It is an established fact that caffeine is the single most consumed psychedelic substance consumed by people all over the world. Coffee is a complex substance after all, with over 1,000 aroma compounds present in varying levels in coffee. Well, research has found that its metabolic reactions are just as complex as coffee is, if not more. New research has found that coffee influences the same regions of the brain as cannabis!
The Research
A group of researchers at the Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois studied the effect of coffee consumption on internal chemistry. The findings of this study were published in the Journal of Internal Medicine.
The study was conducted over a course of three months over 47 people living in Finland. These 47 people were habitual coffee drinkers. For the first month of the clinical trial, the subjects refrained completely from drinking any coffee. For the second month, subjects consumed four cups per day. In the third month, this was pushed up to eight cups of coffee per day.
After each stage, samples were collected from the subjects. The samples were subjected to non-targeted metabolomic profiling using UPLC-ESI-MS/MS. UPLC stands for Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography. ESI stands for Electro Spray Ionization. MS stands for mass spectrometry. The technique is commonly used for identifying metabolites. Metabolites are chemicals that are produced by the body as a result of metabolism. These metabolites generally play a range of roles within our cells or even between the cells.
As part of the analysis, 733 metabolites were included for conducting a univariate and a multi-variate analysis.
During analysis, 115 metabolites that were significantly associated with coffee consumption were found. Of these 115, 82 metabolites were already known and mapped to one of the 33 pre-defined biological pathways.
In simpler terms
A study was conducted on 47 people in Finland who were regular coffee drinkers over the course of three months. In the first month, the participants of the study did not consume any coffee. In the second month, their consumption was 4 cups a day. In the third month, it was upped to eight cups a day. Samples were collected from the people being studied at every stage. The samples were analyzed for the effect of coffee consumption on different systems in the body.
The Results
Scientists found that when the coffee consumption was increased, the blood metabolites that were involved in the endocannabinoid system tanked. The endocannabinoid system is chiefly responsible for the recreational and medical effects that cannabis has on human beings. It was found that coffee had the completely opposite effect on the endocannabinoid system as compared to cannabis. When subjects increased their consumption to eight cups a day, the number of endocannabinoid neurotransmitters found in the bloodstream sunk. The number picked back up with cannabis consumption.
In simpler terms
It was found that coffee consumption had a completely opposite effect on a very important system in the human body – the endocannabinoid system.
What is the endocannabinoid system?
“The endocannabinoid system is a biological system composed of endocannabinoids. Endocannabinoids are endogenous lipid-based retrograde neurotransmitters that bind to cannabinoid receptors as well as cannbinoid receptor proteins that are expressed throughout the vertebrate central nervous system and peripheral nervous system”.
I didn’t say that, Wikipedia did.
And I know you probably didn’t get a word of that. Allow me, por favor.
In simpler terms
The endocannabinoid system, commonly abbreviated to ECS, is a complex cell-signaling system. Now, the ECS is made of three units –
- Endocannibinoids: Molecules produced by the body to keep internal functions running smoothly. Say the TVAs in the new Loki series
- Endocannbinoid receptors: Receiving molecules to which the endocannbinoids bind to perform a range of functions – something similar to one key, multiple locks
- Enzymes: Compounds that break down the endocannibinoid molecules once their job is done – something similar to a mole being assassinated by the mafia or the cartel once they have run past their requirement say whatever information was required or to be conveyed has been done and the don does not want any leaks or loose ends
What does the ECS control?
A lot of things actually, research is still ongoing to learn more about the system, including:
- Appetite and digestion
- metabolism
- Chronic pain
- Inflammation
- Immune system responses
- Mood
- Learning and memory
- Motor control
- Sleep
- Cardiovascular system functions
- Muscle formations
- Bone re-modeling and growth
- Liver function
- Reproductive functions
- Stress
- Skin and nerve function
So, what does coffee have to do with ECS?
This study that I was talking about since the beginning of the blog has found that coffee has an effect on the ECS which is opposite to the effect of cannabinoids. This opens up completely new lines of study and analysis on how coffee affects health. All the behaviors that are affected by the ECS will also get influenced by coffee. This needs to be studied to understand the role coffee plays in our health and well-being.
Is there any other system that coffee affects?
Yes. Coffee also affects the androsteroid system. This system is responsible for breaking down toxins in our body. So, it is possible that consumption of coffee can break down steroids quickly. Steroid play quite an important role in causing cancer, so coffee consumption to reduce that effect as well.
So, that’s the connection between coffee and cannabis, and how it affects the body
You can look up the study online or refer to the range of resources offered by the National Coffee Association of USA to know more about the connection. You can also check out their resources to learn more about how CBD will affect the coffee business in the context of United States. There is a growing trend of adding coffee to everything and adding everything to coffee. With that, more and more companies in the US are embracing this flowering trend of bringing coffee and CBDs together.
What do you think about coffee and cannabis coming together? Is this something you would be open to trying or something you’d just rather stay away from? This would be, of course, only possible in territories where CBD is legally permitted for medical and/or recreational uses.
Let me know what you think in the comments below or find me on Instagram.
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