Does Caffeine Give You Any Energy? Nutritionist Pooja Makhija Answers That

Are you the kind of person who can't get out of bed without a warm cup of coffee? Or do you find it difficult to go through a hectic day without several cups of coffee? There are chances that you are addicted to caffeine. Many people believe that caffeine can give them an added boost of energy that can help them work more efficiently. And, this belief is often a major reason that makes people fall for an overload of coffee. But don't fall into this trap. Nutritionist Pooja Makhija warns about this caffeine-related myth in an Instagram post.

Pooja says caffeine doesn't actually give you added energy and goes on to add, “It makes you feel more awake so you think you have more. The impending crash that inevitably comes from taking any stimulant is the reason why it seems like it is ‘borrowed' from future energy.”

Pooja Makhija went on to explain the mechanism behind such a reaction of the body to caffeine intake. Your brain has receptors for adenosine, which is a natural compound that can relax and dilate the blood vessels. The brain receptors fill up throughout the day and result in a sleepy feeling. When you have caffeine, its compounds bind to the adenosine receptors because caffeine has a similar structure to adenosine. Since the spots are now taken up by caffeine compounds, you begin to feel less sleepy.

But the process does not end there. The brain requires free adenosine receptors. So, the body keeps making more of them. These additional receptors get filled with either caffeine or adenosine. But the rate of making new adenosine receptors differs from one person to another.

That's why Pooja Makhija wrote, “This is part of the reason why some can't have caffeine after 3-4 pm because it disturbs their sleep cycle and yet some can have a cup of coffee and immediately jump into bed - more begets more.”

Here is her post: