The benefits of caffeine
The basic ingredient of GRIZZ Energy Gum is caffeine. Each energy gum contains 80 mg of caffeine, which is equivalent to an energy drink or 1 espresso. But what does caffeine actually do to you? Caffeine has many known, positive effects such as activating certain areas of the brain and the nervous system, but there is still so much unknown information about caffeine. Read all about it in the blog, dive into the world of caffeine and find out exactly what caffeine does to the body and mind!
What is caffeine?
Caffeine is one of the most widely consumed and researched food ingredients in the world. Athletes and non-athletes both swear by caffeine. Worldwide, 80% of the population consumes at least one caffeinated product every day, research has shown that in America the percentage lays even higher. 90% of American adults consume at least one caffeinated product a day. This might sound like a shockingly high percentage, but caffeine occurs in, for example, tea (also called theine), coffee, soft drinks, energy gum, chocolate, chocolate milk, and energy drinks. Caffeine is naturally found in plants (in over 60 different species!), coffee beans, cocoa beans, kola nuts, guarana berries, and tea leaves. For years, caffeine has been known as a central nervous system stimulant, and for good reason. It has countless benefits such as better focus, longer concentration, reduction of fatigue, promoting strength recovery, and fat-burning to name a few.
The natural substance caffeine looks like a white powder and has a bitter taste in itself. This is why many caffeinated products typically add sugar and multiple chemical sweeteners to camouflage the taste. As described above, caffeine is naturally a stimulant, yet there is a big difference in the effect of caffeine per caffeinated product.
What does caffeine do to you?
As previously described, the use of caffeine has numerous benefits. Several studies (1,2,3) show that caffeine can improve mood, alertness, and exercise performance. Caffeine also has a positive effect on the speed at which information is processed. Better concentration, more attention, and faster reaction time. This creates the feeling of increased energy. Caffeine appears to improve physical performance in both trained and untrained people.
The speed at which the body absorbs the caffeine differs per product. On average, the peak is around 90 minutes when you consume caffeine through energy drinks, coffee, and other caffeinated soft drinks. With energy gum this is much lower, you reach your peak within 45 minutes since the caffeine quickly enters the bloodstream via the oral mucosa. Where energy drinks and coffee take 20-30 minutes, energy gum only takes 5-10 minutes.
Effects of Caffeine on the Body
Caffeine can have both positive and negative effects on our bodies. Although the benefits of caffeine far outweigh the drawbacks, it is always wise to consume everything in moderation. That is why we also recommend a maximum of 4 energy gums per day and not 10. Below you will find a list of 10 known and unknown positive effects of caffeine on the human body:
- Better mood.
Let's get off to a good start right away. Caffeine can improve your mood. This is because caffeine activates the brain to release dopamine. Dopamine provides a happy, relaxed, and happy feeling. Always wise to have your GRIZZ with you, should you want to change the mood FAST. - Activation of certain areas in the brain and nervous system.
Caffeine activates certain areas in the brain and nervous system, giving you better focus, concentration, alertness, and reaction time. When caffeine reaches the brain, it attaches and blocks the receptors for adenosine. Adeno-what? This is a neurotransmitter that can make you feel tired and sleepy. The body naturally produces it as soon as you get up and expend energy, the more adenosine is produced and released, the more tired you will feel. While consuming, and afterward, your body still produces adenosine, only it is suppressed and the sensation blocked by caffeine, allowing you to continue for longer without feeling fatigued. - Fat Burning.
According to the latest research, caffeine has an influence on our body fat (adipose tissue) and we can determine that it actually influences the fat burning in our body. In the body, we have six different types of body fat. Two of those are brown and white. The white body fat serves as long-term energy storage and unfortunately provides us with "love handles” or "cushions". The brown body fat, on the other hand, is helpful. This is the fat tissue that provides energy in the short term and supports the body in losing weight. Research by scientists at the University of Nottingham shows that caffeine increases the activity of brown body fat. This research did show that it only applies to pure caffeine, so no Café Lattes, Cappuccinos, and coffee cups filled with sugar. You can always try GRIZZ Energy Gum. Completely sugar-free and would therefore fit in perfectly with this research. Another study has shown that when you consume caffeine before a workout, you release the stored fat up to 30% faster, and thus burn it. - Better blood flow.
