Brainy Dose Presents:
What Caffeine Does To Your Brain And Body
Caffeine is the most widely used stimulant
on the planet.
It's cheap and easily accessible - available
in natural sources, such as: coffee, tea and
cocoa; as well as an additive: in sodas, energy
drinks, medications, weight-loss pills and
many other products.
Most people have gotten so used to grabbing
coffee or tea as a casual pick-me-up, that
no one really thinks about what happens when
they gulp it down several times a day.
But, are you aware of the effects caffeine
actually has on your brain and body?
Keep watching to learn more about the substance
that helps keep so many people going through
the day...
Number One - Caffeine Tricks Your Brain Into
Thinking It’s Not Tired
Caffeine is structurally similar to adenosine
- a biochemical that is responsible for making
us feel sleepy, among other things.
Caffeine bonds with the adenosine receptors
in your brain, which blocks the actual compound
from binding with those receptors.
All the surplus adenosine floating around
in the brain cues the adrenal glands to secrete
adrenaline - which is another stimulant.
So even if you ARE tired and in need of sleep,
caffeine tricks the brain into thinking that
it’s wide awake!
What’s most interesting, is the fact that
the brains of heavy caffeine users actually
grow additional adenosine receptors.
This is why it takes more caffeine to give
the same jolt that a small amount would give
to someone who doesn’t consume caffeine
regularly.
Number Two - Caffeine Lifts Your Mood
Since caffeine acts as a stimulant for the
central nervous system, it can actually improve
your mood.
This is due to the same adenosine-blocking
effect that makes you feel alert.
When you block adenosine’s effects with
caffeine, the brain releases extra glutamine
and dopamine (which are other natural stimulants),
making you feel more alert and less bored
- and as a result, you’ll notice a boost
in your mood.
Research has also found that using caffeine
results in a reduced risk of depression - especially
when consumed in the form of coffee.
Number Three - Caffeine Can Boost Your Memory
Scientists have found that about 200 mg of
caffeine (or about as much as you'd find in
a 16 oz cup of coffee), can improve your memory
for up to 24 hours after consuming it.
It may also help cope with dull tasks, as
well as recalling straightforward information
from memory.
There was a particular study done where participants
were given moderate to high doses of caffeine.
It was found that these participants felt
less bored when performing repetitive tasks.
In addition, they were able to better remember
lists of words, than those who weren’t given
any caffeine.
Number Four - Caffeine Can Relieve Headaches
Caffeine actually restricts the blood flow
in your brain - which can be a useful effect
when it comes to treating headaches.
A lot of headaches are preceded by the enlargement
of cerebral blood vessels, and studies have
shown that caffeine reduces this blood flow
by about 27%.
For this reason, most migraine and headache
medication contains caffeine.
In fact, these medications are up to 40% more
effective, when the main ingredient is caffeine.
Number Five - Caffeine Improves Physical Performance
Since caffeine is a stimulant, it can help
prepare the body for physical activity when
consumed about an hour before exertion.
Caffeine is actually one of the most common
stimulants used in sports, to enhance performance.
Caffeine also breaks down fat cells, which
are used as fuel when training.
This not only results in improved performance,
but a person can burn up to 15% more calories
when consuming caffeine prior to training.
If dosed in the right amounts, caffeine can
give athletes a remarkable boost in performance
- as long as they don’t consume too much
on a daily basis.
Number Six - Caffeine Raises Blood Pressure
Caffeine is absorbed by the small intestine,
and reaches its highest levels when it is
released into your bloodstream - about an
hour or two after consumption.
Your blood pressure can increase for a short
period of time - which may be attributed to
either an increase in adrenaline, or a temporary
block on the hormones that naturally widen
your arteries.
There are usually no long-term effects when
it comes to the elevated blood pressure that
caffeine brings, but if you have high blood
pressure or heart-related problems, ask your
doctor if caffeine is safe for you to consume.
Number Seven - Caffeine Can Leave You Anxious
And Irritable
Consuming extremely high amounts of caffeine
- around 1000mg per day - can bring on anxiety.
This is due to the fact that caffeine excites
our brain cells - which alerts the pituitary
gland that there may be an emergency.
The pituitary gland tells the adrenal glands
to flood the body with adrenaline, which results
in what we know as the “fight or flight”
response.
Adrenaline prompts us to either stay and face
a threatening situation or flee the scene.
When we’re in this state, we tend to be
more emotionally-charged, and experience irritable
or anxious feelings.
Too much caffeine also causes jitters, which
makes it rather difficult to focus on anything.
