There was a movie that came out a while ago called Wanted  where the characters in the movie could tap into their adrenaline and actually slow down time to complete tasks.  In the movie they also do an absurd amount of other ridiculous things that just simply wouldn’t work such as curve bullets, flip cars with no ramps, and survive falls and explosions that only Hollywood can dream up but that’s not what this post is about.

The main character in the movie undergoes particular training where his mentor tells him the panic attacks he receives when threatened is actually his heartbeat pumping at 400 bpm(which would kill you, thanks hollywood) which helps him to slow down time and focus only on whatever task he wants to accomplish.  You cannot just simply tap into your adrenal glands whenever you want to, you need a stimulant.

Adrenaline is a hormone produced by the body in high stress or high anxiety situations.  This hormone is part of the human body’s acute stress system, or it’s “fight or flight” response.  This happens by stimulating the heart rate, dilating air passages, and contracting blood vessels all of which helps increase blood flow to the muscles and helps move oxygen to the lungs.  Adrenaline is sometimes used as a medical treatment for certain conditions such as anaphylactic shock.  My question is, can we have the same effects by simply thinking or willing our bodies to do it?

The adrenal glands are roughly 3 inches in length and found directly above the kidneys.  Adrenaline is one of many hormones produced by these glands.  “Fight or flight” is used to determine the body’s reaction to certain stressful situations.  It is an adaption that allows our body to react to danger very quickly.  For example, dilating air passages happen when your body uses adrenaline which allows more oxygen into the lungs quickly which increases physical performance for short periods of time.  When someone experiences a potentially dangerous or harmful situation, the brain signals to the adrenal glands to release adrenaline into the bloodstream.  The body reacts instantly to these hormones which helps increase strength and speed and decreases the ability to feel pain.  However, these responses ONLY happen if triggered.  No matter how hard you try you cannot simply will your body to enter an adrenaline rush without some other form of stimulation such as a shot of epinephrine.  The brain needs a trigger for it to send the signals that the body is in peril.

I’m sure you have all experienced some sort of adrenaline rush before when playing sports, playing outside, driving, even playing something not physically harmful as video games can trigger adrenaline rushes.  Everyone is different and everyone’s bodies reacts to certain events differently but unfortunately humans cannot yet tap into their adrenaline reserves to slow down time and start curving bullets, although that would be awesome…

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-adrenaline.htm
http://www.yourhormones.info/hormones/adrenaline.aspx
http://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-Epinephrine-%28Adrenaline%29.aspx