Coffee or caffeine – what really energizes you in the morning

In a recent study, scientists found out whether a cup of morning coffee really energizes and improves performance.

They compared the effects of drinking coffee and caffeine alone, tells medical news today. A total of 75% of US residents aged 20 and older drink coffee, and approximately 49% drink it daily. Many of them enjoy coffee in the morning to overcome drowsiness and fatigue, stay alert and work efficiently throughout the day.

Coffee contains various compounds that affect the brain in different ways. Caffeine is the most famous of them, it improves memory. But little is known about its psychological impact.

Some research suggests that coffee may affect cognitive performance in those who don’t drink it regularly, but it has less of an effect on those who drink it regularly, as they develop a tolerance to the drink. Recently, researchers compared functional MRI data from chronic coffee drinkers before and after drinking coffee or caffeine.

Scientists discoveredthat both coffee and caffeine cause changes in brain activity – helping people move from rest to tasks. However, they also found that other activities were exclusive to coffee drinkers. This may be due to other compounds present in coffee. Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Neuropsychiatry Program at UTHealth Houston Dr. Antonio Teixeira (not involved in the study) says:

“The authors concluded that some of the general effects attributed to coffee may be due to mechanisms other than the effects of caffeine. Among these other mechanisms, they mention the experience of drinking coffee, which may include some kind of placebo effect, expectation and even refusal, not taken into account in the study.

Researchers involved 47 people who drink at least one cup of coffee a day for research work. Their average age is 30 years. All participants were asked to refrain from consuming caffeinated beverages or food at least three hours prior to participating in the study. In the lab, participants underwent two fMRI scans: one before and one 30 minutes after ingesting caffeine or a cup of coffee. During the scan, participants were asked to relax.

The researchers found that both coffee and caffeine contributed to greater readiness to transition from rest mode to task processing. Coffee consumption, but decaffeinated, also resulted in increased activity in executive control and visual networks associated with higher-level visual processing and cognitive functions, including working memory, cognitive control, and goal-directed behavior.

The researchers write that the different effects of caffeine intake and coffee consumption may stem from the “sensory experience” of drinking the drink, in particular, we are talking about the tradition of drinking a cup of coffee. Armargo Couture, a dietitian at the Staten Island University Hospital in New York, who was not involved in the study, noted that the additional effects of drinking coffee could be explained by the placebo effect:

“The placebo effect may work in this case due to the fact that the culture of drinking a cup of coffee before the start of the day is a social norm. In fact, for many, “morning coffee” is associated with “waking up” and preparing for the day ahead. Components of coffee, such as terpenes – cafestol and kavaol, and polyphenols such as chlorogenic acid interact with various brain receptors to boost energy and mood Terpenes and polyphenols in coffee have been researched and shown to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which are also associated with a lower risk of depression.” .

So is coffee good for you? What do the results of the study say about this? Couture notes:

“Drinking coffee enhances subjects’ executive control, which means that coffee can promote your goal-oriented thinking while improving your working memory and cognitive abilities.”

She also stressed that drinking coffee can provide benefits by boosting motivation and improving working memory. The researchers note that drinking decaffeinated coffee in the morning can make people feel more alert and focused.

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