Coffee – The most consumed psychoactive substance in the world!

Coffee is a beverage made from roasted coffee beans. Coffee contains a psychoactive substance called caffeine, which acts on the central nervous system and, among other functions, increases the state of alertness of those who consume it. In addition to coffee, the substance can be found in some teas, soft drinks, energy drinks and chocolates.

It is one of the substances most studied by science as a supplement, but it is not for everyone. There must be sufficient motivation and purpose for its consumption and caution, because in excess it can cause negative effects on the body, such as tachycardia, anxiety, tremors, headaches, nausea, insomnia and palpitations.

If your daily habit is to drink a few cups of coffee and rarely an energy drink, don’t worry… But for consumption to be considered healthy, the time of day matters.

When caffeine reaches our body, it acts for a few hours, with its maximum peak between 35 minutes and 1 hour, but it can remain in our system for up to 12 hours on average. Therefore, the best time to drink that coffee is in the morning, and if you really want it, have another cup by 2:00 p.m. at the latest, so that it doesn’t affect your sleep, since our production of melatonin is affected when we are under the influence of this substance.

Melatonin is one of the hormones that has the function of making us aware of sleep, that the time for rest is approaching.

Children up to 12 years old should not consume beverages containing caffeine, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, precisely because there is no safe dose for children and the symptoms mentioned above, when consumed in excess, can easily be observed in children due to its action on the central nervous system.