Pascal: I’ve researched caffeine, tested caffeine on myself, and avoided caffeine for months all in an attempt to understand how the drug can help me or hurt me. Also, I’m writing about caffeine as a drug and not coffee specifically. This is what I’ve experienced and learned so far:
1. Mentally: Too much (say 200-400mgs = 2 to 4 cups of coffee) decreases my concentration, makes me irritable and short with folks, makes my body move faster that my mind so mistakes are made, makes me rude and mildly psychotic and a bit fidgety. Sometimes it makes me mildly euphoric but short tempered. There’s a pretty good chance for an altercation. Caffeine is a stimulant to the central nervous system. Incidences of “road rage” do not surprise me. Caffeine is an irritant and it p~~~es a lot of people off. I imagine Rush Limbaugh drinks a whole pot before he goes nuts on the radio. I do get more work done.
2. Physically: Too much raises my blood pressure by about 15 points, increases my heart rate, makes me breathe faster and gives me the shakes. I also go to bed later, sleep less soundly, wake-up more tired and require MORE caffeine to carry me though the next day. Caffeine is also an irritant to the intestines and may increase bowel movements more that what is normal or call for them at inopportune times. If you are an endurance athlete caffeine reduces fatigue which is why, after certain levels in the blood, it is banned in the Olympic Games. It will improve your performance. Caffeine is a diuretic…you may have to p~~~ all the time causing mild dehydration depending on the situation. I do get more work done.
3. No Caffeine: I function a little less than an average human, sleep as though I’m dead, hardly get meaningful work done while at work, don’t really care to do much other than eat, sleep and bathe, I’m more patient with folks in traffic and in general, breathe easier, I’m WAY more calm, rarely ever get in altercations, and kind of float through life without much drive, ambition or care. Reduced urgency to p~~~ is a nice bonus and my bowel movements can be timed down to the second. You cannot identify caffeine–rage until you see it from the other side. Caffeine-free gives you a perspective on life you never had. Hard to explain. I don’t get s~~~ done.
Overall: Caffeine is a mixed bag. Too little and it doesn’t “work.” To much and bad s~~~ can happen. I might also add that caffeine doesn’t “give you energy.” All the energy you have comes from YOUR cells…caffeine just increases the rate at which energy is taken from your cells. What that means for your cells over the long term I do not know. Caffeine is not addictive…your body develops a tolerance. Scientifically/physically, it takes your body about 20 days for your brain not to look for caffeine anymore. Caffeine is produced and used by plants for pest control. It is poison to insects.
My recommendation, for what it’s worth: If you can live your life without it, you’re a lucky bastard. If you can’t, take the least amount of caffeine (in the morning only) that you can get by with to do what you need to do. Replacing your caffeine appetite with a sugary drink addiction is another topic altogether. Good luck with your experiment.
Dakota 4 years, 8 months ago.
