Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world. Most of the time, this drink is consumed in the morning, due to its high caffeine content.
Given the popularity of coffee, several studies have looked at its effects on whole body health, both in the short and long term.
According to the researchers, moderate coffee consumption is associated with health benefits, including a reduced risk of prediabetes and liver disease. The researchers also looked at the effect of caffeine on the brain, and the results so far look pretty promising when it comes to cognitive health.
Active ingredients in coffee
The coffee contains hundreds of bioactive compounds that contribute to the health of the whole body. Many of these compounds exhibit antioxidant properties, which fight the damage caused by harmful free radicals.
Here are the most important active ingredients in coffee:
∙ Caffeine
It is the main active ingredient of coffee. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system.
∙ Chlorogenic acid
These polyphenolic antioxidants can affect blood sugar metabolism and blood pressure.
∙ Cafestol and Kahweol
Present in natural coffee oil, these compounds are found in large quantities in unfiltered coffee.
∙ trigonellina
This alkaloid compound is heat stable and forms nicotinic acid, also known as niacin (vitamin B3) during roasting.
The amount of these substances present in a cup of coffee can vary.
How does coffee affect the brain?
Caffeine affects the central nervous system in several ways. The effects are thought to come mainly from the way caffeine interacts with adenosine receptors. Adenosine is a neurotransmitter in the brain that affects sleep.
Neurons in the brain have specific receptors that adenosine can attach to. When it binds to those receptors, adenosine partially inhibits the activity of neurons, which slows down neuronal activity.
Adenosine normally builds up throughout the day and eventually makes you sleepy when it’s time for bed. Caffeine and adenosine have a similar molecular structure. So when caffeine is present in the brain, it competes with adenosine to bind to the same receptors.
However, caffeine does not slow down the activation of neurons like adenosine does. Instead, it prevents adenosine from slowing neuronal activity.
Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, making you feel more energetic.
How can caffeine increase brain function?
Caffeine can lead to increased resting brain entropy.
Brain entropy is vital for brain function, and high levels indicate high processing capabilities. An increase in resting brain entropy suggests greater information processing capacity.
Caffeine also stimulates the central nervous system by stimulating the release of other neurotransmitters, including norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin.
Caffeine can improve various aspects of brain function, including:
∙ Mood
∙ Reaction time
∙ Supervision
∙ Attention
∙ Learning
∙ General mental function
It is possible to develop a tolerance to caffeine over time, which will increase the consumption of coffee to achieve the same effects. Unfortunately, more is not always better.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the FDA, recommends that healthy adults consume no more than 4-5 cups of coffee per day to avoid potentially dangerous side effects.
Sources: healthline.com, forbes.com, brainfacts.org
