This Video Shows The Science Behind Caffeine's Productivity-Enhancing Effects

American Chemical SocietyHumans love caffeine.

It's the world's most popular psychoactive drug, with a full 90% of Americans consuming it on a daily basis, be it through coffee, tea, or soda.

• Drinking coffee after first learning something increases the chance you'll remember it.
• Consuming caffeine makes people more sociable.
• Drinking coffee improves alertness.

The video at the bottom of the post from the American Chemical Society does a great job of illustrating the chemistry underlying these effects.

It goes like this.

1. Caffeine comes into your body whole.

2. Then the caffeine molecule enters your liver, where enzymes cut off three methyl groups to form three more small molecules.

3. The molecules in question are theobromine, paraxanthine, and theophylline.

4. Together with the original caffeine molecule, they heighten your brain activity, get nutrients flowing, increase your athleticism, and boost your focus.

Kudos to Lifehacker, where we first spotted the video.