As indicated by a recent report distributed by the American Foundation of Pediatrics, nearly three-quarters (75%) of children, adolescents, and young adults consume caffeine, as the pop says, espresso, and drinks containing caffeine. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Caffeine is a drug, a stimulant drug, to be exact. It is also possible to be physically dependent on it, meaning that a person accustomed to drinking a lot of caffeinated beverages may experience withdrawal symptoms if they stop. Desensitizes your body to caffeine. We all know what happens when you drink coffee regularly: you have to drink more and more to get the same effects. Caffeine is just as addictive as nicotine and recreational drugs and affects your body in the same way, meaning that no matter how much you drink, you'll never get the same "high" as the first time. The more coffee you drink, the more you will need to get the same effect. Not only is it difficult to get the same “high,” but you also develop a caffeine addiction in addition to tolerance. If you stop drinking coffee, you get “shakes,” headaches, and other negatives. It's a well-documented fact: caffeine increases blood pressure. But did you know that increased blood pressure is caused by vascular resistance and not by an increase in heart rate or blood flow? This means that caffeine makes the heart work harder to pump blood through the body. High blood pressure is one of the most common risk factors in coronary heart disease. Essentially, drinking caffeinated beverages will force your heart to work double time just to pump oxygen and nutrients through your body. For those who suffer from high blood pressure, perhaps it's time to reduce your Java consumption. Increases acid production – Especially hydrochloric and gastric acids. Both of these acids are necessary to break down food in the stomach. However, too much acid can cause stomach problems. The acid can seep into the stomach lining (causing ulcers) or increase the risk of acid reflux. This is even more of a problem if you drink coffee early in the morning, when there is no food in your stomach to mitigate the effects of the acid. Strangely enough, it's not the caffeine's fault! One study found that roasting coffee is most likely responsible for increasing the release of stomach acid. Not everyone who drinks coffee experiences digestive problems, but most people who suffer from IBS, ulcerative colitis, gastritis, peptic ulcers and Crohn's disease will find that coffee irritates their digestive system and makes their stomach/digestion problems worse . When you drink coffee, you increase the production of acid in your stomach. This increase in acid weakens the stomach lining, making it easier for bacteria (such as the H. pylori bacteria responsible for ulcers) to penetrate the stomach tissue. And the effects are not limited to the stomach! Coffee can also irritate the small intestine, causing cramps, abdominal spasms, and alternating constipation and diarrhea, a condition known as IBS. Have you ever felt a burning, stabbing pain in your chest or stomach after drinking coffee? If so, coffee could be causing acid reflux or heartburn. Caffeine relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter, the muscle that prevents food from moving back up the throat once it hits the stomach. When the sphincter relaxes, it allows food and acid to move up into the esophagus, and the acid burns the unprotected tissue of the esophagus. Coffee isn't the only drink that can cause heartburn and acid reflux, caffeinated sodas and tea are also/