Video: Why Do Humans Have Adrenaline?

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Adrenaline is a hormone and neurotransmitter that helps more oxygenated blood move to the muscles. Discover why adrenaline is identified with the "fight or flight response" with information from a science teacher in this free video on physiology and the human body.

Video Transcript

When you go to a theme park, do you head straight for the roller coasters? Well you may be craving adrenaline. Hi I'm Janice Creneti and this is what is adrenaline. Adrenaline is a substance in your body, it's a hormone, a neurotransmitter. It's the kind of thing that helps carry information. Adrenaline is responsible for what you might have heard of as being the fight or flight response. You know when your best friend is playing a practical joke on you, sneaks up from behind you and scares you half to death and you feel that tight sensation. And you feel your blood start to race, well it's your body's way of getting prepared to either fight or to flee, fight or flight. And adrenaline is responsible for that. Adrenaline primarily helps more oxygenated blood move to your muscles. Well obviously that's where it's going to be needed if you are going to run away, using your leg muscles or if you are going to try to punch somebody using your arm muscles. One of the other things that happens during an adrenaline rush is that since your oxygenated blood is being directed towards your muscles, it's pulled away from your skin. That's why you look a little pale. It's also pulled away from your digestive system which is why you may feel that sort of queasy butterflies in your stomach feeling. Adrenaline without it you can't fight and you can't flee. And it's also responsible for a lot of other important functions in your body. I'm Janice Creneti and this is what is adrenaline.

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Why Do Humans Have Adrenaline?

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