Caffeine and its benefits in a moderate consumptionCaffeine and its benefits in a moderate consumption

Fabricia Nascimento Graça Fabricia Nascimento Graça

Slurped in black coffee or sipped in Slurped in black coffee or sipped in green tea, gulped down in a soda green tea, gulped down in a soda or knocked back in a headache pill.or knocked back in a headache pill.

CocaCoca Plant Plant LeafLeaf

It's hardly a coincidence that coffee and tea caught on in It's hardly a coincidence that coffee and tea caught on in Europe just as the first factories were ushering in the industrial Europe just as the first factories were ushering in the industrial revolution. The widespread use of caffeinated drinks facilitated revolution. The widespread use of caffeinated drinks facilitated the great transformation of human economic endeavor from the great transformation of human economic endeavor from the farm to the factory. Boiling water to make coffee or tea the farm to the factory. Boiling water to make coffee or tea helped decrease the incidence of disease among workers in helped decrease the incidence of disease among workers in crowded cities. And the caffeine in their systems kept them crowded cities. And the caffeine in their systems kept them from falling asleep over the machinery. In a sense, caffeine is from falling asleep over the machinery. In a sense, caffeine is the drug that made the modern world possible. And the more the drug that made the modern world possible. And the more modern our world gets, the more we seem to need it. Without modern our world gets, the more we seem to need it. Without that useful jolt of coffee—or Diet Coke or Red Bull—to get us that useful jolt of coffee—or Diet Coke or Red Bull—to get us out of bed and back to work, the 24-hour society of the out of bed and back to work, the 24-hour society of the developed world couldn't exist. developed world couldn't exist.

Caffeine the motor of Caffeine the motor of modern society ?modern society ?

Caffeine content in Caffeine content in BeveragesBeverages

Tea (150 ml)

Black tea 40

Green tea 40

Decaffeinated black tea

4

Iced tea, ready to drink

30

Iced tea mix, unsweetened13

Beverage Caffeine content per serving (milligrams)

Caffeine Caffeine contentcontent in in TeaTea

ModerateModerate consuptionconsuption

Two mugs of coffee or a mug of coffee Two mugs of coffee or a mug of coffee and a couple of Cokes during the and a couple of Cokes during the dayday are all you need to get you there. Itare all you need to get you there. It’’s s considered as a moderate amount.considered as a moderate amount.

RecreationallyRecreationally, caffeine is used to provide a "boost of , caffeine is used to provide a "boost of energy" or a feeling of heightened alertness. It's often used energy" or a feeling of heightened alertness. It's often used to stay awake longerto stay awake longer

40 min to absorb after oral intake

Desire for caffeine

12 hours to eliminate

from the body

Excitment readyness

Energy and Adrenaline

ToleranceTolerance and and SensitivitySensitivity

The addiction ? Taste or Buzz?Half of all American adults Half of all American adults consume more than 300 consume more than 300 mg of caffeine per day.mg of caffeine per day.

Caffeinne MoleculeCaffeinne Molecule

Caffeine blocks the hypnotic effect of adenosine Caffeine blocks the hypnotic effect of adenosine and keeps us from falling asleep. Caffeine has and keeps us from falling asleep. Caffeine has also been shown to enhance mood and increase also been shown to enhance mood and increase alertness in moderate amountsalertness in moderate amounts.

GuaranineGuaranine

Caffeine works in two ways : - it blocks the Enzyme phosphodiesterase from removing the secondary messenger cAMP, so the excitory signals from adrenaline etc. persist much longer (recall that viagra works in a similar manner) - it blocks Adenosine receptors in the brain. Adenosine builds up in the course of a day, and when levels are high enough, the adenosine binds to receptors that cause nerves to release inhibitory signals that lead to drowsyness and sleep. Adenosine also causes a dilation of blood vessels to the brain , presumably to provide more oxygen and nutrients to cells needing to be replenished.  

