Since it’s your morning cup of coffee, afternoon Coca-Cola or energy drink, we turn to caffeinated drinks to find extra energy. In January 2014 in Food and Chemical Toxicology, 85% of Americans consume at least one caffeinated drink a day.
So have you ever wondered how caffeine works? From your brain to your bowels, Registered Dietitian Laura Burak, RD, CDN, explains what’s going on in your body when you drink your favorite dose of caffeine – from the first sip to the side effects.
Your brain
As a stimulant, caffeine affects your central nervous system, including the dilation of blood vessels in your brain, allowing you to feel more alert and alert. “The effect can be quite immediate,” says Burak. This almost instant effect is the reason why so many coffee lovers rely on a cup of coffee to wake them up in the morning.
Caffeine can also give you a boost in the memory service. A study published in January 2014 in Nature Neuroscience found that caffeine can improve memory consolidation – the process of validating what we have learned for long-term memory – up to 24 hours after its consumption.
Your heart
According to the Mayo Clinic, caffeine can cause a temporary spike in your heart rate and blood pressure. This short-term pulse is probably related to an increase in adrenaline and other hormonal reactions triggered by the stimulant.
But caffeine affects everyone differently. “Then they felt their blood pressure and their increase, immediately, with a higher tolerance, they have no effect,” says Burak.
The good news for coffee lovers? The US Food and Drug Administration says 400 milligrams of caffeine a day (four to five cups) does not seem to cause serious health problems. That said, Burak recommends that people with a history of antepathyopathy limit their caffeine intake.
Your muscles
In addition to your central nervous system and your heart, caffeine stimulates your muscles. In fact, it can work wonders for your workouts. According to Burak, it has been proven that caffeine is improved. Although some effects are immediately felt, the caffeine effect on your muscles tends to peak around the 45-minute mark when it has reached a full concentration in your bloodstream.
In addition, caffeine can improve training and performance, according to the American Council of Exercise. A meta-analysis of 20 studies published in March 2018 in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition revealed that caffeine consumption has improved until it is potent or potent. upper body. This is not for the study.
Finally, He explained that caffeine relieved muscle pain after it could be related to its antioxidant properties, it was also possible inflammation in the body.
Your bladder
Caffeine is a natural diuretic, which means, in simple terms, that it makes you pee. “Caffeine creates blood flow in the kidneys, where the fluid is treated,” says Burak, adding that drinking a large cup of coffee or tea each morning can be the cause of frequent bathroom visits.
So, when does the urge to go on strike? It depends on your size, your metabolism, and your caffeine intake. According to Burak, as a general rule, your bladder should be emptied within two hours of ingestion of a caffeinated drink.
Your Bowels
Have you ever noticed the poop impulse after sipping your morning beer? Indeed, “caffeine, especially in coffee, stimulates your digestive tract and creates peristalsis, or wave-like pattern that moves the contents into your intestines and intestines,” says Burak.
Again, a host of factors affects the speed with which this happens. Thus, some people may feel the effects immediately, while others may feel a delayed need to go to the bathroom.
Resources:
- Mayo Clinic: “How does caffeine affect blood pressure?”
- American Council on Exercise: “How Caffeine Affects Athletic Performance”
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: “Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine is Too Much?”
- Food and Chemical Toxicology: “Beverage caffeine intakes in the U.S.”
- Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition: “Effects of caffeine intake on muscle strength and power: a systematic review and meta-analysis”
- Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry: “Early effects of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee on subjective state and gender differences”