Most workers in industrialized countries consume coffee throughout the workday. On atypical day, 49 percent of North American adults drink an average of 3.3 cups of coffee. Computer programmers, mechanics, thin-tankers, seminar participants, travelers and students have used coffee to give them that slight mental alertness advantage.
Many studies have shown that consuming coffee or caffeine increases mental alertness and wakefulness.
As nerve cells in the brain ignite, they use energy and produce adenosine in the process. Adenosine, a nerve chemical is related to the energy molecule ATP.
As adenosine builds up on neurons, it operates as a natural brake to keep neurons from overfiring.
When coffee is consumed, the caffeine crosses the blood barrier and attaches itself to adenosine receptors, which can’t tell the difference between caffeine and adenosine due to their similar structure.
But the fit is not effect and it does not have the sedating effect of adenosine. Therefore blocks the nerve soothing job adenosine. By blocking it, adenosine is prevented from competing its mission of transmitting signals that induce drowsiness and slow down the brain.
The nervous system stays revved, the body thinks more clearly, are more alert, have a faster reaction time and can concentrate better.
Coffee and mental alertness
