Enjoy that Expresso: The Benefits of Caffeine
Jesse Russell 12/3/12
It's midnight. Your mid-term exam is tomorrow morning, and you have just started studying. What's more, you are already exhausted from a event-filled day. How are you ever going to manage to resist the overwhelming forces of fatigue and drowsiness? How are you going to stay awake? When faced with this daunting dilemma or a similar situation, most people turn to caffeine for the energy needed to pull through the night. Whether you sipped at a tall latte or chugged a few Mountain Dews, you know you couldn't have done it without caffeine's help. On the other hand, you may heavily rely on the invigorating boost from your morning brew to jump start your day. Regardless, the conclusion remains the same: Caffeine immensely influences our daily lives. In “How Caffeine Works,” Marshall Brain states that “between 80 and 90 percent of adults and children habitually consume caffeine.” in North America. Furthermore, the average intake of caffeine is 280 mg, which is about a cup and a half of coffee (Brain et al). These statistics explicitly demonstrate the deep integration of caffeine into our culture. But why are Americans always attracted to caffeine? What makes it so alluring? Is it helpful or harmful? A simple study of the effects of caffeine on the human body will produce irrevocable evidence about the many benefits of caffeine. More specifically, caffeine beneficially interacts with adenosine, dopamine, and adrenaline, serves as a mild treatment to several disorders, and decreases the risk of acquiring a number of diseases.
First and foremost, caffeine impersonates adenosine, a chemical that slows down nerve cell activity, resulting in drowsiness (Brain et al). It accomplishes this by binding itself to the adenosine receptors instead of the actual adenosine, but instead of slowing your system down, it speeds it up. The end result is a perceived alertness, when in reality your body is still exhausted and in need of sleep. The authors of “How Caffeine Works” excellently explain this process: “To a nerve cell, caffeine looks like adenosine: Caffeine binds to the adenosine receptor. However, caffeine doesn't slow down the cell's activity like adenosine would. As a result, the cell can no longer identify adenosine because caffeine is taking up all the receptors that adenosine would normally bind to. Instead of slowing down because of the adenosine's effect, the nerve cells speed up. Caffeine also causes the brain's blood vessels to constrict, because it blocks adenosine's ability to open them up.” (Brain et al). In summary, caffeine replaces adenosine in the body, keeping you awake the night of that big project. However, this is only one beneficial aspect of caffeine.
Also famous for its convenient interaction with dopamine, a neurotransmitter that improves focus, increases alertness, and elevates the mood, caffeine functions similarly to illegal drugs like heroin and cocaine, but to a much lesser extent. (Brain et al) In the words of Lauren Griffin, “Soon after your first sip, caffeine begins to work its magic by causing the release of dopamine. Dopamine is a brain chemical that stimulates the area of your gray matter responsible for alertness, problem solving, and pleasure. You have that feeling of being activated, sharper, and on the ball, and you can also experience a mild mood-elevating effect. All of which goes a long way in explaining why there are around 9,000 Starbucks outlets in the United States, and more opening every day around the globe.” (Griffin). So do you see why caffeine is so subconsciously attractive? This is the case because we simply become more capable human beings with caffeine in our system. Plus, who doesn't want to feel good? The increase in dopamine is yet another benefit to caffeine.
Adrenaline, the last chemical that is most affected with caffeine in your system, plays a huge role in stimulating the “fight or flight” response that follows the consumption of caffeine. The following quote from “How Caffeine Works” (Brain et al) accurately describes the relationship between these two chemicals: “Caffeine's effect on the brain causes increased neuron firing. The pituitary gland senses this activity and thinks some sort of emergency must be occurring, so it releases hormones that tell the adrenal glands to produce adrenaline (epinephrine). Adrenaline is the 'fight or flight' hormone, and it has a number of effects on your body .” According to these authors, these effects include a racing heart, extra energy (due to sugar from the liver), and a tightening of muscles. Many have experienced these effects after one too many cups of coffee. Your muscles twitch, your heart beats heavily, and your energy level increases. All thanks to caffeine!!
On top of its involvement in brain chemistry, caffeine aids in the treatment of some disorders, and decreases the risk of acquiring several diseases. First off, many undiagnosed patients with ADHD will end up self-medicating with caffeine. This is because it acts very similar to a stimulant medication, and increases dopamine levels in the brain, which ADHD patients naturally lack. As a result, it will actually calm them down rather than infusing them with more energy (Walker, et al). Furthermore, caffeine has been shown to help any patients with breathing problems or asthma, because it opens up the airway while in the system (Brain et al). Surprisingly, those who regularly consume caffeine are 80% less likely to develop Parkinson's disease (Brain et al). That's huge! Not only that, but caffeine-consumers are also 9% less likely to contract diabetes (Brain et al). In addition, more recent studies have demonstrated caffeine's potential in fighting Alzheimer's disease (Brain et al). Lastly, a regular combination of caffeine and exercise strongly ecourages the destruction of precancerous skin cells (Brain et al). As you can see, caffeine is not merely beneficial while it is in your system, but also has a positive impact on your body for the rest of your life.
In the end, one can easily see why caffeine is America's favorite drug. In short, caffeine keeps you awake, helps you focus, and gives you motivation. This is all made possible by its reactions with adenosine, dopamine, and adrenaline. On top of that, caffeine can capably serve as a mild treatment for ADHD and asthma, and helps our bodies resist a number of diseases. Many people will try to convince you that caffeine is terrible for you and your body. I assure you, those are just opinions without facts. But keep in mind, use caffeine in moderation. Too much caffeine can cause sleep problems and make you perhaps a bit too jittery. However, in moderate amounts, you shouldn't be worried about anything. So what is there to lose? Drink up, my friend. Enjoy that expresso to the fullest.

Works Cited
Brain, Marshall, Charles W. Bryant, and Matt Cunningham. "How Caffeine Works."HowStuffWorks. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. <http://science.howstuffworks.com/caffeine1.htm>.
Griffin, Lauren R. "The Health Benefits of Caffeine." Men's Health Magazine. N.p., 4 Feb. 2008. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. <http://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/health-benefits-caffeine?fullpage=true>.
Krakauer, Hannah. "FDA Report Describing Deaths Sheds Light on High-caffeine Beverages." Washington Post 29 Oct. 2012: n. pag. The Washington Post. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/fda-report-describing-deaths-sheds-light-on-high-caffeine-beverages/2012/10/29/985a22f2-1ee1-11e2-9746-908f727990d8_story.html>.
Walker, Leslie R., Anisha A. Abraham, and Kenneth P. Tercyak. Children's Health Care 39 (2010): 73-90. Taylor & Francis Online. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. <http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02739610903455186>.