What does caffeine mean?

Definitions for caffeine
kæˈfin, ˈkæf incaf·feine

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word caffeine.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. caffeine, caffeinnoun

    a bitter alkaloid found in coffee and tea that is responsible for their stimulating effects

Wiktionary

  1. caffeinenoun

    An alkaloid, CHNO, found naturally in tea and coffee plants which acts as a mild stimulant of the central nervous system.

  2. Etymology: From caféine, from café or Coffein, from Kaffee

Wikipedia

  1. Caffeine

    Caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant of the methylxanthine class. It is mainly used recreationally as a cognitive enhancer, increasing alertness and attentional performance. Caffeine acts by blocking binding of adenosine to the adenosine A1 receptor, which enhances release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Caffeine has a three-dimensional structure similar to that of adenosine, which allows it to bind and block its receptors. Caffeine also increases cyclic AMP levels through nonselective inhibition of phosphodiesterase.Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline purine, a methylxanthine alkaloid, and is chemically related to the adenine and guanine bases of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). It is found in the seeds, fruits, nuts, or leaves of a number of plants native to Africa, East Asia and South America, and helps to protect them against herbivores and from competition by preventing the germination of nearby seeds, as well as encouraging consumption by select animals such as honey bees. The best-known source of caffeine is the coffee bean, the seed of the Coffea plant. People may drink beverages containing caffeine to relieve or prevent drowsiness and to improve cognitive performance. To make these drinks, caffeine is extracted by steeping the plant product in water, a process called infusion. Caffeine-containing drinks, such as coffee, tea, and cola, are consumed globally in high volumes. In 2020, almost 10 million tonnes of coffee beans were consumed globally. Caffeine is the world's most widely consumed psychoactive drug. Unlike most other psychoactive substances, caffeine remains largely unregulated and legal in nearly all parts of the world. Caffeine is also an outlier as its use is seen as socially acceptable in most cultures and even encouraged in others. Caffeine has both positive and negative health effects. It can treat and prevent the premature infant breathing disorders bronchopulmonary dysplasia of prematurity and apnea of prematurity. Caffeine citrate is on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines. It may confer a modest protective effect against some diseases, including Parkinson's disease. Some people experience sleep disruption or anxiety if they consume caffeine, but others show little disturbance. Evidence of a risk during pregnancy is equivocal; some authorities recommend that pregnant women limit caffeine to the equivalent of two cups of coffee per day or less. Caffeine can produce a mild form of drug dependence – associated with withdrawal symptoms such as sleepiness, headache, and irritability – when an individual stops using caffeine after repeated daily intake. Tolerance to the autonomic effects of increased blood pressure and heart rate, and increased urine output, develops with chronic use (i.e., these symptoms become less pronounced or do not occur following consistent use).Caffeine is classified by the US Food and Drug Administration as generally recognized as safe. Toxic doses, over 10 grams per day for an adult, are much higher than the typical dose of under 500 milligrams per day. The European Food Safety Authority reported that up to 400 mg of caffeine per day (around 5.7 mg/kg of body mass per day) does not raise safety concerns for non-pregnant adults, while intakes up to 200 mg per day for pregnant and lactating women do not raise safety concerns for the fetus or the breast-fed infants. A cup of coffee contains 80–175 mg of caffeine, depending on what "bean" (seed) is used, how it is roasted (darker roasts have less caffeine), and how it is prepared (e.g., drip, percolation, or espresso). Thus it requires roughly 50–100 ordinary cups of coffee to reach the toxic dose. However, pure powdered caffeine, which is available as a dietary supplement, can be lethal in tablespoon-sized amounts.