-Adenosine-Adenosine

-Protein -Protein spacefillspacefill

-Protein -Protein ribbonsribbons

The BonesThe Bones

Do not affect HeartDo not affect Heart

Caffeine is widely consumed throughout the world in behaviorally active doses. Most of the data suggest that caffeine, in the doses that are commonly consumed, acts primarily by blocking adenosine A1 and A2A receptors. Caffeine has a unique mechanism of action among all centrally stimulating drugs. It does interact with the dopaminergic transmission, but the mechanism is very different from that of other drugs such as cocaine and amphetamine. Caffeine does not markedly increase the release of dopamine, and it does not lead to any substantial increase in activation of D1 dopaminergic neurotransmission in nucleus accumbens, in contrast to the other central stimulants. Instead it increases transmission via cells equipped with dopamine D2 receptors in this nucleus as well as

elsewhere in the basal ganglia. The effect of caffeine in nucleus

accumbens is manifested as a decrease in activity of the cells involved, whereas the effects of cocaine and amphetamine are associated with an increased activity of the relevant cellular targets. Accordingly, the overall activity of the nucleus accumbens is much less affected by caffeine than by cocaine, nicotine, and amphetamine. Furthermore, the cells activated by cocaine possess particularly dopamine D1

receptors, whereas those affected by caffeine possess D2 and adenosine A2A receptors. There is, however, very good evidence that D1 and D2 receptor-stimulating drugs interact and potentiate each other's actions. Thus, the unique molecular and cellular actions of caffeine in the brain do not a priori rule out a potential as an addictive drug, they only indicate that its stimulant effects are different from those exerted by drugs such as cocaine and

amphetamine.

Not anNot an addictiveaddictive

drug!drug!

Although there is a public perception Although there is a public perception (especially in the US) that caffeine is (especially in the US) that caffeine is detrimental to one's health, this has a detrimental to one's health, this has a surprisinglysurprisingly weak basis in realityweak basis in reality..One important aspect of caffeine use is that the margin for dose increases may be limited by the biphasic effects of the drug. Reinforcement is observed with doses even below 1 mg/kg, and doses above 10 to 15 mg/kg are usually aversive. Similarly, doses that are behaviorally stimulant (increasing motor behavior) are below about 30 mg/kg, and doses above 50 mg/kg are generally depressant in these paradigms. Caffeine has important effects on alertness, and there is no doubt that caffeine is widely consumed by subjects who need to stay awake. Caffeine also has some poorly investigated analgesic actions that contribute to its use. In some contexts there are performance-enhancing actions.Tolerance develops to some caffeine effects but not to others. A complete effect reversal, by contrast, tolerance to discriminative stimulant effects, motor stimulant effects, and alerting actions develops more slowly and to a variable extent.From the above considerations it is clear that caffeine cannot really be considered a "model drug of dependence" (Holtzman, 1990). Its weak

reinforcing properties are due to a unique and atypical mechanism of action. The drug is self-limiting and subjects do not gradually increase the dose, because tolerance development to both the reinforcing and aversive effects is limited. There are few negative consequences of caffeine use in moderation and the withdrawal affects are modest and transient in the individuals that experience them. Caffeine will not be designated a drug of dependence, it is different from drugs such as amphetamine, morphine,

ethanol, or nicotine, it is possible that, some quantitative criteria of relative abuse potential and negative health consequences would be useful in a drug classification scheme. This is particularly true for a drug whose use is so entrenched in normal societal activities.

Fig. 1.   Effect of caffeine on different biochemical targets in relation to its levels in humans. Note that caffeine is able to significantly block adenosine effects on A2A

(most potent) and A1 receptors already at

the low concentrations achieved after a single cup of coffee. To inhibit cyclic nucleotide breakdown via inhibition of phosphodiesterase, 20 times higher concentrations are required; to block GABAA receptors, 40 times higher

concentrations; and to mobilize intracellular calcium depots, concentrations of 100 times higher are needed. These latter levels are unlikely to be reached in humans by any form of normal use of caffeine-containing beverages (modified from Fredholm, 1980).

