Is Caffeine A Stimulant To The Central Nervous System?

Darrell Miller

09/09/11

Date: September 09, 2011 04:38 PM
Author: Darrell Miller (dm@vitanetonline.com)
Subject: Is Caffeine A Stimulant To The Central Nervous System?

Overview

I really can’t remember when, but it does seem like somewhere around my late teens. I am talking about when I started drinking coffee and actually liking it. What I know for sure though, it started out as something that would help me have a little edge when it comes to daily activities and my work outs. I did find it to be a good booster of energy or if not just helping you to stay awake when doing late nights with lessons to learn. Coffee has long been a staple in many households in America and is most common in breakfasts, afternoon snacks or for late nights. But what is coffee really, what else do we know about it? Well the one thing that I can tell you that causes all that stimulation is mainly caffeine in the coffee, without it, all you’ll get is just the bitterness without much purpose.

Caffeine

The most common effect of caffeine in humans is being a stimulant. It is widely used in the world today and most sectors accept it as legal and even most religions allows its use among its members. Caffeine’s most common sources in a regular American diet are of course coffee, tea and then soft drinks like coca cola. It is able to aid in giving a boost of energy and alleviate fatigue and increase alertness for the short term. However in its natural form, it is used a little differently because it is found in a plant species that act as a natural pesticide.

So one of the main functions of caffeine in nature is to protect other plants because it has the ability to paralyze the insects or even kill it due to overstimulation. Although the use of caffeine has long been part of ancient history, it was only isolated in the early 1800’s by Freidrich Runge, a German chemist.

Caffeine and the Central Nervous System

Studies have found that the primary effects of caffeine in humans is to increase the body’s metabolism and stimulate the central nervous system, respiratory system and the heart. We also should take note of the inseparable link between the central nervous system and the brain itself to understand how caffeine works and how it is able to enhance brain functions. The process in which caffeine affect the nervous system is first and foremost described as having the ability to mobilize intracellular calcium and it also does seem to have the ability to inhibit specific phosphodiesterases.

Another substance though involved in the process is methylxanthine which has a primary function of increasing locomotor functionality and what we usually take caffeine for in addition to its main effect is the psychostimulant property it has. These effects on learning, memory retention, performance due to the locomotor improvement and coordination are what make this substance a widely needed drug. Furthermore, contrary to popular belief caffeine, according to studies does not have the ability to change the nervous system therefore alleviating the doubts of addiction as a side effect.