Caffeine – a natural stimulant or ‘black evil’?

Caffeine is one of those ingredients that almost everyone knows, but few really analyse. For some, it is part of their morning ritual, for others, it is an addition to an intense day, and for still others, it is an ingredient in supplements that are taken before training or during periods of increased workload. Its presence in everyday life is so common that it is very easy to stop noticing it.

1. Why does caffeine stir up so much emotion?
2. What exactly is caffeine?
3. How does caffeine work in the body?
4. Caffeine in your daily routine
5. Caffeine in sport and supplementation
6. Where does the problem most often arise?
7. How much caffeine is considered a moderate amount?
8. What to look for when choosing a product with caffeine?
9. A natural stimulant or "black evil"?
10. Summary

Why does caffeine stir up so much emotion?

For years, two extreme approaches to caffeine have been gaining ground. On the one hand, it is sometimes presented as a symbol of productivity and energy, and on the other, as something that allegedly ‘destroys’ and disrupts the body and should be completely eliminated. In practice, neither of these simplifications reflects the real picture. Caffeine is neither a miracle solution for every dip in form nor automatically ‘pure evil’. It is simply a very well-known ingredient present in diet and supplementation.

What exactly is caffeine?

Caffeine is a natural compound found in plants. It can be found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa beans, guarana and kola nuts, among others. Anhydrous caffeine is also very common in the supplement market, i.e. the form used in capsules, tablets, powders and various pre-workout formulas.

Not just coffee

For many people, caffeine equals coffee. This is understandable, as it is most strongly associated with this beverage. In practice, however, there are many more sources. It is also found in tea, yerba mate, energy drinks, cola drinks, chocolate, shots and dietary supplements. This is important because it is very easy to count only the coffee you drink and overlook the caffeine from several other products consumed during the day.

The same ingredient, different forms

The fact that caffeine is found in various products does not mean that each of them works the same way from a practical point of view. A cup of coffee is not only caffeine, but also the volume of the drink, its taste, temperature and the whole ritual of drinking it. A caffeine capsule works more ‘technically’ – quickly, simply, without any additional context. Pre-workout supplements and energy drinks, on the other hand, often combine caffeine with other ingredients that change the perception of the entire product.

How does caffeine work in the body?

Caffeine is classified as a stimulant. Among other things, it acts by affecting adenosine receptors, which is associated with feeling more alert and less sleepy. It does not create energy from nothing, but changes the way the body perceives fatigue and stimulation. This is why so many people reach for it in the morning, before work, study or training.

After consumption, caffeine is absorbed relatively quickly. Its highest concentration in the blood usually appears within about 45 minutes, and the time it remains in the body depends on many factors, including individual differences between people. From a practical point of view, this means that the time of consumption is very important. Caffeine taken in the late afternoon or evening can still be felt long after work or training is over.

Caffeine in your daily routine

Not everyone consumes caffeine for the same reason. Some choose it mainly in the morning, others treat it as part of their mental work, and still others associate it almost exclusively with physical activity. However, caffeine itself is a much broader phenomenon than just ‘morning coffee’ or ‘a strong pre-workout drink’.

Morning coffee as a ritual

For many people, coffee is not just a source of caffeine. It is also a moment to start the day, a short break, a habit, a smell and a taste. That is why discussions about caffeine are often a little misleading. After all, it is not always just about the active ingredient, but about the whole context in which it is consumed.

Caffeine at work and in education

In other situations, caffeine is treated more functionally. It comes into play when the day is intense, you need to stay focused, and there are simply a lot of responsibilities. For products containing at least 75 mg of caffeine per serving, claims relating to increased alertness and improved concentration are used. It is these two areas that best explain why caffeine has become so deeply ingrained in our daily lifestyle.

Caffeine in sport and supplementation

Caffeine has long held a strong position in the world of sport. It comes in capsules, tablets, powders, shots, gels and ready-made mixtures. Its presence in sports supplements is no coincidence, as it is one of the most recognisable ingredients used before exercise.

Pre-workout supplements and single-ingredient supplements

In practice, there are two main approaches. The first is caffeine as a single ingredient, most often in the simple form of a capsule or tablet. The second is caffeine as part of a more complex blend, alongside beta-alanine, citrulline, taurine, plant extracts or sweeteners.

