All posts tagged: caffeine

This Mushroom Coffee Stopped My Caffeine Jitters

This Mushroom Coffee Stopped My Caffeine Jitters

Published by Sam Flores

We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, HuffPost UK may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication. Since I finished my GCSEs (throwback), I’ve been drinking around four cups of coffee a day. I like to blame it on my five years of coffee shop shifts, but the truth is that every morning (and afternoon) I can’t help but top up my caffeine levels with just one more cup. My addiction is so real that colleagues and friends have even commented on my intake, and when I get sick I find myself getting withdrawal headaches. You know the drill, I’m sure. Until now, I haven’t minded so much. But I’m getting to the point in my life where I notice the impact that much caffeine has on me more than ever. …

A new study explores the boundary between everyday caffeine and panic

A new study explores the boundary between everyday caffeine and panic

Published by José Betancourt

A standard cup of coffee will likely not trigger a panic attack in people diagnosed with panic disorder, though it may make them more likely to avoid uncomfortable situations. A new study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology shows that consuming a moderate amount of caffeine does not elevate subjective anxiety levels in susceptible individuals. The research provides practical guidance for people managing their anxiety symptoms while navigating everyday dietary habits. Panic disorder is a psychiatric condition recognized by sudden attacks of intense fear. These attacks bring a rush of physical symptoms, including a racing heart, shortness of breath, dizziness, and a feeling of numbness. People diagnosed with this condition also carry persistent worry about when the next panic attack might strike. This worry often leads to maladaptive avoidance behavior. A person might stop going to the movie theater or the gym for fear that these environments will trigger a panic episode. By avoiding these places, the person misses out on rewarding experiences and loses the opportunity to learn that their physical symptoms are not …

Genetic study unravels the link between caffeine intake and sleep timing

Genetic study unravels the link between caffeine intake and sleep timing

Published by José Betancourt

Drinking coffee and tea directly improves our alertness during the day, but it does not appear to inherently disrupt how much or how well we sleep at night over the long term. Research published in the Journal of Sleep Research used genetic data to determine that consuming caffeine mainly reduces daytime napping and sleepiness rather than causing insomnia. The findings suggest that common nighttime sleep problems linked to caffeinated drinks might originate from other lifestyle habits rather than the caffeine itself. Most people regularly consume some form of caffeine to start their morning. The chemical is widely recognized as a stimulant that temporarily boosts mental alertness. Yet many observational studies routinely link habitual caffeine intake to poor sleep quality and chronic insomnia. These traditional observational studies face a few fundamental limitations. People often misjudge or misremember exactly how many cups of coffee or tea they consume in a week. Relying on human memory to estimate dietary habits can easily introduce errors into the collected data. It is also difficult to untangle caffeine consumption from other …

Can Caffeine Calm Your ADHD Brain?

Can Caffeine Calm Your ADHD Brain?

Published by Jenni Sidey

Caffeine heightens alertness, speeds up reaction time, and increases heart rate. But for some people with ADHD, caffeine may actually be calming, according to a 2022 meta-study by Vazquez and his colleagues. Vazquez et al examined 13 studies of animals whose genetics or behavior mimicked those of humans with ADHD. Animals in these studies were given caffeine and assigned behavioral tasks that allowed researchers to measure attention, flexibility, motor activity, learning, and memory. Across these studies, caffeine reduced errors, improved attention, decreased impulsivity, increased behavioral regulation, and helped the animals switch between tasks more smoothly. These results suggest that ADHD may not be an issue of too much stimulation, but rather an issue of not enough activation in the parts of the brain that are responsible for focus, planning, and self-regulation. What do we mean by “activation”? Activation is the spark that allows you to shift from thoughts of doing something to actually doing it. For some people with ADHD, it appears that the “jump start” caused by the activation effect of caffeine can be …

What is paraxanthine? The ‘caffeine alternative’ appearing in coffee and energy drinks

What is paraxanthine? The ‘caffeine alternative’ appearing in coffee and energy drinks

Published by Daniella Wilson

Sign up to IndyEat’s free newsletter for weekly recipes, foodie features and cookbook releases Get our food and drink newsletter for free Get our food and drink newsletter for free Paraxanthine, a compound the body naturally produces when it breaks down caffeine, is starting to appear in energy drinks and even some coffee products as a potential caffeine alternative. Brands claim that using this compound directly can provide a steadier form of alertness, promising “focused, clean energy” and no jitters or crash. A small number of beverage and supplement companies are now exploring paraxanthine as an alternative stimulant. Some coffee brands have also begun experimenting with the compound, positioning it as a different way to deliver alertness without relying on caffeine. The ingredient is part of a broader search for caffeine alternatives as drink companies try to differentiate themselves in a crowded market. It also reflects the wider growth of “functional” drinks that promise sharper focus, sustained energy or other performance benefits. The idea is simple: because paraxanthine is responsible for many of caffeine’s stimulant …

