Students’ grades are impacted by their caffeine consumption during exams.
Starbucks barista Ramon Borrego, who has been working at the campus coffee shop for four months, noticed that coffee sales spike during exams week. Students come looking for extra shots of espresso, hoping for energy boosts.
Borrego shares,
“Yeah, especially during exams week, like in finals, sometimes they order just the straight shot of espresso, or a double shot.”
UTRGV Health and Biomedical Sciences Professor Chelsea Alamilla said students might want to reconsider their beverage choice.
“So caffeine before a test is not a good idea. You’ll be running to the restroom every couple of minutes, you will get severe anxiety, and you won’t be able to concentrate.”
She says that an excessive amount of caffeine intake can negatively impact a student’s health and cognitive function; outcomes such as increased anxiety, insomnia and heart rates are common side effects.
Alamilla does not recommend any kind of stimulant, such as caffeine, to people who already experience illnesses such as anxiety or heart palpitations, as it might worsen it.
Instead, she suggests substituting it for drinks including tea and water.
“It can increase your blood pressure, so if you have already an underlying issue with those, I mean, it could have detrimental effects, you don’t want to have your heart out of rhythm”
Andi Quintanilla, a UTRGV student, says caffeine can sometimes affect her anxiety.
“I actually, I have an anxiety disorder, and so it messes with it, but sometimes I just get decaf.”
However, Professor Alamilla said that controlled amounts of caffeine intake can be extremely beneficial and result in increased acuity, energy and ability to concentrate.
“It can increase acuity, it can increase focus..”
Alamilla says drinking caffeine can be more than only to increase a person’s alertness. Consuming caffeine over periods of time might decrease the likelihood of migraines, strokes, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.
“Decrease the risk of stroke, of Parkinson’s, some studies are showing that it’s decreasing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. It also helps with people that have migraines.”
This is Silvana Villarreal for Vaquero Radio
