Caffeine Effects: Withdrawal, Sleep & Health Impact

Caffeine impacts everything from sleep quality to concentration and heart rate. Learn how long withdrawal takes, the diuretic effects on the body, and the potential risks of taking caffeine tablets with medication or alcohol.

Ritalin and Caffeine

Published Aug,17 2011 | By Cindy Ell

Caffeine is perhaps the most popularly consumed psychoactive substance in the world, according to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. While caffeine is widely available in coffee and a variety of other drinks and foods, Ritalin is a prescription drug reserved for diagnosed illnesses.

Cindy Ell began writing professionally in 1990. A former medical librarian, she has written materials for hospitals, medical associations, the "Nashville Scene" and "Coping Magazine." She received her Bachelor of Arts in linguistics from the University of Massachusetts and her Master of Library and Information Science from Pratt Institute. She is currently a full-time freelance medical writer.