This post was most recently updated on July 25th, 2023
Overview
Coffee is a popular drink in almost many countries around the world. When it comes to the effects of coffee, most people think that the most important use is to combat sleepiness, to make the mood more excited.
Studies show that coffee is the primary source of antioxidants in the Western diet. It also has many other health benefits, such as a reduced risk of diabetes and liver disease.
However, does the effect of coffee benefit your brain? Let’s find out here in the article!
Active ingredients in coffee
Coffee is considered a healthy drink because it contains hundreds of biological compounds that are beneficial for the body’s parts. Many of these compounds are antioxidants, which fight free radical damage.
Essential active ingredients of coffee include:
Caffeine
This is the main active ingredient in coffee. It has a stimulating effect on the central nervous system . Caffeine in coffee is an excitable substance that is allowed to be consumed worldwide.
Chlorogenic acid (CGA)
The CGA group are polyphenol antioxidants that are beneficial for controlling the functioning of certain parts of the body. For example, blood glucose metabolism, regulating blood pressure. Both of these factors, if left unchecked, pose a risk of age-related cardiovascular and mental impairment.
Cafestol and Kahweol
These two compounds are found in pure coffee essential oil. They are suitable for the liver and fight against cancer cells. However, if you consume too much of this compound, you may experience high cholesterol.
Trigonelline
When roasted, this active ingredient will form nicotinic acid, also known as niacin ( vitamin B3 ). Trigonelline also has the ability to prevent decay by inhibiting the growth of oral bacteria.
The content of these active ingredients may vary in every cup of coffee. It depends on many factors, including the type of coffee bean, how it is roasted, and how much is consumed per day.
Coffee is a healthy beverage with hundreds of beneficial compounds, including Caffeine, chlorogenic acid, trigonelline, cafestol, and kahweol.
How does coffee affect the brain?
Caffeine affects the central nervous system in several ways. However, its main effects come from interacting with adenosine receptors.
Adenosine is a neurotransmitter in the brain that promotes mood excitement. Caffeine and adenosine have similar molecular structures. So when Caffeine is introduced into the body, it competes with adenosine to bind to natural receptors in the brain. From there, it boosts the central nervous system, making you feel alert.
Caffeine is a substance that enhances brain function. It inhibits adenosine – the element that makes you feel sleepy to help you awake.
Coffee enhances brain function
Many scientific studies confirm that Caffeine can improve brain function in a short time. This is large because it prevents adenosine from binding to its receptors.
Besides, Caffeine also stimulates the central nervous system by promoting the release of other neurotransmitters such as noradrenaline, dopamine, serotonin.
Caffeine may also improve other brain functions, including:
– Adjust the mood
– Speed ​​up the reaction
– Increase concentration and other mental functions.
It is worth mentioning that over time, your body’s tolerance to Caffeine will increase if you drink coffee every day. This means that in the future, you will need to drink more coffee than it is now to get the same effect.
Caffeine releases neurotransmitters to improve mood and speed up the reaction and concentration of the brain.
The effect of coffee on the ability to remember
Coffee and Caffeine can also affect your ability to remember. Several studies have found that Caffeine can enhance short-term memory.
However, the effects of coffee on human long-term memory are still controversial.
In a way, coffee is a drink that can enhance your memory.
The effect of coffee on fatigue
It can be said that the reason why many people like to drink coffee is that it helps them feel more energetic and alert. Therefore, it is not surprising that many studies have shown that coffee can prevent fatigue.
However, the effect of increasing energy only lasts for a specified period. Then you will need another cup of coffee to maintain.
You should not drink a lot of coffee in the afternoon or evening because it will affect your sleep at night. If coffee increases the quality of your sleep, it may have the opposite effect and impair the overall brain function.
Coffee should be used to combat fatigue. However, if you drink coffee at the end of the day, it will make you sleepless and make you more tired.
Coffee reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
Alzheimer ‘s disease is the most common cause of dementia worldwide. It usually starts slowly but progresses steadily over time.
Alzheimer’s disease causes dementia and other thinking and behavior problems. Currently, there is no cure for this disease.
The good news is that regular coffee drinking habits will help you reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and memory problems by 65% ​​(information from Healthline).
There has been scientific research proving that drinking coffee in moderate amounts will help you reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
At a reasonable consumption level, the effects of coffee are not only good for the brain but also for your overall health.
