“It’s not like its cocaine, right?”

Caffeine might not be cocaine, but it’s still a drug. Not only a drug, but the most psychoactive and consumed drug in the world. However, this drug might actually be better for you than you think.

Whether it be by grabbing your morning Starbucks on your way to your grueling 9-to-5, nursing a cataclysmic hangover with one hot sip that heals you or making those three keg stands, two fights and one bad hookup a distant memory, coffee has become central to the lives of people everywhere. The darkly-colored, bitter drink prepared from roasted coffee beans has such a stimulating effect on humans because of its caffeine content. Caffeine is a stimulant for the central nervous system, making people who consume it more alert and attentive due to its enhancement of the brain’s cognitive system. It operates more similarly to a drug like cocaine than one would think, as they are both central nervous system stimulants that manipulate the reward pathways of the brain. Though effects like arousal and motor activation are milder than other drugs due to its unique mechanism of action, known as adenosine receptor antagonism, they are still very prominent and addictive. As with other drugs, the attachment to these effects and the development of tolerance is what drives people to consume so much caffeine. But at what point does tolerance become dependence?

The morning pick-me-up has a certain “wake-up effect” that appeals to the masses in a way that has been normalized in today’s world. However, what people don’t realize is that the slippery slope of hazelnut flavoring and double-shots of espresso has led to 75 percent of those who regularly consume caffeine being addicted to it.

Ongoing coffee consumption in excess does lend itself to several health risks. More than 400 mg per day contributes to symptoms like muscle twitching and severe headaches through the altering of the brain’s chemical activity. Additionally, dehydration, insomnia and anxiety are all by-products of caffeine’s impact on the brain’s natural biochemistry.

But could addiction be good?

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, there are proven benefits to caffeine consumption. The risk of many leading causes of death, especially for women — including coronary heart disease, strokes, diabetes and kidney disease — is less for coffee drinkers. Therefore, caffeine consumption can potentially lengthen the lifespan of those who drink it. In terms of diseases like Parkinson’s, a brain disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable muscle movements, caffeine not only lowers one’s chance of developing the condition, but also helps those affected better control their muscle movements because of the drug’s cognitive enhancement impacts. It has a beneficial effect on one’s DNA, decreasing the amount of breakage of these strands that, when not repaired, can contribute to cancer or tumors. It has even been found that the caffeine content in two cups of coffee could protect against the development of Alzheimer’s disease, the debilitating condition that destroys memory and compromises other mental functioning. In fact, women 65 and older were less likely to develop dementia, in general, when drinking two-to-three cups of joe per day.

Look, I’m not here to tell people that they should be sticking IVs in their arms and shooting caffeine up through their veins like it’s candy. Generally, anything in excess is not good, and coffee is no exception to this. Moderation is key. However, finding yourself jonesing for a hot cup of coffee might not be as bad as many people think. In fact, giving into the temptation, within reason, could actually be a valid long-term investment. And I’ll take a cup of long-term investment with white mocha and oat milk any day.

Julia O’Reilly is a sophomore majoring in biology.