Sylvester 1

Zachary Sylvester
Professor Beattie
3 April, 2015
English 101

Coffee, a boon to the thinkers, doers and procrastinators. This caffeine rich nectar of the
gods is used by peoples across the globe as a sleep deterrent, a morning pick-me-up, or a
cubicle necessity, and all on account of its high caffeine content. But why do we so helplessly
fall into the warm embrace of coffee, and does it have the capacity for something beyond a
simple stimulant. Caffeine, through research and study has been shown to be the exact wrong
thing the working man needs, yet something everyone should partake. It is a healthy, protective,
double-edged sword that will as readily kill your foes as it will take your head.

Sam is the average, everyday Joe. He wakes up each day at the crack of dawn to prepare
for his normal job as an office worker. On the weekends Sam barbecues with his family and
neighbors, and often goes fishing with his father. When Sam wakes up from his fitful sleep, mind
awash with horrifying dreams of a life he could have lived, he needs a little kick in the pants to
get his day going. So Sam gets himself a steaming cup of joe, and sets off for work. Jess is the
quintessential working woman. She puts in all the effort required from her boss, and she gets
paid well because of it. She subsides off of a constant stream of caffeine, flitting from coffee to
tea, and tea to soda throughout her day. But little do Sam and Jess know that caffeine could be
their undoing.

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Caffeine, through a study done and recorded by Peter Rogers, a foremost mind in the
field of psychopharmacology, has been shown to have a negative effect on the human mind. In
the study separate pools of individuals were exposed to either a high concentration of caffeine
or a placebo which they were told had effects akin to caffeine. In those who were exposed to
caffeine their productivity rates spiked, but the quality of the work was poor comparatively to
their typical work. Those who were exposed to the placebo worked slower than those with
caffeine, but their work was much higher quality. This shows that caffeine has a noticeable
effect on productivity, and should be kept from the workplace. An additional detrimental effect
is the possibility that the highly concentrated amounts of caffeine found in the popular form of
coffee, espresso, may increase the chance of heart disease. Little research has been done on
this topic, however, and true results have yet to be shown.

On the opposing end of the spectrum, coffee has a large capacity for benevolence as
well. Researchers at Rutgers University have found a way of combating skin cancer in

laboratory mice. They used caffeine, a stimulant found in coffee, tea, chocolate, and many soft
drinks (Caffeine). Through the studies done at Rutger, coffee, and by extension caffeine, has
been shown to have the possibility of deterring cancer in humans. Emily Sohn, in a Los Angeles
Times article states Studies have shown that coffee and tea have the propensity to fight heart
disease, diabetes, and Parkinsons. The concurrent evidence shows caffeine, through its
bearers, has the ability to be a healthy deterrent for debilitating diseases.

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Should Sam and Jess give up their caffeine intake and habits. Should the benefits of
caffeine, the defense against disease abandoned on account of the decreased quality of work
that it causes. Should either defer from espresso on account of its probable detriments.
Caffeine should not be encouraged in the workplace, if only to protect the work done there. But
at the same time, coffee and tea should be a part of any healthy adults daily routine. The
benefits it provides far outweigh its detriments in non-productivity focused situation. Caffeine
is a boon to mankind, but not in the workplace, in schools, or at the homes of those who work
constantly.

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Works Cited
"Caffeine A Cancer Cure?." Current Science 88.7 (2002): 12. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 1 Apr.
2015.
Carpenter, Murray. "A Century Later, Jury's Still Out on Caffeine Limits." New York Times

(1923-Current file): 1. Mar 29 2011.ProQuest. Web. 1 Apr. 2015 .

No Link Between Heart Disease And Caffeine." Australian Nursing Journal 3.11 (1996): 16.

MasterFILE Premier. Web. 1 Apr. 2015.

Rogers, Peter, et al. "Faster But Not Smarter: Effects Of Caffeine And Caffeine Withdrawal On
Alertness And Performance."Psychopharmacology 226.2 (2013): 229-240. Academic

Search Premier. Web. 1 Apr. 2015.

Sohn, Emily. "What is it about Coffee?; the Caffeine Gives You a Jolt, but the Drinks Vaunted
Health
Benefits may be in Spite of the Stimulant rather than because of it." Los Angeles Times
Jun 25
2007. ProQuest. Web. 1 Apr. 2015.