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Caffeine Essay

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Caffeine is a common central nervous system stimulant drug which occurs in nature as part of the coffee, tea, yerba mate and other plants, can be said to be the most psychoactive substance in the world. ( Fredholm et al. 1999). It is also an additive in many consumer products, most notably beverages advertised as energy drinks. Caffeine can also be found in soft drinks such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi, where, on the ingredients listing, it is designated as a flavouring agent. It is regarded as the most widely consumed stimulant drug in the world based on Nehlig, Daval, & Debry (1992) research. The interaction of caffeine with adenosine receptors in the brains makes an individual more alert. A moderate intake of caffeine results in small healthy …show more content…

Less research has been done to investigate how caffeine interferes with the manufacture of adenosine and if there is an alteration on the amount of adenosine produced in the body. Caffeine's mechanism of action is somewhat different from that of cocaine and the substituted amphetamines; caffeine blocks adenosine receptors A and A2A. Adenosine is a by-product of cellular activity, and stimulation of adenosine receptors produces feelings of tiredness and the need to sleep (Temple, 2009).). Caffeine's ability to block these receptors means the levels of the body's natural stimulants, dopamine, and norepinephrine, continue at higher levels.
The effects of caffeine are best explained by the structures of the two substances. Caffeine closely resembles adenosine that is naturally found in the brain; the similarity is close that caffeine can attach and block on brain cells meant for adenosine receptors which then blocks …show more content…

It is now widely accepted based on available scientific data that only one or two cups of coffee are enough to facilitate the action of caffeine in the circulatory system. The many effects of methylxanthines can be said to be attributed by the translocation of intracellular calcium, the action of blocking adenosine receptors and increasing the accumulation of cyclic nucleotides (Ashihara et al., 2008). There is the lack of evidence to show the ability of methylxanthines to block cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases. A high concentration of caffeine interferes with the calcium uptake and storage by the sarcoplasmic reticulum. This explains why intake of caffeine strengthens and increases the duration of cardiac and skeletal

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