You may rely on your early morning cup of coffee to make you feel more awake and alert. When you ingest caffeine-containing foods, the caffeine affects a number of systems in your body by stimulating your nervous system and hormones. One example of a hormone released is epinephrine, which also is known as adrenaline. The epinephrine normally is responsible for stimulating a “fight-or-flight” response in your body, causing you to feel more awake and alert. In excess amounts, however, caffeine can have adverse effects.
Interaction
A few steps must occur before your pituitary gland releases epinephrine. First, caffeine must take the place of a neurotransmitter known as adenosine, which works to slow down nerve cells activity in your body. When caffeine binds to your adenosine receptors, it speeds up your nerve cells instead of slowing them. Nerve cells going faster than usual can stimulate your pituitary gland, a small gland in your brain, to release epinephrine.
Effects
Epinephrine production due to caffeine consumption can have a variety of effects on your body. This does not necessarily mean adverse effects, however. For example, caffeine can increase your heart rate through the combination of the release of epinephrine and norepinephrine, a hormone your nerves release. When your heart beats faster, your blood pressure can increase. The added blood flow to your brain and limbs can make you feel more alert and awake.
Sources
Caffeine can be found in coffee, sodas, tea and energy drinks designed to make you feel more alert and awake. Additionally, chocolate naturally contains caffeine. Caffeine also is added to medications to treat headaches because epinephrine can act as a vasodilator, which means it opens the blood vessels in your brain. Because headaches are often the result of blood vessel constriction, the vasodilation can help to reduce the effects of your headache.
Excess
While moderate amounts of caffeine, such as 3 cups of coffee or up to five servings of tea or caffeinated soda, should not cause adverse side effects, drinking excess amounts can cause anxiety, trouble sleeping, nausea, tremors or vomiting, according to MedlinePlus. This is because the overstimulation to the central nervous system can affect people differently. If you are more sensitive to caffeine’s effects, you may wish to refrain from drinking caffeine or taking medications that contain it. The epinephrine production associated with drinking caffeine also can interfere with how certain medications work in your body. Talk to your physician if you tend to consume a significant amount of caffeine in your diet to ensure caffeine will not cause adverse side effects.
Member Comments