18 November 2024 | 14:14

Scientists named the drink that blocks alcohol cravings

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Tengrinews.kz - A scientific experiment showed that if you drink this beverage before a glass of wine or a mug of beer, the enjoyment of alcohol is unlikely to follow, reports DoctorPiter.

It all comes down to the brain's subsequent reaction, say researchers from the University of Cagliari, Stanford University, and other institutions.

Experts concluded that coffee helps curb the craving for alcohol.

They conducted a study proving that while coffee itself can be addictive, it may help free individuals from another addiction—alcohol.

In their experiment, researchers observed male rats, dividing them into three main groups: one group received only alcohol, another group received alcohol and caffeine, and the third group was given drugs that block certain receptors to trace the effect of caffeine.

There was also a control group that consumed only water.

"Experts monitored the processes occurring in the brain and also studied each animal's organ in laboratory conditions after the experiment concluded," the report states.

Caffeine effectively blocks the dopamine release triggered by alcohol, which drives repeated alcohol consumption, thereby reducing the pleasure of a glass of wine. It also prevents the formation of salsolinol—a substance linked to the reward system that prompts a desire to drink again. Thirty minutes after caffeine exposure, the stimulation of dopamine neurons weakens, and the brain loses its sense of joyful anticipation.

"In rodents that had never consumed alcohol before, low doses of caffeine prevented dopamine release in a specific area of the brain responsible for rewards. In animals that consumed caffeine before alcohol, it potentially reduced the perceived effects of alcohol," the researchers wrote.

Experts concluded that coffee might protect against the harmful effects of alcohol, including altered consciousness, and reduce the desire to drink. Caffeine could serve as a foundation for preventing alcohol addiction. However, the study has its limitations: it was conducted only on male subjects not dependent on alcohol. Scientists plan to test animals of different genders with alcohol dependency for a more detailed understanding of caffeine's effects.

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