Wake Up!

Circa 2 billion cups of coffee are consumed by humans each day. The primary active ingredient is, of course, caffeine. Caffeine blocks the body's adenosine receptors. Adenosine binds to these receptors, to regulate heart rate, blood pressure and the sleep/wakefulness cycle. This binding results in physiological responses that decrease cellular activity, generally promoting drowsiness and sleep. By preventing adenosine binding to its receptor, caffeine increases alertness, allowing stimulatory neurotransmitters, like dopamine, to exert maximal effects (https://www.theguardian.com/food/2023/feb/15/the-truth-about-caffeine-how-coffee-really-affects-our-bodies). The amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee (or one of the plethora of caffeine-containing 'energy' drinks) is, of course, highly variable. There is no doubt, however, that coffee can boost athletic and other kinds of physical and mental performance. Timing is, of course, of prime importance. Most real (as distinct from placebo) activity is 10-45 minutes after ingestion.