So, you were shopping at your favorite cannabis dispensary and splurged on some great cannabis specials, but now you’re wondering what happens when you mix canvas and coffee?
Let’s take a look at all of the science behind how cannabis and coffee affects our bodies and our minds.
Caffeine: The Science Behind the Energy Boost
Caffeine just might be the most widely used psychoactive drug on the planet. One study found that 85% of Americans drink at least one caffeinated beverage every day of the week.
Caffeine is naturally occurring in a wide variety of plants and is now synthetically available in everything from candy to energy drinks. Caffeine is a methylxanthine class molecule.
How Does Caffeine Affect Our Bodies?
Caffeine enters the body through the bloodstream and causes us to be more alert and awake. Contrary to popular belief, caffeine does not actually give you more energy. Caffeine binds with neurotransmitters to prevent the uptake of a chemical known as adenosine.
Adenosine is the chemical signal in the body that lets you know you’re tired. In a sense, caffeine is stopping the body from telling the mind that you are tired.
Long term use of caffeine has been linked to benefits in memory as well as more positive outcomes with conditions like Alzheimer’s. However, there are some drawbacks to caffeine.
Caffeine can cause anxiety, nervousness, and even an upset stomach. You might also experience a headache and even sleeplessness if you have too much caffeine or have it too late in the day.
Caffeine and Cannabis Interactions
Now let’s take a look at the potential interactions that happen in your body when you have cannabis and caffeine at the same time.
Potential Benefits of Mixing Cannabis and Caffeine
There are some potential benefits to mixing cannabis and caffeine, but we should say right up front that the research hasn’t been done yet. Scientists are just beginning to explore the interactions of caffeine in cannabis, so these results are very preliminary.
There’s some research that suggests that mixing cannabis and caffeine can counteract some of the fogginess that comes with certain cannabis strains. This may clear up a little bit of the haze that individuals experience when enjoying canvas products.
Combining cannabis and caffeine can also increase dopamine levels. This might heighten the sense of euphoria that comes with a cannabis high.
Risks with Mixing Cannabis and Caffeine
There are also some potential risks with mixing cannabis and caffeine.
One of the most notable risk is that it could worsen is the short term memory loss associated with cannabis use. Mixing these two could also increase the risk of anxiety and high blood pressure.
