Today, caffeine is America’s most popular drug — it’s an energy-boosting, focus-enhancing superfood. But there is a downside — many people feel like they need to consume greater and greater amounts of caffeine to feel any “buzz”. Unfortunately, this is just caffeine tolerance building up.
Interesting article: 7 Surprising Signs You Might Want To Cut Back On Caffeine
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Caffeine- Strategic Use
Caffeine definitely has its advantages. Research has shown that the moderate, long-term use of caffeine may provide benefits such as: improving memory, boosting testosterone, warding off Alzheimer’s, reducing the risk of kidney stones, reducing weight (by suppressing appetite), and providing protection from type-2 diabetes.
Research has also shown that caffeine can ward off fatigue during workouts and improve focus. But keep in mind that these studies are based on occasional consumption; if you use caffeine every day, you will develop a tolerance for it that mitigates and even eliminates these benefits.
The key word here is moderate consumption (300-400 mg a day). Most people don’t know how much caffeine they’re actually consuming; a big 12-ounce mug of coffee can contain as much as 300 mg of caffeine. So if you drink 4 “cups” of it a day, you’ll easily consume 4X the recommended amount.
Because caffeine is a powerful tool in optimizing health and performance, it’s best to use it strategically. I only drink caffeinated coffee if I need to boost something specific. For instance, if I’m doing a very intense or long workout or if I need to be super focused for work.
Drinking decaf a majority of the time keeps me caffeine sensitive so that when I do drink it, I only need a cup or two to get the full performance benefits. And I still get to enjoy my coffee!
The other option is to do a Caffeine Reset on a reoccurring basis, likely every forth week of the month. More on a Caffeine Reset in a moment.
Caffeine – The Downsides
As mentioned above, many of caffeine’s effects, including fat burning, strength benefits, and euphoria, are subject to tolerance, and may not occur in people who have built up a tolerance to caffeine, no matter how large the dose is.
So caffeine does have benefits, but with important caveats. On the flip side of the coin, quitting caffeine, or at least dialing back your consumption of it, comes with its own set of potential advantages:
Decreased depression and anxiety. Research has shown that heavy caffeine consumption can exacerbate existing depression. This may be because the increased dopamine release that accompanies caffeine can eventually desensitize your dopamine receptors. One symptom of depression is the lack of motivation to do things that once brought you joy. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter of motivation, so if your brain is desensitized to it, motivation decreases, and you sink deeper into a funk. Thus if you’re already susceptible to depressive moods, caffeine might increase your vulnerability to visits from the black dog.
Caffeine can also exacerbate anxiety. The stress hormones that are released in response to caffeine can create jitters, heighten stress, and trigger anxiety attacks. If you’ve ever taken a weight loss drug, like Hydroxycut, which is packed with caffeine, you know it can make you feel insane.
Less irritability. The research is split on whether caffeine increases anger and aggression. Some studies say it doesn’t; others have shown that the stress arousal caffeine triggers can cause irritability, and that eliminating its consumption can decrease feelings of hostility.
The mixed results are probably rooted in the fact that caffeine seems to affect each individual differently. Some may be more sensitive than others.
Clearer skin. The stress hormones released by caffeine cause inflammation which shows up for some folks in the form of acne breakouts and other skin problems like dandruff. If you’ve been a grown-ass man for some time but are still fighting zits like a fifteen-year-old, you might look into eliminating caffeine from your diet to see if it helps.
Lower blood pressure. Caffeine does two things to increase your blood pressure. First, it constricts blood vessels, and second, it increases your heart rate. Several studies have shown that individuals who regularly consume high amounts of caffeine have elevated blood pressure levels compared to non-caffeine users. Even when caffeine users abstain from the stimulant, it typically takes a few days for resting blood pressure levels to decrease to a normal amount. If cardiac problems run in your family, you might consider giving up caffeine to protect your heart health.
Greater antifragility. Strengthening antifragility in all areas of my life is a goal of mine and probably yours (since you’re reading this), but if you rely on caffeine for an energy boost or to get you through the day, it’s a crutch and it’s doing more harm than good.
Better sleep. If you’ve had trouble sleeping, caffeine may be the culprit. If you don’t want to give up caffeine completely, at least consider cutting yourself off before 2PM so you can get a more restful slumber.
Caffeine will actually work when you really need it. If you’ve been drinking caffeinated beverages regularly, you’ve likely developed a tolerance for it. You drink it not to feel great, but just to avoid feeling bad; you’re basically spending money merely to maintain the status quo.
