The 9 things that happen to the brain if we drink coffee every day

Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world.. and from Spain. We are a very coffee-producing country: every day we consume an average of 65.5 million cups, according to the Spanish Coffee Association. We love its bitter taste, and according to science, this can be very good. With the vast amount of research currently on how the food we eat and drink affects our health, it is not surprising that these ground seeds are also being investigated.. The question is: to what extent is drinking coffee good for the brain? How does it affect our memory?

The first thing to know is that, yes, caffeine gets us up in the morning and keeps us euphoric throughout the day, but it also has complex and intriguing effects on the brain.. For example, a 2012 study found that this sophisticated chemical binds to specific receptors in the brain that regulate metabolism, the body clock, and the heart.

“If you've ever wondered what caffeine does to your nervous system, the answer is more complicated than you think,” says Dr. Uma Naidoo, founder of the world's first Nutritional Psychiatry unit and member of the Harvard Medical School.

Naidoo has dedicated his career to the impact of dietary changes on the human brain.. Thus, he points out that modern science has opened a window to the sometimes peculiar ways in which caffeine influences us neurologically, from wakefulness to memory.

Below, the Harvard expert lists 9 “Surprising and Really Cool Ways Caffeine Affects Your Brain for the Better, According to Science”. It also reveals how she takes advantage of its benefits.

1. Coffee changes the way you remember words

Consuming 200 milligrams of caffeine, the equivalent of about two cups of coffee, before a memory test helped people recall words with positive associations significantly faster, according to a 2012 study published in PLOS One.. Naidoo explains that short-term verbal memory is an interesting part of the brain and still a mystery to researchers, but a dose of caffeine definitely improved the participants' ability to remember happy words.. The same did not occur with negative associations. So, the expert says that if you're trying to remember your wedding anniversary, this might be a good trick to try.

2. You can change your tastes

A fascinating study in 2013 examined how caffeine affects behavior and abilities.. One of the most interesting examples was that taking caffeine along with an unfamiliar flavor—in this case, yogurt flavored with unusual flavors like apple, mint, or raspberry pie—meant that people adapted to and liked the flavor more quickly. new flavor. It is not clear why this happened, but it is possible that the stimulation of the brain by caffeine made it more receptive to the peculiar and unfamiliar taste of yogurt.

3. May reduce brain plaque

A number of studies have shown that caffeine seems to have a reducing effect on brain plaque.. This is: decreases the substance that accumulates in the brain related to Alzheimer's disease and dementia. However, these findings have not been fully accepted, as research in 2018 suggests that caffeine may not be good for people with Parkinson's and degenerative neurological problems, because it can make their symptoms worse.

4. Improves long-term memory

Johns Hopkins researchers discovered in 2014 that caffeine has a memory-boosting effect for up to 24 hours after consuming it.. The participants went through a complicated memory test in which they were shown images on one day and a series of different images the next.. They were then asked to identify images similar to those they had seen the day before.

Drinking caffeine after the first day of work helped them remember and identify those images well on the second day.. That's why caffeine might give someone studying it an extra boost, as it “seems to have a positive effect on your ability to incorporate things into long-term memory,” Naidoo says.

5. Increases brain entropy

Although the word “entropy” does not sound like something positive to us, the doctor assures that it is. We define entropy in the brain as “intense complexity and irregular variability in brain activity from one moment to the next,” according to the British Psychological Society.. Broadly speaking, it is a sign that the brain is operating at a high level.. We show low entropy, for example, when we are sleeping.

Along these lines, a study carried out in 2018 showed for the first time that a dose of caffeine increases entropy in the brain, which in turn improves mental tasks, those related to vision, motor skills, reasoning and words. .

6. Interacts like cannabis, but on the contrary

A study in 2018 revealed that caffeine has an interesting effect on the endocannabinoid system of our body, the part that cannabis stimulates.. While cannabis tends to increase activity in this system, caffeine was shown to calm it down.. The effect? Whereas cannabis creates a kind of slowing down or depressing effect on the brain, caffeine speeds it up, using the same kinds of pathways.

7. Combining it with sugar improves your thinking

A coffee and a donut or a donut? Seems to have positive effects. In fact, the reason so many people mix sweet with bitter may be neurological.. A 2010 study found that caffeine and glucose taken together can increase the efficiency of brain activity.. When we experience the maximum peak of the two substances, it seems that working memory is improved, as well as sustained attention.. In turn, the brain uses less energy to produce performance.. Therefore, the expert recommends trying this tactic “the next time you feel like you can't get a task done on time.”

8. affects serotonin

Studies show that caffeine affects serotonin. When caffeine is ingested, it crosses the blood-brain barrier and targets adenosine receptors.. According to psychiatrist Dr.. Mimi Winsberg, co-founder and chief medical officer at Brightside Hospital, “adenosine is a molecule that has a generally sedative effect in the brain, and therefore, by occupying the adenosine receptors, it triggers a series of chemical events in the brain.”. He continues: “[Caffeine intake] increases our vigilance and also releases dopamine, serotonin, acetylcholine, and a host of other neurotransmitters.”

While some studies detect this chemical fluctuation, psychiatrist Naidoo points out that the mechanisms of how caffeine actually affects serotonin are largely unknown.. In other words, there isn't a lot of research yet to show how much caffeine it takes to raise these levels or how high the substance increases serotonin, but it has at least been linked to the release of those feel-good chemicals in the brain.

9. Protects brain blood vessels

Some studies have proven that the polyphenolic micronutrients in coffee can prevent tissue damage caused by free radicals, as well as clogging of brain blood vessels.. This could keep us from suffering from cerebrovascular diseases. In addition, high concentrations of trigonelline are found in coffee beans, which can also activate antioxidants, thus protecting brain blood vessels.

How to make coffee a brain boost

Naidoo also explains that not all are advantages and “it must be taken into account that not all substances in coffee are useful. Unfiltered coffee, for example, contains natural oils called diterpenes, which increase LDL cholesterol levels, which can cause the arterial walls of the brain to thicken and harden,” he says.

So, encourage you to take it by following some recommendations. “Through my research and studies, I have found that coffee has more good than bad effects when consumed in moderation.. Two to four cups a day are recommended, or less than 400 milligrams of caffeine. Drinking freshly ground, dark roast coffee beans can also decrease the presence of unwanted chemicals in the beverage.”

It also encourages “practice body intelligence”. And he says that “coffee is not good for everyone, and can have adverse effects, especially if consumed in excess. To decide how much caffeine to consume (or whether to consume it at all), tune into your innate body intelligence. This means recognizing how foods and beverages make you feel, and acting accordingly. If coffee doesn’t make you feel good after you drink it, it’s probably not good for your body.”

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