overdose (Erowid)
A caffeine overdose can cause panic attacks, severe nausea, and tachycardia. Delirium and seizures can also occur in particularly extreme cases. While caffeine is safer than most other stimulants, it is not harmless, and a number of people have died or become seriously ill because they did not appreciate its potential dangers.

Alcohol and caffeine are a dangerous combination, as the caffeine will block enough of the alcohol's sedation to make a user feel less drunk than they are while failing to counter most of its depressant effects. It also seems likely that the added mood-lift from caffeine would lead to even more seriously impaired judgement than with alcohol alone, but this is merely speculation on the part of the author.

Possible Drug Interactions
Caffeine will add to the effects of other stimulants.

Pre-Existing Conditions That Should Not be Mixed With Caffeine
Caffeine can be dangerous for people with heart conditions or disorders that prevent their bodies from metabolizing it properly.

Negative Short-Term Side Effects (Erowid)

• Nervousness and anxiety at high doses or in sensitive individuals
• Tachycardia
• Insomnia
• Dehydration
• Gastrointestinal distress
• Muscle tremors
• Decreased coordination
• Heartburn
• Headache
• Muscle cramps
• Irritability
• Seizures at very high doses
• Delirium at very high doses
• Energy levels and mood will often decline after caffeine's main effects have ended (crash)

Negative Long-Term Side Effects (Erowid, news-medical.net)

• Sleep deprivation
• Possible heart damage with chronic high usage
• Acid reflux
• Stomach ulcers

Addiction and Withdrawal Issues
Because of its mood-enhancing properties, caffeine is a somewhat effective anxiolytic (though it can also have the opposite effect) and antidepressant. It also reduces fatigue. Using it frequently for any of these purposes can easily lead to addiction and physical dependence. While it has a more favorable side effect profile than many SSRIs and other antidepressants (Mayoclinic), the speed with which it builds tolerance limits its usefulness in this role, though long-term usage still appears to be associated with a lower risk of suicide (businessinsider.com).

Caffeine addiction is usually far less damaging than addiction to other stimulants or drugs in general, likely because it does not reliably cause euphoria or mask the user's negative emotions beyond a small extent.

Cessation after frequent use can lead to an unpleasant withdrawal syndrome:

Caffeine withdrawal symptoms (Energyfiend):

• Craving
• Depression
• Lack of focus
• Hypersomnia
• Lethargy
• Headache
• Body aches

Harm Reduction
Caffeine may be dangerous for people with heart problems. It may temporarily help or worsen anxiety disorders, depending on the amount consumed and the individual's reactions. Physical dependence and tolerance can be avoided by using it on an occasional or semi-regular basis, though this will maximize its negative effects as well as its positive ones.

Caffeine is not an effective long-term treatment for sleep deprivation, although it is often used as one. Over time, tolerance is built up, and most of the apparent reduction in fatigue comes from alleviating the symptoms of withdrawal.

Legal Issues
Caffeine is legal in America, Canada, and almost everywhere else.

History of Caffeine
Fill in later.

Chemistry (Erowid)
Name: Caffeine
Chemical name: 3,7-Dihydro-1,3,7-trimethyl-1H-purine-2,6-dione
Alternate chemical names: 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine; 1,3,7-trimethyl-2,6-dioxopurine; coffeine
Alternate chemical names: thein; guaranine; methyltheobromine; mateine (Wikipedia)
Chemical formula: C8H10N4O2
Molecular weight: 194.19
LD50 Dog: 140 mg/kg oral
LD50 Rat:105 mg/kg IV
LD Low (Lethal Dose): Human deaths reported at less than 4 grams oral.

Mechanism of Action (news-medical.net)
Caffeine mainly acts by blocking the binding of adenosine to its receptors. This leads to a reduction of fatigue, its most well-known effect. It also somewhat increases the levels of many neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, glutamate, epinephrine, dopamine, and, in high doses, norepinephrine (worldofcaffeine.com).

Preparation
Caffeine can be created by man in the laboratory; more commonly, it is extracted and/or brewed from any one of a large variety of natural plants, trees and related food sources found all throughout the world.