It's the most widely used psychoactive drug in the world, 80 percent of British adults use it on a weekly basis and globally it's estimated that the market for C8H10N402 (or caffeine, if you prefer) is worth around US$70 billion annually. For most people, it is an integral part of their working lives, providing a much-needed boost at strategic times throughout the day - from the morning wake-up to the mid-afternoon pick-me-up. But are they drinking too much?
Evidence regarding the health effects of caffeine is inconclusive. For every study that seems to link caffeine to issues such as coronary heart disease and high cholesterol, another suggests caffeine could have beneficial properties. But whether or not (a moderate intake of) caffeine is good for you, it is still a drug - and as such it is possible to become addicted to it and, in very extreme situations, to overdose on it - though you'd need to have drunk the equivalent of around 80 cups of coffee.
But for the tired, worn-out worker, caffeine can help get you through the most boring of meetings: with its short-term stimulant effect on the brain, it increases the capacity for physical and mental labor. The only problem comes when the stimulant wears off and you're left with the corresponding trough, in which you feel excessively tired - and you reach for another coffee to get you through it.
Really hardcore coffee drinking can lead to caffeine intoxication, which might manifest itself as extreme restlessness, or even produce symptoms such as a racing pulse or an uncomfortable rushing sensation. And drinking too late into the evening isn't advised. It can take around four hours for caffeine to leave the system and even a low dose can be enough to rob you of sleep.
But there's no need to ditch the latte-run just yet. According to Frankie Phillips, a dietician from the British Dietetic Association, there are also advantages to the coffee break. "If you've got an office full of people taking coffee breaks and ingesting caffeine, then that means that those people are all benefiting from the stimulant effect of caffeine. Going to get a cup of coffee also gives you an opportunity to get away from the desk and be sociable. We also know that people who take regular breaks are more productive, so potentially the efficiency of the workforce is being improved by coffee breaks," she says.
"Some people argue that because caffeine has a diuretic effect on the body it can lead to dehydration, but the way many tend to drink it [in lattes and cappuccinos], it's likely to keep you in positive fluid balance. So, provided its taken in moderation, we don't see coffee as a threat to health."
But many people are still keen to cut their consumption of caffeine - and sales of decaffeinated products are booming. However, reaching a moderate intake can be difficult. Some of the biggest problems associated with caffeine occur when people try to stop using it. Withdrawal symptoms include terrible headaches, panic attacks and extreme irritability.
Phillips has some advice for those who want to switch to a healthier alternative. "If you want to cut down on caffeine it's wise to do it gradually. There have been studies which have looked at the negative effect of suddenly taking caffeine out of the diet. These detox diets where you can't drink anything caffeinated are a classic example of how suddenly stopping caffeine intake can give you the most tremendous headaches.
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