Caffeine is best reserved for use as a secret weapon — something you’ve got in your backpocket when you really do need a buzz, like before a race or an all-night study session.
Ultimately everybody has to decide for themselves if the benefits of caffeine are worth the price of the downsides. It’s a balancing act for sure, and each person is going to be different.
The Caffeine Reset
A Caffeine Rest will desensitize your body to caffeine. Once you reintroduce regular coffee, the positive effects will be increased and you will require LESS coffee to maximize coffee’s benefits.
To do this, avoid caffeine for at least seven days, preferably 21 days. Decaf coffee and tea are fine (in fact, I recommend you pick up some high-quality decaf for the reset).
If going caffeine-free cold turkey is too drastic for you (caffeine withdrawal can be pretty brutal for some people), take the first 7-14 days to slowly cut back on your caffeine intake. This may be the least unpleasant way to do it. Replacing one or two cups of regular coffee with decaf every few days will do the trick. If you normally drink eight cups of coffee a day, for example, replace two to four cups with decaf for two or three days. Then reduce your intake of regular to two cups for a few days.
For the last 7-14 days, do zero caffeine, so your body can properly reset itself. It won’t be easy, —potentially headache-filled—but if you can get through a full 3-4 weeks, your tolerance should be reset. When you go back to having caffeine, start off will small amounts.
My Go-To Decaf Coffee
If you choose to drink decaf coffee during your caffeine reset, you will likely see more benefits by opting for organic, black coffee. I recommend Purity Organic Coffee. It is a fresh-roasted, specialty grade, antioxidant-rich, medium roast coffee and it tastes delicious. Get 10% off with code EVOLVEDNS here: https://troydelaney.com/decaf
You can read my full article on decaf: Using Decaf Coffee to Improve Health & Performance and How to Choose the Best Decaf on the Planet
Coffee Alternatives
If you truly want to avoid all caffeine, I have a few options that I really like:
- Chicory & Dandelion Root – When chicory is roasted, the root has a flavor similar to coffee. Dandelion also has a root that can be roasted and steeped in water to make a tea with a flavor reminiscent of coffee. Naturally caffeine-free, chicory and dandelion root “coffee” is rich in the prebiotic inulin, which may support the growth of beneficial gut bacteria and aid in healthy bowel movements. Sip Herbals sells a tasty chicory root coffee replacement that includes a touch of carob, the roasted pod of the Ceratonia siliqua tree that has an earthy, chocolate-like taste. Get 10% off with code TROY10.
- Mushroom Tea – Mushroom teas, which usually consist of a blend of medicinal mushrooms such as Chaga, reishi, and cordyceps, are booming in popularity. One potential reason for the popularity of medicinal mushroom tea is the benefit such teas offer for focus, attention, and overall cognition without causing the jitters associated with caffeine. If you want to give mushroom teas a try as a replacement for coffee, Four Sigmatic is a great option. Get 10% off with code TROY10.
- Brewed Cacao – Brewed cacao comes from the pod of Theobroma cacao, the same plant we use to make dark chocolate, and has the deep, rich aroma and flavor of chocolate. Brewed cacao contains theobromine, a phytochemical from the methylxanthine family, the same group of compounds to which caffeine belongs. Like caffeine, theobromine crosses the blood–brain barrier and is an adenosine antagonist, inhibiting adenosine binding and promoting wakefulness. However, its effects are longer-lasting than those of caffeine, and it tends to be less stimulating than its sister compound. However, unlike a dark chocolate bar, it contains only 10 calories per cup. If you’re interested in trying brewed cacao as an alternative to coffee, then Crio Bru is one option to consider; it contains just 10 mg of caffeine per 8-ounce serving and 358 mg of theobromine. It is a loose-leaf chocolate tea made from the shell of the cacao bean and is 100% cocoa-based. It is completely natural, preservative-free, without any artificial flavors or starches, and is also organic, gluten-free, vegan, and sugar-free.
To learn more about using coffee to improve your performance, sign up to my FREE online course here: https://antifragile.fit/performancecoffee/
To learn more about using coffee to lose weight and improve your health, sign up to my FREE 21-Day Black Coffee Challenge: https://antifragile.fit/blackcoffeechallenge/
Check out my Step-byStep Guide to Start a Fasting Lifestyle. It’s a comprehensive guide to the most potent tool for optimized health, longevity and performance
Disclosure: The above link is an affiliate link so I do earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thanks in advance if you do choose to go through the link above! If you have any questions about this product, let me know and I would be happy to answer them for you.
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