Regular caffeine ingestion increases the number and efficacy of dopamine receptors in the brain's reward pathways.

“For this very same reason, I caution people against using stimulants every time they study or every time they work out or every time that they do anything that they would like to continue to enjoy and be motivated at. There's one exception which is caffeine, because as I mentioned before, if you like caffeine, that actually could be a good thing for your dopamine system, because it does upregulate these D2, D3 receptors.”

“Because again, caffeine can increase the density and the efficacy of these dopamine receptors.”

“That showed that regular ingestion of caffeine, whether or not it's from coffee or otherwise, increases up regulation of certain dopamine receptors. So caffeine actually makes you able to experience more of dopamines effects.”

“Or in some cases, caffeine, which can increase the number of dopamine receptors that we have, so that whatever dopamine we have floating around can be more effective in activating these motivational states.”

“And it also has this interesting effect of up regulating the number and or efficiency, or we say the efficacy, of dopamine receptors. Such that when dopamine is present, and is a molecule that increases motivation, and craving, and pursuit, that dopamine can have a more potent effect than it would otherwise.”

“And it can, in parallel to all that, increase the action or the efficacy of the action of dopamine.”

“Well, turns out that regular ingestion of caffeine at safe and appropriate levels, about a hundred to 250 milligrams is going to increase the number of D2 and D3 dopamine receptors.”

“But what's less obvious is that it's increasing the number and efficacy of dopamine receptors so that whatever dopamine happens to be around in your system is going to have more of a potent effect.”

“Yerba mate or caffeine also have other additional benefits, in particular, the caffeine in yerba mate and coffee and other sources of caffeine are known to increase the density and efficacy, that is the number and the function of dopamine receptors, and this has been shown in humans several times.”

“And third, it increases the number and efficacy of dopamine receptors in the reward pathways of the brain. That is, it makes things that would feel pretty good feel even better.”

“unbeknownst to most people, ingesting 3 milligrams per kilogram of caffeine prior to exercise further increases the dopamine release associated with exercise specifically.”

“When we regularly ingest caffeine, it stimulates the increase in dopamine receptors at multiple sites throughout the brain but, in particular, within the reward pathways of the brain.”

“It also points to the fact that the increase in dopamine receptors that is induced by regular ingestion of caffeine that I referred to earlier is another way in which dopamine, however many dopamine neurons remain around in people with Parkinson's or people who are aging that lose dopamine neurons naturally, that dopamine can have its maximal effect because of the increase in receptors for dopamine that caffeine induces.”

“caffeine also increases the number of dopamine receptors in the reward pathway, such that any good thing that happens to you. Any positive experience that you have will have a more potent effect on your feelings of well-being.”

“I should mention that regular consumption of caffeine of 1 to 3 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day also will increase dopamine receptor efficacy and density, which will make any existing dopamine more effective whether or not that dopamine is triggered by things like L-Tyrosine, or if you're not taking anything to elevate dopamine. The dopamine that you do make will be more effective in elevating your mood, motivation, and desire to move. And by extension divergent thinking.”

“showing that ingesting caffeine can increase dopamine receptors, which will effectively allow you to get more out of the dopamine that you produce.”

“There's one exception which is caffeine because it does upregulate these D2D3 receptors. So it actually makes whatever dopamine is released by that activity more accessible or more functional within the biochemistry and the pathways of your brain and body.”

“Caff regular caffeine consumption very likely increases the the sensitivity Endor number of dopamine receptors available so whatever dopamine is released can have quote unquote more of an effect in terms of motivation and reward”