Author:  Donald Stader M.D. Educational Pearls: Coffee originates from Ethiopia. Its “active ingredient” is caffeine. Caffeine is a xanthine alkaloid used in medicine to control headache and as a neonatal stimulant. Studies have shown that coffee may increase lifespan. Overdose can be encountered in those using diet pills or concentrated caffeine pills and is treated with dialysis. References: Juliano, LM et al. “A critical review of caffeine withdrawal: empirical validation of symptoms and signs, incidence, severity, and associated features.” Psychopharmacology, 2004. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=15448977