ChatGPT

  1. caffeine

    Caffeine is a natural stimulant most commonly found in tea, coffee, and cacao plants. It works by stimulating the brain and central nervous system, helping you stay alert and preventing the onset of tiredness. Chemically, it belongs to the group of organic compounds known as xanthines. It is also used in medicine due to its various physiological effects on the body.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Caffeinenoun

    a white, bitter, crystallizable substance, obtained from coffee. It is identical with the alkaloid theine from tea leaves, and with guaranine from guarana

  2. Etymology: [Cf. F. cafine. See Coffee.]

Wikidata

  1. Caffeine

    Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a stimulant drug. Caffeine is found in varying quantities in the seeds, leaves, and fruit of some plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding on the plants, as well as enhancing the reward memory of pollinators. It is most commonly consumed by humans in infusions extracted from the seed of the coffee plant and the leaves of the tea bush, as well as from various foods and drinks containing products derived from the kola nut. Other sources include yerba maté, guarana berries, guayusa, and the yaupon holly. In humans, caffeine acts as a central nervous system stimulant, temporarily warding off drowsiness and restoring alertness. It is the world's most widely consumed psychoactive drug, but unlike many other psychoactive substances, it is legal and unregulated in nearly all parts of the world. Beverages containing caffeine, such as coffee, tea, soft drinks, and energy drinks, enjoy great popularity. In North America, 90% of adults consume caffeine daily. Part of the reason caffeine is classified by the Food and Drug Administration as GRAS is that toxic doses are much higher than typically used doses. Ordinary consumption can have low health risks, even when carried on for years – there may be a modest protective effect against some diseases, including Parkinsons Disease, and certain types of cancer. Caffeine can have both positive and negative effects on anxiety disorders. Some people experience sleep disruption if they consume caffeine, especially during the evening hours, but others show little disturbance and the effect of caffeine on sleep is highly variable.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Caffeine

    kaf′e-in, or kaf-ē′in, n. the alkaloid or active principle of coffee and tea. [Fr. caféine. See Coffee.]

U.S. National Library of Medicine

  1. Caffeine

    A methylxanthine naturally occurring in some beverages and also used as a pharmacological agent. Caffeine's most notable pharmacological effect is as a central nervous system stimulant, increasing alertness and producing agitation. It also relaxes SMOOTH MUSCLE, stimulates CARDIAC MUSCLE, stimulates DIURESIS, and appears to be useful in the treatment of some types of headache. Several cellular actions of caffeine have been observed, but it is not entirely clear how each contributes to its pharmacological profile. Among the most important are inhibition of cyclic nucleotide PHOSPHODIESTERASES, antagonism of ADENOSINE RECEPTORS, and modulation of intracellular calcium handling.

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  1. caffeine

    Song lyrics by caffeine -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by caffeine on the Lyrics.com website.

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of caffeine in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of caffeine in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of caffeine in a Sentence

  1. Eleni Papadopoulou:

    Our findings show that high maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy was related to excess growth from infancy and with obesity later in childhood. The results support the current recommendations to limit caffeine intake during pregnancy to less than 200 mg of caffeine per day, which is approximately 2-3 cups of coffee...( but) we also found associations with caffeine intake below 200 mg.

  2. Ali Zaidi:

    You definitely have your caffeine withdrawal period, but in seriousness, you know, this is a month that really pushes you to forge community. It’s very easy when you’re in the 24/7 grind to lose a sense of the people that surround us and strengthen us. This is an opportunity to reach out to them. It’s really a month that’s oriented towards service.

  3. Martha McKittrick:

    Caffeine has effects on the brain and nervous system and can elevate cortisol levels and exacerbate the effects of stress on the body.

  4. Ellen Mowry:

    That being said, if the results are true, there are many compounds in coffee, so it's not clear which compound might be the cause. Caffeine is an attractive candidate and can impact the immune system, so perhaps it helps to combat the autoimmune process in some way.

  5. Ted Kallmyer:

    While the amounts are still much higher than what we experts recommend as a safe daily amount (400 mg), this group of people has, over time, built up their caffeine tolerance and/or their livers process caffeine really well so it doesn't affect them adversely, however, the problem with these products is that they can inadvertently be consumed by people who are not in the targeted category.

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"caffeine." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Mar. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/caffeine>.

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