A single-ingredient supplement is usually easier to evaluate. You can clearly see how much caffeine is in each serving and it is easier to control the total amount consumed during the day. With multi-ingredient products, it can be more difficult because caffeine may appear simultaneously as anhydrous caffeine, guarana extract or part of other additives. Without reading the label carefully, it is easy to overlook the actual amount.

More is not better

This is one of the most common mistakes when using caffeinated products. Many people think about caffeine in a very simple way: if a little works, then more should work even better. In practice, this pattern does not necessarily work. With higher amounts, it is easy to go from feeling energised to feeling irritable, chaotic, overly excited and unable to calm down.

Where does the problem most often arise?

The greatest risk does not necessarily come from a single strong coffee or capsule. Much more often, the problem is the unconscious combination of multiple sources of caffeine throughout the day.

Caffeine "scattered" throughout the day

Someone drinks two coffees in the morning, then reaches for tea, takes a pre-workout supplement in the afternoon, and adds an energy drink in the evening. Each of these elements seems insignificant on its own, but together they create a completely different balance than what most people have in mind. That is why, when it comes to caffeine, it is so important to look at the total amount consumed throughout the day, rather than a single product.

The time of consumption also matters

Another common mistake is ignoring the time at which caffeine is consumed. Even a well-chosen amount may simply be poorly timed in relation to the rhythm of the day. If you consume it too late, you may feel the effects in the evening, even though the product itself seemed ‘fine’ earlier. In practice, many problems attributed to caffeine are not due to its presence, but to the wrong time of consumption.

How much caffeine is considered a moderate amount?

The EFSA safety assessment indicates that for healthy adults, single doses of up to 200 mg of caffeine and total intakes of up to 400 mg per day are not a safety concern. For pregnant women, total intake of up to 200 mg per day from all sources is considered safe. These are important benchmarks because they help to clarify the issue without causing either excessive fear or complete carelessness.

However, this does not mean that everyone will react in the same way. Sensitivity to caffeine is individual. One person may perceive a given amount as completely normal, while another may find it much stronger. For this reason, a sensible approach to caffeine should always take into account not only the numbers, but also your own tolerance and how your body reacts to different sources of this ingredient.

What to look for when choosing a product with caffeine?

The amount of caffeine per serving is the absolute basis. Without this information, it is impossible to reliably compare products.

Number of servings per day – some products look inconspicuous, but suggest several servings per day. In this case, the total amount of caffeine increases faster than it may seem at first glance.

Other sources of caffeine in the composition - if the product contains guarana or coffee extract in addition to anhydrous caffeine, the total supply may be higher than the name suggests.

Product form – capsule, tablet, powder, shot, drink or gel – each of these forms has a different practical character. Some prefer a simple capsule, others choose classic coffee, and still others reach for sports formulas. The convenience of use is often as important as the number of milligrams on the label.

A natural stimulant or "black evil"?

The most reasonable thing to say is that caffeine is simply an ingredient that can be used well or chaotically. There is no point in making it either the hero of everyday life or the culprit of all problems with energy, sleep or concentration. If it appears in an orderly daily routine, in a well-thought-out amount and at the right time, it remains simply one of the best-known stimulants present in the diet and supplementation. The problem usually begins not when caffeine exists, but when it ceases to be counted, controlled and consciously chosen.

Summary

Caffeine is neither a "black evil" nor a miracle solution for every dip in form. It is a natural stimulant present in many foods and supplements, the effects of which depend on the amount, source, time of consumption and individual tolerance. In practice, the most important question is not whether caffeine is good or bad. It is much more important to be able to calculate your daily intake, read the label and adjust your consumption to your own daily rhythm. This is what separates sensible caffeine use from randomly reaching for more sources of stimulation.

Sources:

• Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of a health claim related to caffeine https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.2903/j.efsa.2014.3574
• Dietary Supplements for Exercise and Athletic Performance https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/ExerciseAndAthleticPerformance-HealthProfessional/
• Common questions and misconceptions about caffeine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show? https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38466174/