Science of Caffeine

That said, be careful you don't take caffeine so late that it prevents you from falling asleep. Sleep deprivation can have a big impact on mental health and can worsen depression. Sleep deprivation can also cause physical health problems, which can exacerbate depression.

In a bit of good news, caffeine boosts the rate of your metabolism, as we stated. Scientists calculate something called the resting metabolic rate (RMR).

Caffeine can increase your resting metabolic rate by 3 to 11 percent. The more caffeine you take, the higher the RMR. If your metabolic rate is higher, you burn more calories even at rest, and you can eat more without gaining weight.

But most sources, including our blog, say you should not take more than 400 mg of caffeine per day. That's about 4 to 5 cups of coffee or 10 Viter Energy Mints daily [5].

Other studies say people who consume caffeine regularly get more benefit in mood enhancement. That said, those who don't use caffeine regularly may see an improvement in physical ability or mental acuity.

But a CBS News article states: "Regular users build up a tolerance and may not experience the same positive effects; they need that morning caffeine infusion just to help overcome sleepiness and lethargy."

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.

Invigorating caffeine is known for increasing alertness of those who take it. Scientific research has been showing that it also increases reaction time in do-or-die situations.

Caffeine may also reduce fatigue and allow athletes to train harder.

And a relatively high dose of caffeine may deliver as much benefit in increasing alertness and improving reaction times as methamphetamine or modanifil.

You can actually hydrate yourself by drinking coffee, tea or soda, though plain water is still recommended as the best way to get your daily fluids.

But WebMD says caffeine can increase the need to pee. It can depend on how much caffeine you take, your tolerance for it and the type of food, drink or medicine you get it in. And if you have urinary incontinence or have frequent urges to urinate, it may increase after drinking a caffeinated beverage

U.S. National Public Radio published a story titled "Caffeine for Sale: The Hidden Trade of the World's Favorite Stimulant" about how caffeine is removed from coffee beans and then where it goes after the decaf coffee is made.

Now there is a huge, worldwide trade in caffeine extracted from coffee beans. It is used in soda, energy drinks, medications and candies that have no natural caffeine content. And people wonder if synthetic caffeine is more dangerous than caffeine from natural sources. Scientists say there is no difference between the two.

Coffee is good for you. Two recent studies have shown that coffee can increase the length of the lives of those who drink it. It can be part of a healthy lifestyle. The two studies, which followed two large groups of coffee drinkers for 16 years, have shown that you can coffee and healthful living too.

"The key message is that people can drink coffee," associate professor of preventive medicine Victoria Setiawan at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California told TODAY. "It seems there's no long-term harm."

How bad is caffeine withdrawal? People who have a caffeine habit may empathize with a scene of the 1931 production of Frankenstein, in which the mad scientist exults over the animation of his monster, exclaiming “It’s alive! It’s a alive, it’s alive!” I know I get animated in the morning after drinking my first cup of the ichor we call coffee.

Caffeinated products are wildly popular worldwide, used by as much as 90 percent of the adult population. An estimated 80 percent of American adults take caffeine in one product or another, and it’s estimated half of those people are prone to headaches for one reason or another. If you are among the caffeine users who get caffeine withdrawal headaches from coffee, tea or energy drinks, there are a few things you can do to minimize the pain.

Studies of caffeine show that it does not increase the risk of death, but it causes a habit or possibly a dependence that the American Psychiatric Association now lists in its diagnosis manual as a disorder that warrants more study.

Scientists study caffeine and its use by humans a lot, some say more than any other psychoactive substance in the world. Caffeine is the most widely used drug, and more scientists are saying now there should be yet more studies into dependence and other aspects of caffeine consumption.