Caffeine is a small organic molecule with the ability to enter the bloodstream and interact with tissues in your body. After consuming a source of caffeine, such as coffee, chocolate or a caffeine supplement, the chemical is rapidly absorbed into the blood from the digestive tract, and then travels through blood vessels into your brain and other tissues. Shortly after consumption, a peak in blood caffeine levels can cause a number of physiological reactions, positive and negative, in your body.
Alertness and Focus
A positive effect of a caffeine peak is an increase in alertness and focus. Wakefulness and fatigue are controlled by signaling of specific chemicals in the brain, including a small molecule called adenosine. Elmhurst College explains that adenosine binds to receptors in cells within parts of the brain that regulate alertness, with adenosine binding promoting fatigue and sleepiness. Caffeine has a molecular structure similar to adenosine, and prevents adenosine from binding to its receptor in the brain. As a result, the presence of caffeine blocks fatigue-inducing adenosine signaling, causing a feeling of wakefulness and an increase in focus.
Diminished Fine Motor Control
One potential negative effect that can occur during a caffeine peak is a partial loss of motor functioning, which can occur following the ingestion of very high amounts of the drug. The presence of caffeine in the brain affects the signaling of a number of other chemicals. One such chemical is glutamate -- a neurotransmitter that brain cells use to communicate with each other, that is involved in proper motor functioning. The University of Utah explains that caffeine increases glutamate activity. This deviation from normal motor signaling can lead to a temporary change in motor functioning during a caffeine peak, while will correct itself as the caffeine is metabolized and removed from the body.
Slightly Boosted Metabolism
Ingesting large doses of caffeine can also temporary boost your metabolism during a caffeine peak, according to Carnegie Mellon University. Very high doses of caffeine can increase your breathing rate, as well as your blood pressure. This increased activity causes cells within your body to use more energy than they would otherwise, leading to a boost in your body's basal metabolic rate. This effect is temporary, and subsides as the caffeine is excreted from your body. Please note that though using chemicals to increase your metabolism may sound tempting, ingesting very high levels of caffeine should not be used as a method of weight loss.
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