If I could buy stock in caffeine, I'd do it; caffeine's PR on such a rise lately:
1. increased athletic performance with increased adrenaline and access to body fat (= energy)
2. increased memory and general cognitive function
3. decreased risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
4. decreased risk of some types of cancer, diabetes, some liver disease, kidney stones, strokes
These findings are based on association studies, as in let's study people with higher intake of caffeine (read coffee drinkers) and look at their health and athletic/academic performance. But is it the caffeine, or the coffee, or some other yet to be identified factor?
All I know is that when I am driving long distance or need to be alert for a long afternoon clinic or night call, I pop a 200mg caffeine pill. One of my partners apparently favors the 188mg caffeine Java Monster, about the same as coffee, which can range from 100 to 300 for a 12 oz cup, compared with 25-50 for tea or 40 for a Diet Pepper or Diet Coke (from caffeineinformer.com).
Spoiler alert: those who find that caffeine has lingering effects (say more than 4-6 hours), may be "slow metabolizers," due to a variant of the CYP1A2 gene, which increases risk of heart attack and/or hpertension with more than two cups of coffee daily.
Spoiler alert: those who find that caffeine has lingering effects (say more than 4-6 hours), may be "slow metabolizers," due to a variant of the CYP1A2 gene, which increases risk of heart attack and/or hpertension with more than two cups of coffee daily.
I spent 8-9 hours in a car on Saturday (two of those were my own fault in running out of gas, whoops!) and I used Dr Pepper to keep me awake the last couple hours. I drank it more often as a teenager and it didn't really affect me, but now that I only drink one every couple of years or so, it definitely does the trick!
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