If caffeine works by blocking the receptors that make you feel tired, why does too much caffeine cause you to feel “wired”?

Question

Shouldn’t you just max out at feeling perfectly alert/rested?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Your body normally has some of the adenosine receptors activated by adenosine, even if you are fully rested. They are a natural part of the body’s self-regulatory system. If you flood your system with caffeine and remove what little adenosine is on the receptors, then it dials the body state further than “well rested.”