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Better grades at the risk of health: is the trade-off worthwhile?
KARACHI, May 8(Daily Times): Where demand for stationery items increases during exam time, it seems
as if another industry that's minting money during the time is one producing
products containing caffeine, a scientifically proven nerve stimulant and
possibly a dangerous one at that.
During exams, students often seek the
aid of one or the other caffeine-containing product in order to cope with their
hectic schedules. What these students and their parents don't realise is that
high doses of caffeine could have an adverse affect on their bodies.
"The
only way I'll survive through my A-levels is by drinking lots of coffee," said
Nadia. "Some of my exams are crammed into a single day. This will warrant an
entire night of studying and only endless cups of coffee can ensure that I
manage to stay awake."
Other favorites among students, in their quest to
stay awake, include energy drinks like Red Bull and cola drinks. "My friends and
I will be popping cans of Red Bull all through this month," informed Saima. "An
energy drink like Red Bull keeps me alert and helps me concentrate."
Dr
Maria Hussain, a general physician, said that ingesting high doses of caffeine
for a short period of time, as in the case of students preparing for
examinations, is not very harmful to the body. "However, caffeine can be very
addictive," she warned. "By the time the exams are over, students may be so
hooked on to the 'caffeine high' that they continue to drink or eat products
containing caffeine. In the long term, this habit can be very harmful to the
body."
Dr Hussain listed a large number of adverse effects of caffeine
including irritability, high blood pressure, increased risk of a heart attack,
insomnia, palpitations, heartburn, increased risk of rectum and bladder cancer,
increased calcium losses in bones, high cholesterol levels, obesity, and even
nervousness.
Furthermore, she said, once a person begins to take in
large doses of caffeine, it is increasingly difficult to kick the habit. "As in
the case of any addiction, the patient experiences withdrawal symptoms,"
informed Dr Hussain. "These symptoms include irritability, agitation, mood
swings, and exhaustion. There is a constant temptation to drink or eat
caffeine-containing products but if this is done, the addiction just gets
stronger."
Asma, an A-level student, plans like many of her peers to
drink large amounts of cola drinks while studying for her exams. "Drinking cola
makes me feel energised, but not always," she observed. "Sometimes I am unable
to stay awake despite drinking cola." Even in normal days, Asma drinks two to
three glasses of cola.
According to Dr Nazish Saud, Asma's body has
probably grown immune to high doses of caffeine. "In order to stay awake, she
would have to consume higher, and even more toxic, amounts of caffeine," said Dr
Saud. "Immunity to high caffeine doses is dangerous because it may impel some
people to switch to stimulants that are stronger than caffeine just to stay
energised and awake. Such drugs are even more addictive and life-threatening
than caffeine."
One such drug is Ritalin, which has currently been under
much scrutiny due to its negative side effects. Ritalin is often prescribed to
children with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and is said to help them focus.
However, Ritalin has in the past, been misused by students without ADD. It is
much stronger than caffeine and helps them study with greater
concentration.
Dr Sadia Iqbal warned that an incorrect dosage of Ritalin
could prove to be fatal. "Ritalin is a highly toxic and addictive medication,"
she said. "It can lead to abdominal pains, heart attack, seizures, weight loss,
insomnia, nausea, palpitations, and dizziness. Students may still take it,
thinking that they'll leave it once their exams are over. What they don't
realise is just how addictive Ritalin is. No examination is worth putting your
life at stake by ingesting a stimulant drug like Ritalin."
Due to its
dangerous side effects, Ritalin has been banned by the Government of Pakistan.
Nevertheless, some students have still heard of the medicine. "My friends told
me about this medicine, but they called it a 'caffeine-tablet'," said Tabraiz,
an O-level student. "It is very tempting to take a medicine that helps you study
better but I'd rather not. Trying something like this right before exams is just
too risky."
A staff member at a pharmacy at Gizri said that they no
longer kept Ritalin in stock. "This medicine is short in the market and even if
you find it in some pharmacy, you'll have to pay double the price for it," he
said. "A lot of drug addicts used to come to our shop asking for this medicine.
Even when we had Ritalin in stock, we never sold it without a
prescription."
The staff at another pharmacy also stated that they no
longer stocked Ritalin. "This medicine has been banned by the government due to
its addictive properties," said a staff member. "It can probably only be bought
directly from the manufacturers and even then, only with a prescription."
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