eli5: Since caffeine doesn’t actually give you energy and only blocks the chemical that makes you sleepy, what causes the “jittery” feeling when you drink too much strong coffee?
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Is this eli5 or askabiologist?
Is this eli5 or askabiologist?
Caffeine does most certainty “give you energy”
From a previous comment of mine:
“While caffeine does not directly bind to any dopamine receptors, it influences the binding activity of dopamine at its receptors in the striatum by binding to adenosine receptors that have formed GPCR heteromers with dopamine receptors, specifically the A1–D1 receptor heterodimer (this is a receptor complex with 1 adenosine A1 receptor and 1 dopamine D1 receptor) and the A2A–D2 receptor heterotetramer (this is a receptor complex with 2 adenosine A2A receptors and 2 dopamine D2 receptors).[168][169][170][171] The A2A–D2 receptor heterotetramer has been identified as a primary pharmacological target of caffeine, primarily because it mediates some of its psychostimulant effects and its pharmacodynamic interactions with dopaminergic psychostimulants.[169][170][171]
Caffeine also causes the release of dopamine in the dorsal striatum and nucleus accumbens core (a substructure within the ventral striatum), but not the nucleus accumbens shell, by antagonizing A1 receptors in the axon terminal of dopamine neurons and A1–A2A heterodimers (a receptor complex composed of 1 adenosine A1 receptor and 1 adenosine A2A receptor) in the axon terminal of glutamate neurons.[168][163] During chronic caffeine use, caffeine-induced dopamine release within the nucleus accumbens core is markedly reduced due to drug tolerance.[168][163]
source
It releases dopamine, giving you energy in a similar fashion to other stimulants. It is by definition a psychostimulant, i.e a drug that gives you “energy”. “Promoting wake-fullness” is just another way of saying it gives energy, and even if you disagree with that its action on adenosine in other areas of the brain directly modulate dopamine which gives you “energy” in a more direct sense.”
Caffeine does most certainty “give you energy”
From a previous comment of mine:
“While caffeine does not directly bind to any dopamine receptors, it influences the binding activity of dopamine at its receptors in the striatum by binding to adenosine receptors that have formed GPCR heteromers with dopamine receptors, specifically the A1–D1 receptor heterodimer (this is a receptor complex with 1 adenosine A1 receptor and 1 dopamine D1 receptor) and the A2A–D2 receptor heterotetramer (this is a receptor complex with 2 adenosine A2A receptors and 2 dopamine D2 receptors).[168][169][170][171] The A2A–D2 receptor heterotetramer has been identified as a primary pharmacological target of caffeine, primarily because it mediates some of its psychostimulant effects and its pharmacodynamic interactions with dopaminergic psychostimulants.[169][170][171]
Caffeine also causes the release of dopamine in the dorsal striatum and nucleus accumbens core (a substructure within the ventral striatum), but not the nucleus accumbens shell, by antagonizing A1 receptors in the axon terminal of dopamine neurons and A1–A2A heterodimers (a receptor complex composed of 1 adenosine A1 receptor and 1 adenosine A2A receptor) in the axon terminal of glutamate neurons.[168][163] During chronic caffeine use, caffeine-induced dopamine release within the nucleus accumbens core is markedly reduced due to drug tolerance.[168][163]
source
It releases dopamine, giving you energy in a similar fashion to other stimulants. It is by definition a psychostimulant, i.e a drug that gives you “energy”. “Promoting wake-fullness” is just another way of saying it gives energy, and even if you disagree with that its action on adenosine in other areas of the brain directly modulate dopamine which gives you “energy” in a more direct sense.”
The whole “caffeine just blocks sleep chemicals” is what I like to refer to as a reddit folklore. It falls in like with a bunch of bits of trivia that people see on Reddit or the rest of the Internet that sort of just becomes this collective memory in our brain. Its kind of a weird phenomenon.
The whole “caffeine just blocks sleep chemicals” is what I like to refer to as a reddit folklore. It falls in like with a bunch of bits of trivia that people see on Reddit or the rest of the Internet that sort of just becomes this collective memory in our brain. Its kind of a weird phenomenon.
> Since caffeine doesn’t actually give you energy
This statement is very misleading.
When I step on the gas pedal all the way to the floor, I don’t actually put more fuel in the fuel tank – I don’t give the car more energy. But the engine sure starts spinning like hell, using the energy already stored in the tank.
Same with caffeine. Yes, it doesn’t actually give you energy. But that’s not the main fact. You already have plenty of energy in your body. Caffeine only makes it easier for you to use the energy you already have. Its effects are similar to the effects of adrenaline – the fight-or-flight hormone.
> Since caffeine doesn’t actually give you energy
This statement is very misleading.
When I step on the gas pedal all the way to the floor, I don’t actually put more fuel in the fuel tank – I don’t give the car more energy. But the engine sure starts spinning like hell, using the energy already stored in the tank.
Same with caffeine. Yes, it doesn’t actually give you energy. But that’s not the main fact. You already have plenty of energy in your body. Caffeine only makes it easier for you to use the energy you already have. Its effects are similar to the effects of adrenaline – the fight-or-flight hormone.
Stimulating the hell out of you. It definitely does more than just preventing you from getting tired , every one who touched it can report that
Stimulating the hell out of you. It definitely does more than just preventing you from getting tired , every one who touched it can report that
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