Caffeine myth or caffeine fact? It’s not always easy to know. Chances are you have some misunderstanding about caffeine. Read on. Here are some of the most common myths about caffeine and some facts have been gathered to shed light on them.
Myth one: Caffeine is addictive
Caffeine is a stimulant(起刺激作用的食物) to the central nervous system, and regular use of caffeine does cause mild physical dependence. But caffeine doesn’t threaten your physical, social, or economic health the way addictive drugs do. If you stop taking caffeine abruptly, you may have symptoms for a day or more, especially when you have been used to consuming two or more cups of coffee a day. However, caffeine does no cause the severity of withdrawal or harmful drug-seeking behaviors as drugs or alcohol. For this reason, most experts don’t consider caffeine dependence a serious addiction.
Myth two: Caffeine probably causes insomnia(失眠症)
Processed mainly through the liver, caffeine has a relatively short half-life. This means you can get rid of half of it within about five to seven hours on average. After eight to ten hours, 75% of the caffeine is gone. For most people, a cup of coffee or two in the morning won’t prevent them from sleeping at night. Consuming caffeine later in the day, however, can interfere with sleep. Your sleep won’t be affected if you don’t consume caffeine at least six hours before going to bed.
Myth three: Caffeine harms children
As of 2004, children aged 6 to 9 consumed about milligrams of caffeine per day. This is well within the recommended limit. However, energy drinks that contain a lot of caffeine are becoming increasingly popular, so this number may go up. Some kids are sensitive to caffeine, developing temporary anxiety or irritability, with a “crash” afterwards. Also, most caffeine that kids drink is in sodas, energy drinks, or sweetened teas, all of which have high sugar content. These empty calories put kids at higher risk for obesity. Even if the caffeine itself isn’t harmful, caffeinated drinks are generally not good for kids.
Myth four: Caffeine has no health benefits
Caffeine has few proven health benefits. But the list of caffeine’s potential benefits is interesting. Any regular coffee drinkers may tell you that caffeine improves alertness, concentration, energy and clear-headedness. Scientific studies support these subjective finding. One French study even showed a slower decline in cognitive ability among women who consumed caffeine. Other possible benefits include helping certain types of headaches. These research findings are interesting, but still need to be proven.

Title	About caffeine
【小题1】.	Facts
Caffeine if additive.	If you use caffeine【小题2】, you may become physically dependent on it to some extent. Caffeine doesn’t cause the severity of withdrawal or harmful drug-seeking 【小题3】of addictive drugs or alcohol.
Caffeine is【小题4】 to cause insomnia.	Your body can 【小题5】 75% of the caffeine that you have consumed within eight to ten hours. Drinking one or two cups of coffee in the morning has no effect on your sleep at night. 【小题6】 Consuming caffeine at least six hours before going to bed, and your sleep won’t be affected.
Caffeine harms children.	Consuming caffeine within the【小题7】 limit does no harm to children. Energy drinks that contain a lot of caffeine and sugar have gained increasing 【小题8】among children. It is not the caffeine itself but caffeinated drinks that are generally not good for children.
People don’t benefit from caffeine.	Caffeine can help people become more alert, concentrated,【小题9】,and clear-headed. Caffeine may help ease problem with【小题10】.