How Much Adrenaline is Released in the Blood of an Average Adult During a Stress Response?

During a stress response, the concentration of adrenaline (also known as epinephrine) in the blood increases dramatically. The aim of this piece is to explore how much adrenaline is released into the blood of an average adult human during such a response, based on the increase in concentration from 0.05nmol/L to 2.7nmol/L.

Understanding Adrenaline (Epinephrine)

Adrenaline, or epinephrine, is a hormone and neurotransmitter that is produced primarily in the adrenal glands. It plays a key role in the bodyrsquo;s fight or flight response, helping to mobilize the bodyrsquo;s energy for a sudden burst of activity, such as during a stressful or emergency situation.

Chemical Formula and Molar Mass of Adrenaline

The chemical formula for adrenaline (adrenalin) is C9H13NO3, with a molar mass of 183.0 g/mol. The molar mass is calculated as follows:

Molar mass of Adrenaline (C9H13NO3) (12.0 × 9) (1.0 × 13) (14.0) (16.0 × 3) 183.0 g/mol

Calculating the Increase in Adrenaline Concentration

From the initial concentration of 0.05nmol/L to a final concentration of 2.7nmol/L, the increase in adrenaline concentration can be determined as follows:

Increase in concentration of C9H13NO3 2.7 nmol/L - 0.05 nmol/L 2.65 nmol/L

Since the volume of blood in this scenario is 5 liters, the increase in nanomoles of adrenaline is:

Increase in nanomoles of C9H13NO3 2.65 nmol/L × 5 L 13.25 nmol

Mass of Released Adrenaline

To find the mass of adrenaline released, we use the molar mass of adrenaline (183.0 g/mol) and convert nanomoles to milligrams:

Increase in mass of C9H13NO3 13.25 × 10-9 mol × 183.0 g/mol × 1000 mg/g 0.00242 mg

This calculation can be also be done by:

[2.7 - 0.05 × 10-9 mol / 1 L solution] × 5 L solution × 183.0 g C9H13NO3 / 1 mol C9H13NO3 × 1000 mg / 1 g 0.00242 mg C9H13NO3

Conclusion

The concentration of adrenaline in the blood of an average adult can increase significantly during a stress response, releasing up to 0.00242 mg of adrenaline into 5 liters of blood.

Keywords: adrenaline release, stress response, blood concentration