In the second instalment of Making Synapses we discuss Caffeine, its Historical use, Pharmacology of Caffeine - including what your body does with caffeine, and what caffeine does to your body. Following this, we talk tolerance and withdrawal considerations, then finishing off with some Day-to-Day chat and tips for using caffeine effectively as a tool in life and preventing dependency. 

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Podcast Roadmap

The roadmap of Making Synapses Ep.2 is as follows:

• Introduction and podcast roadmap (0.00);
• What is Caffeine and in what plants is it naturally occurring (1.55);
• Human use throughout history, controversy, and it's rise in popularity (3.30);
• Pharmacology of Caffeine (6.50);
• Dosing (7.20);
• Absorption from ingestion (8.20);
• Distribution throughout the body (8.45);
• Actions of caffeine as an adenosine receptor antagonist (11.00);
• What is Adenosine and its action (12.00);
• A1 Adenosine receptor (13.40);
• A2a Adenosine receptor (14.00);
• Effects of preventing Adenosine binding (14.45);
• Metabolism and clearance of caffeine from the body (17.40);
• Paraxanthine (18.50);
• Theobromine (19.30);
• Theophylline (20.05);
• Tolerance build (21.00);
• Withdrawal (22.20);
• Overdosing symptoms (23.20);
• General life considerations and practical take-homes (24.10);
• Reading from "This is your mind on plants" by Michael Pollan (28.43).

Further Learning

• Books:
• "This is your mind on plants" by Michael Pollan, section 2 on Caffeine.
• Articles:
• Food Research International (2014), Pharmacokinetics of caffeine and its metabolites in plasma and urine after consuming a soluble green/roasted coffee blend by healthy subjects
• Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (1995), Sympathomimetic effects of paraxanthine and caffeine in humans
• Journal of Neurochemistry (2008), An update on the mechanisms of the psychostimulant effects of caffeine

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