The science behind Coffee

CAFFEINE

What are the scientific principles behind the way a cup of coffee makes you feel awake?

OBJECTIVES

• What in coffee stimulates the feeling of being awake?

• How does the stimulant in coffee work?

Caffeine

Coffee works in keeping people awake because of caffeine.

Caffeine is a chemical that acts as a natural stimulant, often found in tea, coffee, and cacao plants. Essentially, it stimulates the brain and central nervous system to help you stay alert and prevent feeling drowsy or tired.

A stimulant is any drug that increases the activity of the nervous system and body. They can increase alertness, induce a pleasurable mood, increase speech or motor activity (movement quality and quantity), and even decrease appetite.

In its pure form, caffeine is a white crystalline powder. It is bitter in taste and toxic in large doses.

Fun fact: Human caffeine consumption can be traced back to 3000 BC.

Process

Initially absorbed in gastro intestinal tract, coffee takes about 30 to 60 minutes to have effect

caffeine blocks receptors in the body for a compound called adenosine. Adenosine is supposed to trigger their receptors to create a feeling of relaxation or drowsiness.

It also increase the production of dopamine and noradrenaline. Both of which increase alertness.

You may find yourself getting hit with a sudden hit of tiredness after a few hours of having consumed coffee.

This is because, after a point, the body has been able to successfully metabolise all the caffeine. This means that the caffeine has been broken down, absorbed, and used.

Consequently, the receptors mentioned earlier can receive the adenosine; making you feel tired.

This is the chemical structure of a single molecule of caffeine.

It uses single and double covalent bonds. A single line between atoms represents a single bond, similarly, two lines between atoms represent a double bond.

A covalent bond is the bond between 2 non metals, by sharing pairs of valence electrons. A bond can be single, double, or triple according to the number of pairs of electrons being shared.

A valence electron is an electron on the outermost shell of an atom.

Fun fact 2: caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive drug in the world