The Caffeine Advantage Everything you need to know to think faster, exercise harder, and live longer BY LAUREN RUSSELL GRIFFIN, FEBRUARY 04, 2008 PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS BY EDDIE GUY Your Brain The Science: Soon after your first sip, caffeine begins to work its magic by causing the release of dopamine. Dopamine is a brain chemical that stimulates the area of your gray matter responsible for alertness, problem solving, and pleasure. You have that feeling of being activated, sharper, and on the ball, says Lovallo. And you can also experience a mild mood-elevating effect. All of which goes a long way in explaining why there are around 9,000 Starbucks outlets in the United States, and more opening every day around the globe. Be smarter instantly: Down a cup of joe just before your next meeting -- itll boost your mind power for about 45 minutes, according to a recent Austrian study that directly measured the impact of 100 milligrams (mg) of caffeine on brain activity. Be smarter for life: Refill your cup three times a day. Harvard researchers have determined that men who drink 4 cups of caffeinated coffee a day are half as likely to develop Parkinsons disease as those who skip the java -- presumably because caffeine keeps dopamine molecules active. Whats more, blocking adenosine may slow the buildup of amyloid-beta, a toxic brain plaque thats associated with Alzheimers disease. Your Heart The Science: Adenosine helps blood vessels relax. But once caffeine infiltrates the receptors that line vessel walls, your arteries constrict, causing your blood pressure to rise. In fact, research has shown that blood pressure may increase by as much as 10 points in nonhabitual drinkers. Yet when Harvard researchers tracked the coffee intake of more than 128,000 people, they determined that drinking more than six cups of coffee a day didnt boost the chance of developing heart disease. And last year, scientists at Brooklyn College found that men who drank 4 cups of caffeinated coffee daily had a 53 percent lower risk of dying of heart disease than those who never took a sip. If you dont have hypertension to begin with, the temporary blood-pressure increase from a cup of coffee isnt a problem, says Matthew Sorrentino, M.D., a cardiologist and professor of medicine at the University of Chicago. Plus, the impact on blood pressure tends to be smaller in habitual caffeine drinkers because their bodies become somewhat tolerant to its effects. Take your health history into account: If caffeine makes your heart race or skip beats, youre probably genetically sensitive to the stimulant. Although this may sound serious, symptoms such as palpitations are actually considered innocuous, unless youve had a recent heart attack, says John Kassotis, M.D., a cardiac electrophysiologist at SUNY Downstate, in Brooklyn. Still, Dr. Kassotis suggests playing it safe. His rule of thumb: If you think youre caffeine-sensitive, consult your physician to determine if you should limit your intake. Stick with antioxidant-rich java: Scientists arent sure whether its the caffeine or the antioxidants in coffee -- or a combination of the two -- that provide the aforementioned cardiovascular benefits. But unless youre caffeine-sensitive, go with the leaded variety. Research shows that antioxidant levels are decreased by about 15 percent in decaf.
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