Does coffee benefit health? Research reveals consuming coffee provides a ‘special’ brain boost beyond just caffeine

A recent study has uncovered that the boost people experience from drinking coffee cannot be replicated by consuming plain caffeine alone, as additional areas of the brain are activated by the hot beverage.

It is widely known that coffee, the go-to morning beverage for millions around the world, makes individuals more alert.

Researchers, including those from the University of Minho in Portugal, aimed to determine whether the wakefulness effect of coffee was solely reliant on the properties of caffeine or if other factors were involved.

The study, which was recently published in the journal Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, revealed that plain caffeine only partially reproduced the effects of consuming coffee.

While caffeine enhanced brain areas associated with increased alertness, coffee exerted additional effects on areas of the brain related to working memory and goal-directed behavior.

“There is a general expectation that coffee enhances alertness and psychomotor functioning. By improving our understanding of the mechanisms underlying this biological phenomenon, we can explore the factors that may influence it and even uncover potential benefits,” explained study co-author Nuno Sousa.

The study recruited regular coffee drinkers who were asked to refrain from consuming caffeinated beverages or food for at least three hours before participating. The participants’ demographic and social data were collected, and they underwent two brief MRI brain scans – one before and one 30 minutes after either consuming caffeine or drinking a standardized cup of coffee.

During the scans, participants were instructed to relax and let their minds wander.

The researchers discovered that both coffee and caffeine consumption led to a decrease in nerve connectivity within the brain’s default mode network, which is involved in processes of introspection and self-reflection.

This change suggests that individuals are more prepared to transition from a resting state to working on tasks.

However, the study revealed that drinking coffee may offer additional benefits by increasing connectivity within the brain’s more advanced nerve network responsible for vision, working memory, cognitive control, and goal-directed behavior.

These effects were not observed when participants only consumed caffeine.

In other words, the researchers concluded that if individuals want to not only feel alert but also be ready to take action, caffeine alone may not suffice.

“Acute coffee consumption resulted in decreased functional connectivity between brain regions of the default mode network, a network associated with self-referential processes during periods of rest,” stated study co-author Maria Picó-Pérez.

She added, “After having coffee, the subjects demonstrated increased readiness for action and sensitivity to external stimuli.”

The study acknowledges a limitation in not being able to identify the specific benefits reported by coffee drinkers that may be attributed to the relief of withdrawal symptoms.

The findings also suggest that while caffeinated beverages share some effects with coffee, there are unique benefits derived from consuming coffee.

These benefits may include factors such as the distinct aroma and taste of coffee or the psychological expectation associated with its consumption.

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