[imagesource:here]

For some people, the caffeine kick comes quick and hard, giving a real skop.

For others, it comes slow and steady.

Either way, we can all agree that after our beloved morning cuppa kicks in, we look and feel a little like that coffee above.

That is, with energy levels well and truly boosted, wide-eyed and bushy-tailed, and ready for the day.

There are many factors that contribute to the whys and hows of the sought-after caffeine kick.

Ultimately, caffeine usually takes about 45 minutes to become fully absorbed in your body. It can “peak” in your bloodstream at anywhere between 15 minutes and two hours, per Eat This.

That’s backed up by this Medium article reporting on a study that measures caffeine’s effects on the human body:

You might feel drowsy and incapable of functioning at a high level until the caffeine hits your bloodstream.

You may go from 0 to 60 in about 10 minutes, but you hit top speed after about 45 minutes, when 99 percent of the caffeine from your coffee, tea or energy drink has entered the bloodstream fully.

Then it takes many hours for the caffeine to dissipate.

This timing depends on a number of factors.

For those who drink coffee even before their eyes are fully open, or before they’ve had a moment to nosh down on brekkie, the effects of caffeine can be far more pronounced.

Not that it is totally advisable, but drinking coffee on an empty stomach will allow the caffeine to kick in much faster than if you had food in your system.

If there is food in your gut, especially anything with fibre, then the effects of caffeine will be slowed down quite substantially.

The effect of caffeine in your body can also be influenced by genetic variations:

…95% of the caffeine we metabolise is affected by something called the CYP1A2-gene, which is divided into two different variations.

Depending on your variation of this gene, you either fall under the “fast metabolisers,” who experience the effects of caffeine for a shorter amount of time, or the “slow metabolisers” who experience lingering alertness and energy from the caffeine they consume.

Another thing is concentration, which matters. Coffees brands, blends, and beans have different concentrations of caffeine that can affect your alertness differently.

Go with quality single-origin coffee, like Terbodore’s Uganda Sipi Falls Organic beans, and you’re guaranteed a good pick-me-up:

 

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Even decaf coffee, which usually contains only about 2% of the caffeine of regular coffee, has still been shown to affect one’s alertness.

And of course, the more caffeine you drink, the more buzzed you’ll feel:

Caffeine’s stimulant effect on the central nervous system is dose-dependent; the more caffeine consumed, the stronger the stimulant effect.

It blocks a neurotransmitter called adenosine, which is a central nervous system depressant and has a calming, slowing effect on the brain. When adenosine is blocked, the adrenal glands begin secreting adrenaline, which is the chemical associated with the body’s “fight or flight” response.

This usually leads to an increase in heart rate and body temperature, as well as a spike in blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

Additionally, when caffeine blocks adenosine, there is a rise in dopamine levels, often leading to an elevation in mood.

That one’s for the ‘don’t talk to me until I’ve had my morning cup of coffee’ brigade.

Ultimately, drinking crummy coffee isn’t going to save you, or the people around you.

Stick with the quality stuff, like Terbodore’s wide selection of blends, single-origins, cold brews, and decafs to ensure you’re taken care of.

We all need a little energy boost, especially on a Monday, so we might as well do it right.

[sources:eatthis&medium]