We often speak of that adrenalin rush the first coffee of the day brings… but have you ever thought about how the brain converts adrenalin into a better day for you? Or have you seen how your brain protects your body from toxins? Your brain works for you in amazing ways you may be unaware of.
Adrenaline stimulates your liver to release stored sugar.While your
brain demands high oxygen and nutrient levels supplied by the blood, it remains separated from the blood by a thin barrier called the blood-brain barrier. The idea is to protect you from toxins.In the brain, unlike in most of the body, the cells that form the walls of the capillaries are tightly sealed, forming the blood-brain barrier. You may remember from college freshman class that capillaries are those tiny blood vessels, which exchange nutrients and oxygen between the blood and tissues.
The blood-brain barrier limits the types of substances that can pass into the brain and thus protects brain cells from some dangerous substances. For example, some antibiotics, many chemotherapy drugs, and most proteins … such as albumin … the most abundant protein in blood are refused entry by the brain except in very tiny amounts. So what gets through to your brain?
Alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, and antidepressants pass freely into the brain. Some substances needed by the brain, such as sugar and amino acids, do not readily pass through the barrier. However, the blood-brain barrier is equipped with transport systems which move substances the brain needs across barriers to brain tissues.
What do you think?
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