Caffeine might ease anxiety and depression by calming brain inflammation

Caffeine might ease anxiety and depression by calming brain inflammation

Published by José Betancourt

A recent review of animal research suggests that caffeine might help ease symptoms of anxiety and depression by reducing inflammation in the brain. The researchers analyzed multiple experiments and found that the widely consumed stimulant consistently lessened behavioral signs of distress in rodents. These results were published in the journal Translational Psychiatry. Mental health conditions like anxiety and depression affect millions of people worldwide. While these conditions are often linked to emotional distress, they also involve physical changes within the brain. One major physical change is neuroinflammation, which is an immune response that can damage brain cells and alter how neurotransmitters operate. Neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers that allow brain cells to communicate. When inflammation disrupts these chemical signals, people can experience changes in mood, motivation, and memory. Current medications for mood disorders do not work for everyone, prompting researchers to look for natural compounds that might help. Caffeine is a psychoactive substance found in coffee, tea, and chocolate. It primarily works by blocking adenosine receptors, which are specific docking stations on the surface of …

Drinking caffeine has been linked to reduced dementia risk. It’s not the only good it does for your health

Drinking caffeine has been linked to reduced dementia risk. It’s not the only good it does for your health

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the Well Enough newsletter with Harry Bullmore for tips on living a healthier, happier and longer life Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore Nine out of 10 Americans have some caffeine every day, UNC Health says, whether that be coffee, tea or an energy drink. There are downsides: in large amounts, caffeine can lead to seizures, sudden high blood pressure and breathing issues. But in safe amounts – the Food and Drug Administration recommends a daily limit of 400 milligrams – studies have shown those who regularly drink some caffeinated beverages may be less likely to develop cardiovascular disease and liver, endometrial, skin and neck cancer. A study released earlier this month also showed drinking two to three cups of coffee a day, or one to two cups of tea, was associated with a lower risk of dementia – regardless of a person’s genetic risk for the neurodegenerative condition. “We also compared people with different genetic predispositions to developing dementia and saw the same …

Study suggests caffeine mitigates psychiatric side effects of cyclosporine

Study suggests caffeine mitigates psychiatric side effects of cyclosporine

Published by José Betancourt

Life-saving medical treatments often come with heavy physiological costs that extend beyond the targeted organ or disease. New research suggests that caffeine might serve as an unexpected remedy for the severe mood changes associated with a common drug used to prevent organ rejection. The study provides evidence that caffeine can reverse anxiety and depression symptoms in mice treated with cyclosporine, potentially by altering nitric oxide signaling in the brain. The findings were published recently in the journal Physiology & Behavior. Cyclosporine is a powerful immunosuppressive medication utilized globally. Doctors prescribe it frequently to patients undergoing organ transplantation to ensure the body does not attack the new tissue. It is also used to treat certain autoimmune disorders. While effective for the immune system, the drug is known to cause neurotoxicity. This toxicity often manifests as psychological side effects, including elevated anxiety and depressive states. These neuropsychiatric issues can severely impact the quality of life for transplant recipients. The biological roots of these side effects are tied to how cyclosporine works. The drug inhibits a protein called …

12 Best Coffee Subscriptions (2026), Tested by Caffeine Hounds

12 Best Coffee Subscriptions (2026), Tested by Caffeine Hounds

Published by skeptic

Frequently Asked Questions What Kinds of Coffee Subscriptions Are There? AccordionItemContainerButton There are two main kinds of coffee subscription providers: roasters and retailers. Both roasters and multi-roaster retailers sell great coffee. This guide contains a mix of both. Roasters are cafés and small-batch producers who buy raw beans from farmers all over the world and roast them to perfection. By buying from a roaster, you’re directly supporting the people who make your favorite coffees. The downside is you usually won’t have as broad a selection. Roasters usually sell only their own coffee, but that often means special blends and single origins are available from a roaster that you can’t get from a retailer. Your local roaster down the street may also have subscription offers, giving you the chance to buy local without leaving your house—and often catch a discount. Retailers are coffee subscription providers who buy their beans from many different roasters, then ship bags of coffee to you. A multi-roaster retailer will often have a much broader selection of high-quality coffee available (from multiple …

Cannabidiol may prevent sensitization to cocaine and caffeine by influencing brain structure genes

Cannabidiol may prevent sensitization to cocaine and caffeine by influencing brain structure genes

Published by José Betancourt

A new study published in the journal Addiction Neuroscience provides evidence that cannabidiol may help prevent the heightened behavioral response associated with the combined use of cocaine and caffeine. The research suggests that this protective effect occurs because cannabidiol influences the activity of specific genes related to the structure and organization of brain cells in the reward system. These findings offer a potential biological explanation for how this cannabis-derived compound might assist in the treatment of stimulant use disorders. Cocaine dependence represents a significant public health challenge with few effective pharmaceutical treatments available. In the illicit drug market, cocaine is frequently mixed with other active substances to increase profits or alter the drug’s effects. Forensic data indicates that caffeine is one of the most common adulterants found in seized cocaine samples. Previous observations suggest that adding caffeine to cocaine does more than just dilute the product. This combination appears to accelerate the development of addiction-like behaviors and enhances the stimulating effects of cocaine. The mixture can lead to more intense drug-seeking behavior and persistent changes …