Caffeine improves blood flow in the body. It can cause the heart to pump more blood during a heartbeat. Caffeine also increases the adrenaline levels in the body, making the blood flow faster. The blood flow in the muscles can increase by up to 30% with the use of caffeine. Quite something! - Good for the lungs.
This is one you don't hear often. Caffeine is good for the lungs. How? Well, caffeine causes the lungs to open more, which increases the air supply and energy values. A study shows that caffeine is comparable to theophylline. Theophylline is a drug given to people with breathing problems to help them breathe better and more freely. - Helps with strength recovery and against muscle soreness.
It is not surprising that caffeine is often found in energy gum and pre-workouts, it gives you the feeling of more energy, so you can get more out of your workouts. However, caffeine is also useful after a heavy workout. Caffeine causes the carbs in the body to be stored more quickly as glycogen. Pretty technical terms, but glycogen is the fuel for your muscles. Your muscles need it to perform and recover. By taking caffeine after a workout, you promote recovery, and you are ready to get going again sooner! Win-win, before and after! - Better performance.
It is not a surprise that many top athletes swear by caffeine. The smallest details may or may not make you a winner. Yet it is not only performance-enhancing for top athletes. Hobby athletes also benefit from caffeine intake. In addition to faster strength recovery, better concentration, better focus, and faster reaction time, several studies show that the general performance quality improves after taking a caffeine-containing product. Overall, current studies (1, 2, 3) show that caffeine can provide the most benefits for strength-based activities that use large muscle groups, reps, or circuits. This can be with a 1-rep max with bench press or with squats. This study found that leg muscle strength can increase by as much as 7% after consuming caffeine. - Reduced risk of diseases and disorders.
This is also a relatively unknown, but not an unimportant positive effect. Caffeine has a positive effect on the body and reduces and/or delays the risk of many diseases and disorders. This study by Marjo H. Eskelinen and Miia Kivipelto, researchers from the University of Finland, shows that in middle-aged people, 3-5 cups of coffee (2-4 energy gums) per day can reduce the risk of dementia. The research shows that the risk of dementia decreases by 65%. This is probably due to the antioxidants in caffeine. Another reason could be that caffeine can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, which often leads to dementia. Another study shows that a link has been found between regular caffeine consumption and reduced risk of liver cancer. Caffeine is said to lower the risk of liver cancer and liver damage. Finally, caffeine can help with Parkinson's disease. Research showed that caffeine greatly improved mobility. - Fluid intake.
It is often thought that caffeine-containing products actually provide a diuretic effect. Nothing is less true. Caffeine does not cause an imbalance in the fluid balance in the body, it only provides a kidney stimulation so that the fluid leaves the body faster, but it does not cause the body to lose more fluid. - Production of dopamine.
Dopamine makes you feel happy. It is not constantly produced in the body but is released during food, exercise, and sex. It makes you feel happy, satisfied and rewarded. Caffeine can support and activate dopamine production in the body.
Everything in moderation
As you can see, caffeine has amazing benefits. Still, caffeine may be unsuitable for some people. For example, GRIZZ Energy Gum is not recommended for pregnant women, heart patients, and children under the age of 13. With excessive use of caffeine, side effects can occur, such as anxiety, increased heart rate, tremors, upset stomach, and insomnia. A good rule of thumb is 2-5 mg of caffeine per pound of body weight. Also, timing is an important factor when consuming caffeine. If you are extremely sensitive to caffeine, we advise against consuming caffeine in the evening… If you are unsure whether the product is something for you, always check the packaging beforehand!
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