It can lead to rapid breathing and it exacerbates
stress.
In fact, constantly consuming high doses of
caffeine can double your level of stress.
Number Eight - Caffeine Can Cause Frequent
Urination
Caffeine is classified as a diuretic, which
means that it can cause you to have to urinate
more frequently.
Research has shown that caffeine has a direct
effect on the smooth muscle of your bladder,
which can irritate the tissues of your bladder
and potentially cause involuntary bladder
contractions.
This can contribute to urge incontinence.
Number Nine - Caffeine Can Cause Insomnia
Although the effects of caffeine can appear
as quickly as fifteen minutes after you consume
it, it can last in your body for up to six
hours - and you are under its influence the
entire time.
This may be a pro - if you’re simply drinking
a cup of coffee before work.
But it poses great difficulty when trying
to sleep.
With all of the excess neurotransmitters and
hormones in your system, you’re less likely
to be able to keep your eyes closed and drift
off to sleep.
Caffeine can also cause trouble with your
sleeping patterns and reduce your stages of
REM sleep - which is known to stimulate the
areas of your brain that are essential in
learning, as well as making or retaining memories.
This results in increased sleepiness throughout
the day, which equals to consuming more caffeine
- and it just turns into a vicious cycle.
Number Ten - Caffeine Promotes Bowel Movements
Many people find that when they drink coffee
in the morning, they typically have to go
to the bathroom shortly after - and this easily
becomes a habitual practice.
Of course, everyone is different, so this
may affect some more than others.
Nevertheless, caffeinated coffee turns out
to be 60% more efficient at getting the digestive
system moving than a glass of water - because
coffee relaxes the muscles in your colon,
making the whole process easier.
Caffeine actually stimulates the contraction
and relaxation of the intestinal muscles - which
promotes bowel movement.
The effect of coffee on this process is similar
to that of eating a meal.
For those with constipation, this can actually
be very useful, as caffeine can act as a natural
stool softener.
Number Eleven - Caffeine Can Affect Fertility
And Pregnancy
Some research suggests that caffeine may reduce
muscle activity in the fallopian tubes - which
carry eggs from the ovaries to the womb.
Caffeine can actually reduce a woman's chances
of becoming pregnant by about 27%.
When it comes to pregnancy, more than 300
mg of caffeine a day - or the amount equal
to around three cups of coffee - could lead
to: abnormal fetal heart rhythm and delayed
fetal growth; or even miscarriage.
Because of this, pregnant women are urged
to decrease their daily caffeine intake to
200 mg or less.
That said, the weeks before pregnancy are
also very important.
Studies have shown that when both partners
drink more than two caffeinated drinks per
day, up to two weeks before conception, a
miscarriage is more likely to happen.
It’s also important to note that caffeine
passes into breast milk, and it may build
up in the nursing infant.
This can result in the newborn child becoming
more irritable and having trouble sleeping.
Number Twelve - Tolerance And Withdrawal Symptoms
When you consume caffeine regularly, your
body develops a tolerance to it.
Other factors such as your age, weight, body
mass, and general health can also contribute
to how caffeine may be affecting you as well.
Symptoms of caffeine withdrawal can occur
within 24 hours of the last dose, and may
last from two days to one week.
Symptoms can include headaches, irritability,
muscle pains, nausea, depression, and fatigue.
Depending on a person’s caffeine consumption
habits, these withdrawal symptoms can range
from being barely noticeable to being quite
extreme.
Severe cases of caffeine withdrawal can temporarily
impair a person’s ability to perform day-to-day
activities.
So, if you’re trying to reduce your caffeine
intake, you may want to do so at a fairly
slow pace.
Number Thirteen - It’s Possible To Overdose
On Caffeine
Up to 400 mg of caffeine a day is considered
to be safe - which is equivalent to about
four cups of coffee, or 8 cups of black tea.
Although overdoses of caffeine are particularly
rare, it can happen when consumption is in
large amounts - typically from diet pills
or energy drinks.
Overdose symptoms include confusion, hallucinations
and vomiting; and it can even result in death
due to convulsions.
Overall, when consumed in safe amounts, caffeine
consumption poses no concerning health risks
for most people.
Of course, the source of caffeine does matter.
Black tea and coffee are good choices, as
they also contain powerful antioxidants.
Now, soda pop, you may want to try cutting
back on that stuff - because while soft drinks
contain less caffeine, they’re often loaded
with sugar and a bunch of other unhealthy
additives.
What do you think?
What’s your choice of caffeine?
Let us know in the comments below!
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