Is caffeine a harmful drug? Discuss the effects of caffeine addiction and the long-term health ...

Caffeine is a drug that is derived from the chemical family called xanthines. Theophylline and theobromine are found in tea and chocolate. Xanthines are mild CNS stimulants that enhance mental alertness and reduce feelings of fatigue. Side effects of xanthines include wakefulness, insomnia, irregular heartbeat, dizziness, nausea, indigestion and sometimes mild delirium. Some people also experience heartburn.
Until the mid-1970s, caffeine was not medically recognized as addictive. But that has changed. Caffeine intoxication, or caffeinism, is now considered harmful. Symptoms of caffeinism include chronic insomnia, jitters, irritability, nervousness, anxiety and involuntary muscle twitches. Withdrawing the caffeine may compound the effects and produce severe headaches.
Long-term caffeine use has been suspected of being linked to a number of serious health problems, ranging from heart disease and cancer to mental dysfunction and birth defects. However, no strong evidence exists to suggest that moderate caffeine use (less than 300 mg daily) produces harmful effects in healthy, nonpregnant people.