Over 100, 000 metric tons of caffeine are consumed around the world every year (that's more than 14 eiffel towers)
Mainly consumed through coffee and teas but also ingested through sodas, chocolate, caffeine pills and even some beverages labeled decaf
Alert, focused, happy, awake and energetic even if we haven't had enough sleep
Can raise blood pressure and make us feel anxious
World's most widely used drug
How does it keep us awake? - caffeine evolved in plants where it serves a few purposes, in high doses as its found in the leaves and seeds of certain species it is toxic to insects but when they consume it in lower doses as that found in nektar it can actually help them remember and revisit flowers
In the human body caffeine acts as a …show more content…
It keeps us awake by blocking one of the bodies key sleep inducing molecules ( a substance called adenosine)
Bodies need a constant supply of energy, which it gets by breaking down a high energy molecule called ATP in the process it liberates adenosine (ATP’s chemical backbone)
Neurons in the brain have receptors perfectly tailored to this molecule
When adenosine docks to these receptors it activated a cascade of biochemical reactions that cause neurons to fire more sluggish and slow the release of important brain signalling molecules ( you get sleepy)
Caffeine is what you can call an adenosine receptor antagonist (it derais the process of slowing the neurons down by blocking adenosine receptors
Caffeine and adenosine have a similar molecular structure, close enough so that caffeine can wedge into the adenosine receptor but not close enough to activate them (adenosine inhibits your neurons, caffeine inhibits the inhibitor so it stimulates the body)
Caffeine can also boost positive feelings, in some neurons the adenosine receptor are linked to receptors for another molecule called dopamine
One of dopamine's role in the brain is to promote feelings of pleasure that can make it harder for dopamine to fit in its own …show more content…
There is evidence that caffeine's effects on adenosine and dopamine receptors can have long term benefits to reducing the risk of diseases like Parkinson's, Alzheimer’s and some types of cancers
Caffeine can also ramp up the bodies ability to burn fat, in fact some sports organisations think that caffeine gives athletes an unfair advantage and have placed limits on its consumption
From 1972 until 2004, olympic athletes had to stay below a certain blood-caffeine concentration to compete Not all of caffeine's effects are helpful, it might make you feel better and more alter but it can also your heart rate and blood pressure and cause increased urination or diarrhea
Can contribute to insomnia and anxiety
Plus the foods and beverages caffeine is found in have their own impacts on your body that have be taken into account
Your brain can adapt to regular consumption of
Mainly consumed through coffee and teas but also ingested through sodas, chocolate, caffeine pills and even some beverages labeled decaf
Alert, focused, happy, awake and energetic even if we haven't had enough sleep
Can raise blood pressure and make us feel anxious
World's most widely used drug
How does it keep us awake? - caffeine evolved in plants where it serves a few purposes, in high doses as its found in the leaves and seeds of certain species it is toxic to insects but when they consume it in lower doses as that found in nektar it can actually help them remember and revisit flowers
In the human body caffeine acts as a …show more content…
It keeps us awake by blocking one of the bodies key sleep inducing molecules ( a substance called adenosine)
Bodies need a constant supply of energy, which it gets by breaking down a high energy molecule called ATP in the process it liberates adenosine (ATP’s chemical backbone)
Neurons in the brain have receptors perfectly tailored to this molecule
When adenosine docks to these receptors it activated a cascade of biochemical reactions that cause neurons to fire more sluggish and slow the release of important brain signalling molecules ( you get sleepy)
Caffeine is what you can call an adenosine receptor antagonist (it derais the process of slowing the neurons down by blocking adenosine receptors
Caffeine and adenosine have a similar molecular structure, close enough so that caffeine can wedge into the adenosine receptor but not close enough to activate them (adenosine inhibits your neurons, caffeine inhibits the inhibitor so it stimulates the body)
Caffeine can also boost positive feelings, in some neurons the adenosine receptor are linked to receptors for another molecule called dopamine
One of dopamine's role in the brain is to promote feelings of pleasure that can make it harder for dopamine to fit in its own …show more content…
There is evidence that caffeine's effects on adenosine and dopamine receptors can have long term benefits to reducing the risk of diseases like Parkinson's, Alzheimer’s and some types of cancers
Caffeine can also ramp up the bodies ability to burn fat, in fact some sports organisations think that caffeine gives athletes an unfair advantage and have placed limits on its consumption
From 1972 until 2004, olympic athletes had to stay below a certain blood-caffeine concentration to compete Not all of caffeine's effects are helpful, it might make you feel better and more alter but it can also your heart rate and blood pressure and cause increased urination or diarrhea
Can contribute to insomnia and anxiety
Plus the foods and beverages caffeine is found in have their own impacts on your body that have be taken into account
Your brain can adapt to regular consumption of