What is Caffeine?

Caffeine is perhaps the most widely consumed natural stimulant in the world. Billions of people are dependent on it – either as an integral part of their morning routine or as an energy booster for the graveyard shift. Needless to say, we’ve all had it at some point in our lives.

That said, caffeine often gets a bad rap for its negative effects. However, we simply can’t ignore the fact that it also has various health benefits. So, to clear up the issue, we are looking at caffeine and how it works. Hopefully, this will help clear the air as we get a better understanding of how this chemical works.

Caffeine works by stimulating your brain and the central nervous system. Its side effect is the enhanced alertness the alleviation and temporary prevention of the onset of tiredness. As you may already know, the substance is fast-acting as it is easily absorbed into your bloodstream. You can start to feel its effects in as little as 20 minutes while it can reach full effectiveness in a matter of an hour.

Now, let’s take a closer look at how it works. Technically speaking, the main purpose of caffeine is to block the effects of a particular neurotransmitter – adenosine. This is because adenosine is in charge of helping you relax and tells your brain that you are feeling tired. At the same time, caffeine also helps raise your blood’s adrenaline levels which trigger the increased production of dopamine in your brain.

That said, caffeine is a form of a psychoactive drug. However, it is one that is benign and has been used by people for centuries. From the Ethiopian farmers who discovered coffee to sleep-deprived college students pulling all-nighters, we are all familiar with the wonders of this substance.

As stated earlier, caffeine is a natural stimulant. This means that it can be found in all manners of food in the wild. For instance, certain seeds, nuts, and leaves have traces of this stuff all over them. However, there is also no shortage of processed foods and drinks which have significant levels of caffeine. Listed below are some of them:

• Coffee
• Espresso:
• Tea
• Decaffeinated Coffee
• Energy drinks
• Soda and Soft drinks
• Chocolates
• Cocoa beverage
• Chocolate milk

The negative effects of abusing caffeine are well-documented. This includes everything from anxiety and sleeplessness. There is also the matter of your brain slowly becoming immune to its effects, thus forcing you to increase your dosage little by little.

That said, most people seem to forget that there is also a wide array of benefits that come from regular use of caffeine – aside from the boost of energy that it gives. Listed below are some of them:

• Improved mood and brain function – Numerous studies have shown that caffeine can drastically improve a person’s mood, primarily due to the release of dopamine that it inevitably initiates. At the same time, it has also been shown to help decrease the likelihood of depression and Alzheimer’s disease.
• Boosts Metabolism – It isn’t just your mind that gets a boost from caffeine, it also affects the rest of your body. That is why caffeine is also a common ingredient in many weight loss supplements.

There you have it, an examination of caffeine and what it does. Be sure to remember these the next time you need an extra surge of energy.