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What Is Adrenaline and how does it work in our bodies

If you’ve ever seen Pulp Fiction you’ll likely not forget the scene where Uma Thurman’s overdose is reversed with a shot of adrenaline to the heart; wide-eyed, she bolts upright with a gasp.

“I’m an adrenaline junkie,” people say, as they thrill-seek their way across the globe, bungee jumping, diving off cliffs, swimming with sharks. Drawn to danger, they revel in that heart-in-your-throat, blood pumping feeling. Not everyone shares their enthusiasm. But what is adrenaline, exactly? And what does it do?

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Articles of Interest

Adrenaline (Epinephrine) Molecule

Epinephrine or adrenaline (European Pharmacopoeia and BAN) , sometimes spelled "epinephrin" or "adrenalin" respectively, is a hormone when carried in the blood and a neurotransmitter when it is released across a neuronal synapse. It is a catecholamine, a sympathomimetic monoamine derived from the amino acids phenylalanine and tyrosine. The Latin roots ad-+renes and the Greek roots epi-+nephros both literally mean "on/to the kidney" (referring to the adrenal gland, which sits atop the kidneys and secretes epinephrine). Epinephrine is sometimes shortened to epi or to EP in medical jargon.

Adrenaline and Amphetamine

Adrenaline is a natural stimulant made in the adrenal gland of the kidney. Its biological name is epinephrine, from the Greek nephros for kidney. Adrenaline is carried in the bloodstream and affects the autonomous nervous system, which controls functions such as the heart rate, dilation of the pupils, and secretion of sweat and saliva.

Adrenaline and Noradrenaline — What Are the Differences and Similarities?

Noradrenaline: Increase or maintain blood pressure during an acute medical situation. Used for vasodilatory shock states. Mainly produced in the neurons and act as a neurotransmitter. A small amount is made in the adrenal medulla and acts as a hormone.

Adrenaline, Noradrenaline, and the Stress Response in Humans

About eighty percent of the hormone molecules released by the adrenal medulla are adrenaline molecules and about twenty percent are noradrenaline molecules. Adrenaline and noradrenaline have very similar molecular structures, but in one part of the molecule adrenaline has a hydrogen atom while noradrenaline has a methyl group (CH3).

Adrenaline/Epinephrine Hunters: Past, Present, and Future at 1900

Norton Wilson, a well-known otolaryngologist and a friend of Takamine, visited his laboratory in November 1900, and suggested the name of ‘adrenalin’. Since the Latin word ‘ad’ means “near” while ‘renal’ means “kidney”, ‘adrenalin’ means the substance coming from glands near the kidneys. Accordingly, Takamine used the word ‘adrenalin’ at the presentation in London in 1901 and also in his paper in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1902. The word ‘adrenalin’ soon became incorporated into the English language.

Adrenaline: Optimizing Your Epinephrine for Health, Productivity, and Joy

Considering four aspects of adrenalin can enable us to balance and optimize this hormone and neurotransmitter sustainably.

Epinephrine

Epinephrine, more commonly known as adrenaline, is a hormone secreted by the medulla of the adrenal glands. Strong emotions such as fear or anger cause epinephrine to be released into the bloodstream, which causes an increase in heart rate, muscle strength, blood pressure, and sugar metabolism. This reaction, known as the “Flight or Fight Response” prepares the body for strenuous activity. In medicine epinephrine is used chiefly as a stimulant in cardiac arrest, as a vasoconstrictor in shock, and as a bronchodilator and antispasmodic in bronchial asthma. Epinephrine is found in small amounts in the body and is essential for maintaining cardiovascular homeostasis because of its ability to divert blood to tissues under stress.

Epinephrine (or adrenaline)

When secreted, it leads to an accelerated heart rate, closure of the sphincter with a consequent retention of urine, deeper respiration, dilation of the pupils, diversion of blood from the intestinal smooth muscles to the skeletal muscles, an increase in blood pressure, and the release of sugar from stores in the liver. It is thus part of the ‘flight response’.

Norepinephrine vs. Epinephrine: What’s the Difference?

However, compared to norepinephrine, epinephrine has a more significant effect on the beta receptors, which are found in the heart, lungs, and blood vessels of skeletal muscles. Norepinephrine activates mostly the alpha receptors in arteries; it does exert its effects on beta receptors, though it is a lot less significant. Stimulating the alpha receptors leads to vasoconstriction (narrowing of the blood vessels), which raises the arterial blood pressure.

What Happens During an Adrenaline Rush

When a threat is perceived or is really happening, the hypothalamus in the brain signals to the adrenal glands it is time to produce adrenaline or other stress hormones. The adrenal glands produce adrenaline by transforming the amino acid tyrosine into dopamine. Oxygenation of dopamine yields noradrenaline, which is converted into adrenaline. Adrenaline binds to receptors on the heart, arteries, pancreas, liver, muscles and fatty tissue. Binding to receptors inhibits production of insulin which stimulates sugar and fat synthesis used as fuel in fight-or-flight situations.

What Is Adrenaline?

Picture this: you’re driving down a country road, singing along with your favorite song, cool air rushing through your hair, when out of nowhere a moose appears in a bend in the road. Before you know what’s happening, you swerve to miss it and slam on your breaks. You’re breathing hard and fast, your heart is pounding, your legs are shaking, your body is sweating, but your mouth is dry. How did your body go, in seconds, from relaxed in the driver’s seat to full fight-or-flight mode? You have adrenaline to thank.

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You and Your Hormones

Adrenaline is released mainly through the activation of nerves connected to the adrenal glands, which trigger the secretion of adrenaline and thus increase the levels of adrenaline in the blood. This process happens relatively quickly, within minutes of the stressful event being encountered. When the stressful situation ends, the nerve impulses to the adrenal glands are lowered, meaning that the adrenal glands stop producing adrenaline.