Effects of Epinephrine

Everyone has that feeling of being extremely alert, energetic and responsive when faced with stressful, life-threatening situations. Normally, the same man who would find it difficult to run, suddenly when in danger runs at such top speeds, that you wonder what changed that in him! The dog chasing him or something inside him! The reason is the secretion of adrenaline or epinephrine by the body as a response to stress and danger of getting hurt by the dog. The famous 'flight or fight' response of the body to situations that threaten our very existence is aided internally by this hormone. It literally prepares your body for war! It activates all the basic instincts of survival in humans.

It enhances production of energy in the body, activates all the sensory processes to full alert as a priority and shuts down less important processes like digestion. It leads to increase in blood sugar levels, higher heart rate and increase in blood pressure. It also starts energy production. In short, it drives the body to optimum levels of energy and concentration in order to achieve that one important thing in life, survival.

Epinephrine was simultaneously discovered by Japanese chemist duo of Jokichi Takamine and Keizo Uenaka in 1900. Later, Takamine successfully extracted and isolated it from sheep and oxen.

Effects of Epinephrine

Epinephrine is like the key or trigger for the activation of a war machine in the body. Once epinephrine is secreted by the body in the endocrine glands, it flows in the blood stream reaching various organ centers. It starts its operation by activating some strategically placed receptors in the body. One by one, it activates the α and β receptors which are again trigger buttons for initiating many chain reaction processes.

When epinephrine reaches the liver cells, it activates an α receptor there which initializes a chain reaction that culminates into breaking down of glycogen, releasing glucose, the energy packets of the body, into the blood stream. Simultaneously, it also activates the liver β receptors which again accelerates glucose production.

The β receptors are also present in the muscles. When they are activated by epinephrine, they cause the widening of blood vessels so that more blood can reach the muscles for efficient operation. The β receptor trigger also causes an increase in the heart pumping rate.

On the other hand, the α receptors in muscles, when switched on by epinephrine, cause the narrowing or constriction of smooth muscles, resulting in decreased blood supply in some parts and increases resistance to blood flow in the arteries. This makes the skin pale, as less and less blood reaches it. This measure achieves conservation of body warmth. This is how naturally produced adrenaline or epinephrine revs up the body engine, for high performance.

Epinephrine Shot Effects

Epinephrine can be artificially synthesized and is used as a drug for treating terminal conditions like cardiac arrest and other cardiac functional abnormalities. A shot of epinephrine injected in a patient who is going into cardiac arrest, constricts the blood vessels in other muscles, diverting more blood flow towards the heart and blood pumping rate increases. This is achieved due to the α and β receptor response to endorphin. This revival works but it also creates hyperactivity of the heart, which must be taken care of by other means.

While epinephrine prepares the body for high performance, it indirectly weakens the immune system. This property is also used in the treatment of Anaphylaxis which is a severe response of the body to any kind of allergic object invasion. Epinephrine shot weakens the otherwise severe immune response, making life easier for the victim. Asthmatic patients are administered shots of epinephrine which opens up the lung airways making breathing easier.

Thus Epinephrine or adrenaline as it is popularly known, is the power booster of the body. It supplies the body with the essential store of energy and sharpened instincts so that the body can deal with danger effectively. Therefore, people who get a high from playing with danger and like living life on the edge are called Adrenaline junkies!