Episode 101: Using Caffeine To Optimize Mental & Physical Performance | Huberman Lab • Podcast Notes

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• Caffeine is not just a stimulant, it’s a strong reinforcer that subconsciously drives behavior – caffeine (tasteless) added to anything will give you a preference for that thing, this applies to behavior, food, company

• Caffeine increases dopamine and acetylcholine in the forebrain which improves the ability to think, adjust to mental and physical demands

• Caffeine acts as an antagonist to adenosine which offsets sleepiness in the first half of the day

• To extract more benefits from caffeine (assuming you already delay intake): (1) Consume on an empty stomach if you can tolerate it; (2) Abstain from caffeine for 2-5 days then resume; (3) Half your amount of caffeine intake for a period of time then resume

• The nervous system recalls previous experiences of good or not-good feelings and adjusts behavior accordingly – you are drawn to a certain mug, certain location, and certain caffeine ritual

• Caffeine makes us feel better in the immediate minutes before and after ingestion

• Caffeine stimulates dopamine, acetylcholine, and adenosine Caffeine stimulates dopamine release in the region of the brain associated with clarity of thought Caffeine also increases dopamine receptors in the reward pathway Caffeine is a strong adenosine antagonist, reducing feelings of lethargy and sleepiness

• Adenosine makes us feel tired – caffeine blocks adenosine and biases our system toward a more energetic pathway

• Caffeine does not increase energy – it’s borrowing energy, altering the time at which adenosine is released

• How to clear adenosine: (1) sleep; (2) non-sleep deep rest; (3) view morning sunlight (spikes cortisol which clears residual adenosine); (4) some exercise can reduce adenosine

• Adenosine levels are as low as they will be in the morning – avoid caffeine first 90-120 minutes after waking

• Bodyweight is a good measure of proper caffeine dose for your body: 1-3mg/kg body weight per setting

• Adenosine builds up the longer we are awake, it’s lowest in the morning

• If you wake up and do intense exercise within the first 90 minutes of waking, drink the caffeine before but the combination of caffeine and exercise may increase afternoon fatigue

• excessive caffeine intake does increase sex hormone binding globulin, though not to concerning levels

• Avoid caffeine intake 12 hours prior to sleep – the quarter-life of caffeine is 12 hours

• Don’t try the “napaccino” – ingesting caffeine in the late afternoon then taking a short nap, with the assumption that the caffeine will kick in when you wake up and you’ll feel stimulated

• The properties of caffeine may be protective against depression but unknown whether the correlation is direct or indirect

• Caffeine consumption while fasting increases focus and alertness within 5 minutes that peaks at 30 minutes and lasts up to 60 minutes

• Lowers activation threshold of learning and memory (you can recall things easier)