{"id":12621,"date":"2023-11-14T20:24:55","date_gmt":"2023-11-15T01:24:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=12621"},"modified":"2023-10-24T21:13:52","modified_gmt":"2023-10-25T01:13:52","slug":"the-coffee-experience-more-than-mere-molecules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=12621","title":{"rendered":"The Coffee Experience: More Than Mere Molecules"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Let’s just start with what we know. People love love love their coffee — Americans drink an average of 400 Million cups per day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But why is that?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Explanations range from the fact that people are going for the caffeine jolt, to the possibility that we’re all addicted to the caffeine. In other words, people naturally think it’s all about the caffeine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For me personally, my morning coffee kick is nice, it really is. But honestly there’s way more to coffee than being caffeine delivery device. That’s why I loved seeing this article<\/a> in the Frontiers of Neuroscience,<\/em> where they used “functional MRI) to peek inside people’s brains under 2 conditions.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. When taking a standard cup of coffee<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. When taking a pill of caffeine with the same amount as was contained in that standardized cup.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Then, they ran the functional MRI before this happened, during, and then afterwards.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    What They Found<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    Scientists testing coffee against plain caffeine found that plain caffeine only partially reproduces the effects of drinking a cup of coffee, activating areas of the brain that make you feel more alert but not the areas of the brain that affect working memory and goal-directed behavior.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Coffee, as well as the caffeine pill, both had stimulation effects on arousal and motivation to be active.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    However, drinking coffee also increased the connectivity in the right executive control network \u2013 parts of the brain that are involved in working memory, cognitive control, and goal-directed behavior. This didn\u2019t happen when participants only took caffeine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Science-to-English Dictionary<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    \"\"There’s more than molecules here. The full effect of your morning mug requires that you also experience that cup of coffee, in whatever environment is most comfy for you. If you want to feel, not just alert, but ready to go caffeine alone won\u2019t do.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    According to the authors, “In simple words, the subjects were more ready for action and alert to external stimuli after having coffee\u201d <\/em>and not just the pills.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    There’s SO many followup studies to do here — sign me up for a 7am start time! But the bottom line is that your experience is about more than mere molecules.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Reference: \u201cCoffee consumption decreases the connectivity of the posterior Default Mode Network (DMN) at rest\u201d by Maria Pic\u00f3-P\u00e9rez, Ricardo Magalh\u00e3es, Madalena Esteves, Rita Vieira, Teresa C. Castanho, Liliana Amorim, Mafalda Sousa, Ana Coelho, Pedro S. Moreira, Rodrigo A. Cunha and Nuno Sousa, 28 June 2023,\u00a0Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience<\/em>.<\/span>
    \n    DOI: 10.3389\/fnbeh.2023.1176382<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Let’s just start with what we know. People love love love their coffee — Americans drink an average of 400 Million cups per day.\u00a0 But why is that?\u00a0 Explanations range … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":12622,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[494],"tags":[327],"class_list":["post-12621","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","tag-coffee"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/My-project-1-23.png?fit=1456%2C816&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7Qv5g-3hz","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7979,"url":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=7979","url_meta":{"origin":12621,"position":0},"title":"Is Caffeine Okay For Me or Not?","author":"Will Clower","date":"January 13, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Here\u2019s the issue. An amazing 80% of adults take some kind of caffeine each day mainly in the form of coffee and tea. But caffeine is an addictive drug that can contribute to a raft of side effects including anxiety, insomnia, loose stools, blood pressure spikes, heart palpitations, and rebound\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?cat=494"},"img":{"alt_text":"Woman with funny face holding a cup of coffee","src":"https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Woman-w-funny-face-w-coffee-mug.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Woman-w-funny-face-w-coffee-mug.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Woman-w-funny-face-w-coffee-mug.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Woman-w-funny-face-w-coffee-mug.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Woman-w-funny-face-w-coffee-mug.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2367,"url":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=2367","url_meta":{"origin":12621,"position":1},"title":"I don’t buy it. “Caffeine addicts get no perk”","author":"Will Clower","date":"June 7, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"British scientists report that caffeine consumers actually \"get no perk\" from their morning joe. I don't buy it. It is true, as they say, that we develop a tolerance to caffeine over time. But they're saying that \"Although frequent consumers feel alerted by caffeine, evidence suggests that this is actually\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?cat=494"},"img":{"alt_text":"Bookmark and Share","src":"https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/s7.addthis.com\/static\/btn\/v2\/lg-share-en.gif?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2751,"url":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=2751","url_meta":{"origin":12621,"position":2},"title":"Got Java?","author":"Will Clower","date":"July 16, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"The French and Mediterranean people drink coffee every day, and the evidence is that we should too. Despite the controversy that swirls around it, the research data show that this common morning eye-opener is very healthy for you.The catch? Coffee is just like all other foods and drinks, a little\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?cat=494"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":5367,"url":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=5367","url_meta":{"origin":12621,"position":3},"title":"Energy Drinks Worse for Your Heart Than Caffeine Alone: Study","author":"Will Clower","date":"May 2, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"(via Reuters) Drinking 32 ounces of energy drink is associated with potentially harmful changes in blood pressure and heart function that are beyond those seen with caffeine alone, according to a new study. There are more than 500 energy drink products on the market, and their increased popularity is matched\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?cat=494"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2287,"url":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=2287","url_meta":{"origin":12621,"position":4},"title":"Aspirin versus Coffee? The bowels of a gut reaction","author":"Will Clower","date":"October 22, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Coffee consumption reduces colon cancer, and it doesn't matter if its caffeinated or not\u00a0(... if you're anal retentive about your colon cancer, check out the study cited below).But, a new study is touting high doses of aspirin as a way to accomplish the very same thing. So. Aspirin pills every\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?cat=494"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/_HAl9r2q_-j0\/TMGvwf_Yn1I\/AAAAAAAACw0\/Aj1pyAW33SI\/s320\/CoffeePoster.bmp","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1955,"url":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?p=1955","url_meta":{"origin":12621,"position":5},"title":"Healthiest sources of caffeine … corrected","author":"Will Clower","date":"April 11, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"This AOL infographic is interesting, but misleading. Of course, plain black coffee is wicked healthy for you, as is Green, Black, and Oolong tea.\u00a0But soda? With its phosphoric acid that can contribute to brittle bones? They list this as \"even better\". Weird. I'm guessing that this should NOT be on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/?cat=494"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/mlcmmqmgggev.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.willclower.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/healthiestsourcescaffeine.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12621","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12621"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12621\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12624,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12621\/revisions\/12624"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12622"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12621"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12621"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymedwellness.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12621"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}