Caffeine is a superdrug. It is the most widely used psychoactive substance available to us.
Being a legal stimulant, it is used by most of us almost every day, whether it is intentionally part of your daily routine or indirectly ingested through something else. It’s found in coffee (obviously), tea, soda, candy, painkillers and pre-workout. For a lot of us, it is a critical part of our morning routines. We love the benefits – increased energy levels, heightened focus, source of antioxidants, source of micronutrients like riboflavin (vitamin b2) and pantothenic acid (vitamin b5) – but it also has other implications on your body and general health.
Frequent and consistent use of caffeine leads to dependence. Numerous studies have tested the reliance on and withdrawal from caffeine, and most have shown a clear correlation between the consumption of caffeine and physical or mental impairments following discontinued use.
It is important for us to recognize that regulated use of caffeine is critical to your wellbeing. The average dose for a healthy adult is around 200mg/day, taken over the course of several hours. This could look like 2-3 cups of coffee. Data has shown that moderate intake is not associated with any of the often discussed adverse effects of caffeine.
As usual, the conclusion is: everything in moderation.