We live in a culture of caffeine. While walking downtown past countless coffee shops, we don't even bat a lash when we hear caffeine-starved customers in line bark out coffee orders. "Quad grande, extra foam, extra hot, no whip white chocolate mocha. Please."

I love caffeine. Dare I say, I need caffeine. But recently I've been noticing that caffeine is everywhere, and I can't shake the feeling that America might be developing a problem.

Chemically, caffeine is known as trimethylxanthine. This strong and potent chemical is most commonly found in tea leaves and coffee beans. Once these beans or leaves are brewed and consumed, caffeine enters the body and begins to work its magic.

Recreational caffeine users consume caffeine when they feel sleepy or need an extra boost. This feeling of sleepiness occurs when the body produces a chemical called adenosine. The chemical builds up during the day and binds to receptors in the brain. This binding causes sleepiness and drowsiness, leading many to think of caffeine as a solution to their low energy.

While the process that takes place when caffeine enters the body is complex, the basic idea is that when caffeine is consumed, it binds to the same receptors in the brain that the sleep-causing adenosine chemicals bind to. This bond causes an increased number of neurons to fire in the brain. The body, being the smart machine that it is, sees these neurons firing and thinks that a crisis or emergency is taking place, so it produces adrenaline.

This rapid release of adrenaline is what wakes you up and makes you jittery. In the short term, caffeine makes you more alert and gives you more energy. Studies are now showing, however, that the long-term effects of caffeine include several health problems, including addiction.

Many scientists believe that an addiction to caffeine occurs partially because of the increased level of dopamine that caffeine produces after consumption. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that acts as a pleasure-maker and when activated, creates feelings of happiness and bliss. These feelings can be addictive, and when associated with caffeine, they can cause a full-blown caffeine addiction.

According to a recent article in The U.S. News & World Report, the number of young adults between the ages of 18-24 who consume coffee on a daily basis has doubled in the past three years. In addition to this, the article reports a shocking new trend on college campuses — the use of the stimulants Adderall and Ritalin to power late-night partying or studying. Some people need these drugs to treat the effects of ADHD, but in the wrong hands they can produce a dangerous jolt of energy that lasts for hours.

Coffee culture has some serious consequences, and it becomes a little too ridiculous when children begin participating in the never-ending cycle of caffeine fixation that their parents are part of.

According to the article, children's consumption of caffeine has doubled in the past few decades. Today, American children are drinking far more cans of Coke than glasses of milk. This early introduction to caffeine paves the way for health problems and addiction, all before their 12th birthday.

Even energy drinks are trying to market to a younger generation. Brands like Monster and Rockstar package their products in bright, colorful cans that can attract the attention of every child in the supermarket. These tactics have worked for the energy drink industry, which generates $3.5 billion per year in sales.

Caffeine is also being marketed toward big kids. New brands of caffeinated alcohol are finding places on supermarket shelves and in liquor stores. Take a look at Budweiser's "Bud Extra," a caffeinated beer, and the caffeinated Van Gogh Vodka. In many bars and clubs, vodka and Redbull cocktails are frequently ordered, as are martinis made with coffee liqueur.

After a long day of consuming coffee, soda, energy drinks and possibly a caffeinated alcoholic beverage, a typical person can start to experience the jitters and succumb to the inability to focus, anxiety and heart palpitations that too much caffeine can bring. Caffeine abuse can also cause gastrointestinal reflux and severe stomach pain, as well as increased chance for a miscarriage in pregnant women. In the most severe cases, a caffeine overdose can cause cardiac arrest and death.

On a daily basis, we are constantly surrounded by caffeine, whether we realize it or not. The important thing to remember is that in moderation, caffeine is a good drink for a pick-me-up, but abusing it can lead to serious consequences. Keep this in mind the next time you drink your daily quad grande, extra foam, extra hot, no whip white chocolate mocha.

Reach columnist Sara Wilson at opinion@thedaily.washington.edu.