Article 1 - Health Benefits of Caffeine

HEALTH BENEFITS OF CAFFEINE:
BRAIN ON CAFFEINE HAS ITS

POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES
May 20, 2014 08:00 AM By Samantha Olson
It
is
considered
the
most
widely
consumed
psychoactive substance worldwide

hidden in clandestine quantities of soda
and
is
bottles,
chocolate bars, coffees mugs, and infamous energy
drink cans. Legend says the caffeine craze all began
when Kaldi, a North African herder, saw his goats eat
wild berries, which gave them sprightly energy
that kept them up at night. What did those
caffeinated berries
do to Kaldis goats? What is
caffeine doing inside our
brains
that seem to
Page 1 of 5
magically wake us up
out of our run-down
bodies?
Albeit caffeine is a natural substance,

in its purest form it is a white powder
that acts as a chemical chameleon
inside the brain. It enters into the body
and is distributed throughout the
bloodstream through the lining of the
stomach and small intestine, where
eventually it ends up in your brain and
acts as another compound, known as
adenosine.
time, watched the binding sites of

caffeine in a live human brain using
molecular imaging. Caffeine bonded
itself and successfully blocked half of
the adenosine receptors from telling
the brain that the body was tired. But
its effects dont stop when a person
puts down their coffee mug or soda
glass. Researchers found something
more novel and profound.
The adenosine molecule is responsible

for signaling the body that it hasnt had
a sufficient amount of rest and is tired.
Adenosine and caffeine are almost
identical-looking molecules, so the
brain cant tell the difference and
accepts the caffeine when available. It
essentially blocks adenosine from
binding with brain cells and telling
them the body is tired. The caffeine
roadblock causes stimulating effects
as early as 15 minutes and continues
to cause increased heart rate and
blood pressure until it wears off about
six hours later. It only takes 30
milligrams of caffeine to cause a buzz,
but 10grams is enough to stimulate a
person into cardiac arrest.
"There is substantial evidence that

caffeine
is
protective
against
neurodegenerative
diseases
like
Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease,"
said David Elmenhorst, lead author of
the study and researcher for the
Institute
of
Neuroscience
and
Medicine. "Several investigations show
that moderate coffee consumption of
three to five cups per day at mid-life is
linked to a reduced risk of dementia in
late life."
The Perks of Caffeine

Two years ago researchers tested the
adenosine receptors and, for the first
Researchers are currently exploring

the idea that caffeines impersonation
of another receptor may be a way to
protect people from neurodegenerative
diseases. But what if too many people
consume too much caffeine? A recent
study published in the Journal of
Caffeine last
fall
yielded
the
Page 2 of 5
collaborate efforts of researchers from

Johns Hopkins University School of
Medicine, the University of Vermont,
and American University, which reveals
the dangers of too much of a good
thing.
More than 80 percent of the United

States adults consume caffeine every
day, and researchers have found that
many people who have such an
intense dependence on caffeine,
experience withdrawal symptoms and
report that they wouldn't quit even if it
put them at risk during pregnancy, or in
the case of a heart condition, or
bleeding disorder.
Researchers
have
named
the
condition Caffeine Use Disorder,
which characterizes people who find it
difficult to quit to the point it interferes
with their daily routine. Last spring, the
American
Psychiatric
Association
announced it will officially recognize
the disorder as a health concern that
requires addition research. Have you
ever waited on line to get a coffee
before work and wound up late
because you needed one that badly?
Caffeine is so socially acceptable that
peoples unreasonable dependencies
often slide under the radar.
How
Much
Consuming?
Are
You
You may have no idea how many

milligrams of caffeine you ingest per
day, because companies arent
required to tell its consumers. An
overdose can lead to caffeine
intoxication, which include symptoms
of anxiety, nervousness, restlessness,
irregular heartbeat, and insomnia. In
extreme cases, a large overdose can
lead to hallucinations, depression and
even fatality. Deaths occur more often
in children than it does in adults due to
their smaller frame, which is easier to
overwhelm with a stimulant than an
adult body.
At this time, manufacturers are not
required to label caffeine amounts and
some products such as energy drinks
do not have regulated limits on
caffeine, said Dr. Laura Juliano, the
director of Behavioral Pharmacology
and Health Promotion Laboratory at
American University. She believes if
labels were mandated, people would
be better educated and refrain from
extreme consumption levels and
ideally, avoid caffeines possible
negative effects.
However, technology may replace the

need for labeling. Researchers at the
National University of Singapore and
the National Institute of Science and
Page 3 of 5
Technology have
developed
a
handheld caffeine sensor named
Caffeine Orange and published its
research
applications
in
the
journal Scientific Reports last year.
The detection kit emits a laser that
points directly into the caffeinated drink
in question, and lights up red, yellow,
or green to indicate high, medium, or
low levels of caffeine, respectively.
While there is still little to no labeling

and the sensor hasnt been available
for purchase yet, adult caffeine
consumers should use a rule of thumb
not to consume more than 400
milligrams per day, as advised
by Mayo Clinic. You probably arent
sure how much that is though,
considering
measuring
caffeine
consumption isnt regularly practiced.
Four-hundred milligrams is about two
four cups of brewed coffee, 10 cans of
soda, or two energy shots. But, as the
experts advise, try keeping it to a
minimum of 100 milligrams per day.
The Science of Caffeine

Its important to keep in mind that
caffeine isnt really giving you energy,
because in reality that energy drink
youre drinking is really just blocking a
signal to your brain. Adenosine stands
to the side and waits to tell your brain
youre tired, while caffeine continues to
occupy its position inside your brain.
The longer youre awake, the more
adenosine builds up inside your brains.
Once caffeine detaches from the
receptors, adenosine can bond with its
brain cells, slow them down and make
you feel the natural tired you were
originally meant to feel, and then
some. This is also known as the crash,
which most caffeine consumers
experience. Caffeine just puts off the
inevitable inside the brain, which is
why the next morning a regular coffee
drinker will have symptoms of
withdrawal and cause them to reach
for their next cup in a cyclical effort to
stay awake.
Page 4 of 5
Retrieved from:
http://www.medicaldaily.com/health-benefits-caffeine-brain-caffeine-has-its-positivesand-negatives-283408

Article 1 - Health Benefits of Caffeine

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Article 1 - Health Benefits of Caffeine

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Article 1 - Health Benefits of Caffeine

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

HEALTH BENEFITS OF CAFFEINE:

BRAIN ON CAFFEINE HAS ITS

psychoactive substance worldwide

do to Kaldis goats? What is

caffeine doing inside our

out of our run-down

Albeit caffeine is a natural substance,

time, watched the binding sites of

The adenosine molecule is responsible

"There is substantial evidence that

The Perks of Caffeine

Researchers are currently exploring

collaborate efforts of researchers from

More than 80 percent of the United

You may have no idea how many

However, technology may replace the

While there is still little to no labeling

The Science of Caffeine

You might also like