Adrenaline is a stress chemical secreted from the adrenal glands sitting above the kidneys. Neural brain signals and the electrical excitability of the adrenal cells determine the rate at which adrenaline is secreted into the blood stream, according to a study published in the January 2009 issue of "The Journal of Neuroendocrinology." When the surge of adrenaline is sudden and significant, the condition is also referred to as an adrenaline rush.
Energy Drinks
Drinking energy drinks is a popular way of inducing an adrenaline rush. Energy drinks marketed as power drinks or adrenaline drinks contain large doses of stimulants such as caffeine, guarana, ginseng and taurine. These stimulants cause the adrenal glands to send a surge of adrenaline into the blood stream. This by itself does not necessarily have any long-lasting detrimental effect in young healthy individuals.
A much more dangerous cocktail is the mix of energy drinks and depressants such as alcohol, according to a November 14, 2001 press release from Ball State University. Mixing stimulants and depressants sends opposite signals to the brain, and this can be deadly even in young individuals. It is on a par with mixing designer drugs such as ecstasy with alcohol, the researchers say.
Undefined Relationships
Just like obsession love and difficult breakups, undefined "asymmetric" relationships can cause adrenaline rushes. In an undefined, asymmetric relationship, one person is more interested than the other in creating a more stable and committed situation. According to the article "Recognition and Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorder" published in "Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder" in 2001, this can cause mental disorder-like symptoms such as low levels of the well-being hormone serotonin and high levels of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. When accompanied by low levels of serotonin and a negative context, adrenaline rushes give rise to nervousness, tension and discomfort.
Environmental Threats
An adrenaline rush can also be the result of an environmental threat. Even something as simple as suddenly being cut off in traffic can cause the body to respond with a fight-or-flight response, which involves a release of stress chemicals from the adrenal glands. A natural feedback mechanism normally lowers the responses from the adrenal glands when the threat is eliminated. In people who live in very stressful environments, however, the hypothalamus constantly sends alert signals to the adrenal glands. Perhaps not unsurprisingly, this hyper-excitability of the adrenal glands can prompt people to engage in activities that can act as natural depressants of the neurological system, such as comfort eating and drinking, reports the September 2003 issue of "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences."
Chronic Stress
Chronic stress can increase adrenaline responses in moderately demanding situations, according to a study published in the January 2009 issue of "The Journal of Neuroendocrinology." If a person is under chronic stress, previous adrenaline responses are stored in molecular memory, a donut-shaped protein that sits on the surface of the adrenal glands. Once this information is stored, a friendly request from a boss or boyfriend may trigger a huge surge in adrenaline.
References
- Ball State University Press Release: Combining Energy Drinks with Alcohol Potentially Dangerous
- "Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder"; Richard P. Swinson, Martin M. Antony and S. Rachman; 2001
- "PNAS"; Chronic Stress and Obesity: A New View of "Comfort Food"; Dallman, et al.; September 2003
- "The Journal of Neuroendocrinology"; Social Stress Alters Expression of Large Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channel Subunits in Mouse Adrenal Medulla and Pituitary Glands; Chatterjee, et al.; January 2009
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