Caffeine do not harm if it is Caffeine do not harm if it is consumed moderatelyconsumed moderately

GGuarana is found in many sodas, energy uarana is found in many sodas, energy drinks, protein bars, and natural weight-drinks, protein bars, and natural weight-loss aids. It comes from the seeds of a loss aids. It comes from the seeds of a woody vine native to Brazil named for, the woody vine native to Brazil named for, the Guarani people, who process the seeds for Guarani people, who process the seeds for use in food, drink, and medicine. Guarana use in food, drink, and medicine. Guarana contains concentrations of naturally contains concentrations of naturally occurring caffeine higher than that found in occurring caffeine higher than that found in coffee, tea, cacao, and kola. Guarana is coffee, tea, cacao, and kola. Guarana is sometimes marketed as a natural sometimes marketed as a natural alternative to caffeine, but it's caffeine all alternative to caffeine, but it's caffeine all the same.the same.

Guarana: Hidden Guarana: Hidden Caffeine !Caffeine !

Guarana contains a high amount of guaranine, a chemical substance with theGuarana contains a high amount of guaranine, a chemical substance with the same characteristics as caffeine. same characteristics as caffeine. This makes Guarana a stimulant similar to coffee:This makes Guarana a stimulant similar to coffee:•quickens perceptions quickens perceptions •delays sleep delays sleep •helps with endurance based activities helps with endurance based activities •can help to recover from a hangover can help to recover from a hangover •impairs the appetiteimpairs the appetite

Caffeine god effectsCaffeine god effects

Caffeine moderated consumed

Improve Social

interactions

Self-limiting Drug with

analgesic action

Is antidepressant

ProvideAlertness

Takes Adenosine’s place

PerformanceEnhancing

.

Any Question or Any Question or Comments?Comments?

National Soft Drink Association How much caffeine is in your soda? : http://www.nsda.org/health/caffeinecontent.asp

ific.org/publications/brochures/upload/Caffeine-and-Women-s-Health.pdfThe International Food Information Council Foundation  assesses the effects of caffeine on pregnancy, fertility, cancer, osteoporosis, and heart disease.

PubMed from the National Library of Medicinewww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgiSearch for current studies on caffeine and health. Often only abstracts are available, but they provide a good overview of the results of the studies.

Mayo Clinichttp://www.mayoclinic.org/search/search-results?q=caffeineMayo Clinic staff answer food and nutrition questions, including queries about caffeine and kids, caffeine content in beverages,etc. 

How Caffeine Workshttp://science.howstuffworks.com/caffeine.htmLearn the origins of coffee drinking, how and where the beans are grown, and the science of caffeine.

Related links:Related links:

Bibliography:Bibliography: Fredholm, Bertil, and others. "Actions of Caffeine in the Brain With Special

Reference to Factors That Contribute to Its Widespread Use." Pharmacological Reviews (March 1999), 83-133. Available online at http://pharmrev.aspetjournals.org/content/51/1/83.full#SEC11_4.

National Geographic http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0501/feature1/

* MacFarlane, Alan, and Iris MacFarlane. The Empire of Tea. Overlook Press, 2004. * Maughan, R. J., and J. Griffin.  "Caffeine Ingestion and Fluid Balance: A Review." Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics (vol. 16, 2003), 411-20. * Pendergrast, Mark. Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World. Basic Books, 1999.  * Schivelbusch, Wolfgang. Tastes of Paradise: A Social History of Spices, Stimulants, and Intoxicants. Pantheon Books, 1992.  * Weinberg, Bennett Alan, and Bonnie K. Bealer. The World of Caffeine: The Science and Culture of the World's Most Popular Drug. Routledge, 2001.