A STUDY ON CAFFEINE INTAKE AND ITS EFFECT ON WITHDRAWAL, STUDY AND SLEEP PATTERN IN MEDICAL STUDENTS OF THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE).
Tasneem Sandozi*, Sadhiya Siyad, Sarah Jamil and Samreen Kidwai
ABSTRACT
Aim: To assess caffeine intake and determine its effect on withdrawal, study and sleep pattern in medical students across the UAE. Material Methods: A cross sectional study, by means of a detailed online survey, was conducted for four months between December 2015 and April 2016 in all the four medical colleges of UAE. Results: The total number of medical students included in the study was 275 of which 208 were consumers and 67 non-consumers of caffeine. The consumption was in the form of coffee (44.2%), tea (41.3%) and other drinks (coke, Pepsi and red bull – 14.5%). The mean caffeine intake was 210.62 mg, 86.13 mg and 78.63 mg in coffee, tea and other drinks respectively. Headache, drowsiness and lack of concentration were the chief withdrawal symptoms noted by the medical students. The concentration level (with coffee 75%, tea 62.8% and carbonated drinks 10%) was observed to be enhanced in a majority of caffeine consumers. There was no significant effect of caffeine on the sleep pattern of consumers. Conclusion: There was not much variation noticed in the sleep pattern of the caffeine consumers in this study. However diverse results were observed in its effect on the study pattern, Withdrawal effects were mild in the form of headache, drowsiness and lack of concentration.
Keywords: Caffeine, withdrawal effects, psychoactive drug, dependence
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