How Caffeine Works

Say you have a big meeting or exam the next day, and you foolishly over-caffeinated when you need to get a good night's sleep. Or you have the jitters, sour stomach, and a racing heart from too much of a good thing.

Several articles on the Internet give tips on how to de-caffeineate, so to speak.

It seems caffeine may enhance memory and learning, but not if it is taken before the lesson is to be learned. Research from a few years ago says caffeine should be taken after that important business meeting, crucial college lecture or other knowledge-imparting event you need to recall.

Some studies show a benefit from caffeine on memory, some show none. Same with alcohol. But it seems scientists find with few exceptions that good diets promote healthy minds and bodies.

Did you know timing when you drink coffee intake may improve your life? In the morning when the alarm goes off, the first thing many people think of is getting a coffee fix.

Coffee or tea doesn’t just taste good, the ritual is not just comforting, you actuallyneedthe caffeine to feel alert, normal and ready to face the day. And if you’ve developed a dependence on caffeine, you might even get a headache, be crabby and out of sorts or be too sleepy to perform well if you dont’t get it.

Do you find yourself heading to the coffee-maker straight from bed? Then you’re one of 62% Americans who drink coffee every single day. Call it a morning ritual or a habit that can’t be shaken, but it’s pure unadulterated java love. But are you addicted to it? Here's how you'll know if you are and how to dial it down.

Caffeine is NOT addictive, but it sure is habit-forming. You don’t hear about coffee addicts robbing stores and hijacking motorists to get money for a fix. That’s because while caffeine does cause dependence, it isn’t in the same category as opiates or alcohol.

Considered as supplements, these are your caffeine fix taken in capsule form. They may have natural caffeine straight from the brewing process, while others may have synthetic or artificial caffeine.

Caffeine pills provide the same stimulating benefits as coffee and other caffeine beverages.

Note that caffeine pills aren’t exactly those caffeine powder you see in bulk from the retail stores. In fact, the US Food and Drug Administration or FDA considers caffeine powder as “potentially dangerous.” [1] Caffeine pills are generally safe, though there are some precautions to note, which we’ll talk about later.

You have it every day. You know exactly what to tell the barista the moment you step into the café.

Coffee - it’s second nature to you.

You may have heard a lot about what it does to your body – its surprising benefits and side effects alike.

But can you really tell which is truth from #fakenews?

Today we’re going to do some myth busting.

Here are 3 things about coffee – and what the real score is.

The holidays are upon us. It’s only October but with the rate this year has gotten to the tail-end, we’ll all be wearing our favorite sweatshirts (forcibly or otherwise) and devouring the holiday away in no time.

The forward-looking you will already be starting to watch that *extra holiday weight* before the holiday even starts.

But one step at a time, right? After all, there’s a few weeks left before the celebrations and holiday parties officially kick in.

If the java lover in you has ever been curious whether caffeine can help curb the appetite, now is the perfect time to find some answers.

The word on the street is that caffeine is one of the best appetite suppressants.

Spoiler alert: researches tell us the jury’s still out on this one. 

We’ve talked at length about coffee and how it can change your everyday life for the better (or worse, if you go overboard). But there’s another amazing drink that hasn’t been given much love here - tea.

Tea is such a healthy, delicious drink that many people swear by it. There are many ways to drink it (high or afternoon) and different types to try (traditional or herbal).

Regardless of how you want your tea, it has the same benefits as coffee, including getting your usual dose of caffeine.

Caffeine appears to raise blood pressure, in some people in the short term and in others in the long term. This is an important question because 80 percent of Americans drink coffee every day and about 90 percent of people worldwide consume caffeine in one product or another.

It's also an important question because high blood pressure can cause strokes or heart attacks.