Caffeine
Caffeine is a naturally occurring stimulant found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cacao, and guarana. It is the most widely consumed psychoactive compound in the world, valued for its ability to enhance mental alertness, physical performance, and metabolic rate.
Expert Evidence
72 references from 4 experts
“Ingesting 3 milligrams per kilogram of caffeine prior to exercise further increases the dopamine release associated with exercise specifically. This provides a long-lasting increase in focus, alertness, and motivation not just during the exercise but also after.”
Using Caffeine to Optimize Mental & Physical Performance
1:59:0252 references in 18 episodes from 2021–2025
Huberman is a consistent daily caffeine consumer who views it as one of the most well-supported performance enhancers available, citing benefits for dopamine, focus, physical performance, and neuroprotection. He emphasizes proper dosing (1-3 mg/kg) and timing (morning only, 90-120 min after waking) to avoid sleep disruption, and cautions against excessive intake due to anxiety, electrolyte loss, and hormonal effects.
Consumption
Drinks 2-3 cups of coffee or yerba mate (non-smoked varieties) daily, totaling 100-400 mg caffeine, consumed early in the day before training. Has been a consistent caffeine consumer since his teenage years.
Benefits
Caffeine increases dopamine and acetylcholine in the forebrain to enhance focus, alertness, and cognition. It upregulates D2/D3 dopamine receptor density and efficacy, improves reaction time, coordination, memory, and physical power output. Regular intake is inversely associated with depression and may protect against Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Topical caffeine can rival minoxidil for hair loss.
Best Practices
Dose at 1-3 mg/kg body weight (typically 100-400 mg). Delay intake 90-120 minutes after waking to avoid afternoon crashes. Stop all caffeine 8-12 hours before bedtime due to its 12-hour quarter-life. Take 30-40 minutes before exercise or cognitive work, ideally on an empty stomach for maximum effect. Can be paired with cold exposure to extend dopamine elevation.
Cautions
Caffeine within 8-12 hours of bedtime disrupts sleep architecture even when you fall asleep fine. Excessive doses cause anxiety, headaches, irritability, and electrolyte depletion (especially sodium). It can increase sex hormone binding globulin, slightly reducing free testosterone and estradiol. Non-adapted users should start very low, as even 25-50 mg can trigger anxiety. Non-adapted users also experience vasoconstriction that may impair exercise performance.
“We looked at caffeine at 300 milligrams, a known effective dose. The most effective one we had of all of those was straight caffeine. It beat teacrine at 300, it beat the combo, it beat the placebo. The outcomes were specifically for perceived energy, focus, and motivation to exercise with that dose.”
Dr. Michael Ormsbee: Food Timing, Nutrition & Supplements for Fat Loss, Muscle Growth & Recovery
17:098 references in 6 episodes
Galpin views caffeine as a well-documented stimulant with clear benefits for metabolic rate, energy, and focus at moderate doses, but warns against excessive intake — particularly for brain injury recovery and children's bone health. There is no evidence of personal use.
Benefits
Caffeine reliably increases resting metabolic rate by 3-11% for 1-3 hours, acts as an appetite suppressant, and outperformed teacrine in a study measuring perceived energy, focus, and motivation to exercise at 300mg.
Best Practices
200mg is the ceiling effect for reducing morning grogginess, and performance begins to decline beyond 300mg.
Cautions
Caffeine causes neurovascular constriction and should be avoided after brain injuries due to worsened sleep, depression, and recovery outcomes. Excessive caffeine in children is detrimental to bone health.
“The optimum caffeine amount is about 200 milligrams or one and a half cups of coffee per day. It improves exercise capacity during prolonged exercise, high-intensity training, and even short-duration high-intensity exercise.”
Why You Are Using Caffeine Wrong
1:488 references in 5 episodes from 2022–2025
Brad Stanfield views caffeine favorably, citing cardiovascular, cognitive, and exercise performance benefits. He emphasizes timing and dosage optimization but has not discussed personal consumption, and no cautions or warnings were noted.
Benefits
Caffeine improves exercise capacity across multiple training types, is associated with lower risks of heart disease, stroke, and heart failure, and may reduce Alzheimer's-related amyloid plaque formation by blocking adenosine receptors.
Best Practices
The optimal dose is about 200mg (1-2 cups of coffee) for performance benefits. Due to caffeine's ~5-hour half-life, it should be avoided at least 10 hours before bedtime to protect sleep quality.
“At moderate doses, roughly 100 to 300 milligrams per day, caffeine reliably boosts attention, improves working memory, speeds up reaction times by about 10 to 15%, and enhances overall cognitive performance.”
How To Use Coffee To Live Longer (Full Guide & Research)
31:114 references in 3 episodes from 2021–2025
Rhonda Patrick views caffeine as an effective cognitive and physical performance enhancer at moderate doses (100-400mg/day), citing 10-15% faster reaction times and improved working memory. She emphasizes timing discipline, noting each cup shifts the circadian clock by 45 minutes, and recommends limiting afternoon intake to protect sleep. No evidence of personal use or specific cautions beyond sleep disruption are discussed.
Side Effects
- Insomnia and disrupted sleep
- Anxiety and jitteriness
- Increased heart rate
- Digestive upset
- Tolerance and withdrawal headaches
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