Moderation, as with everything, is key
Many of us rely on caffeine and other supplements to maintain our concentration and perceived energy levels throughout the day. This can come in the form of coffee, energy drinks, or supplements like 5-Hour Energy.
All good things, right? Keep us driving, keep us working, keep us studying. But, as with all things, moderation really is the key.
Let’s focus on caffeine, from coffee, energy drinks, or pills. Caffeine is a naturally occurring compound found almost everywhere. We consume it in the hopes of gaining more energy, letting us concentrate on our work, and making sure we ace that exam. The common misconception, though, is that caffeine is actually doing the work. And it really isn’t.
As a super-quick summary, whenever your neurons fire, your body naturally produces a compound called adenosine. There are adenosine receptors in your brain and spinal column that bind to it, and act as a little switch. Once your body determines that the adenosine switch has been flicked enough times, it starts sending your brain messages to sleep. It’s like the check engine light for your body.
Caffeine comes in and does something special – it impersonates adenosine. But when it binds to those same receptors, it doesn’t let the switch flick. To your body, it looks as if you never produced the adenosine. So you’ve essentially turned the odometer back on your body’s engine, convincing it that it doesn’t need an oil change. And that means you can keep cranking out that paper or report, and not have to worry about your body trying to shut down on you.
However, in large quantities, this can be extremely problematic. Your brain and heart never get a rest (and can sometimes become overworked) resulting in aches and mood swings in the short-term, and heart failure in the long-term. See Dave Grohl as an example, who actually experienced heart palpitations and a dramatic blood pressure increase after consuming too many “fresh pots.”
In addition, your body builds up a tolerance to caffeine. So if you typically pound six cups of coffee a day (or just two energy drinks) and miss your next fix, you may actually go into withdrawal. I can speak from personal experience here: this is extremely unpleasant thanks to stomach cramps, muscle aches, nausea, eye muscle spasms, and general irritability and petulance. Everyone around you will hate you, and you will hate the world. It sucks.
So before you pick up your next energy drink or Double-Double, think for a minute. Ask yourself if you really need it. If you stick to one or two cups of coffee a day (or the equivalent in energy drinks) and you time them strategically, you can reap all the benefits and suffer none of the consequences. Your ability to focus will improve, your energy levels will increase, that work will look less daunting, that report will write itself, and you’ll add ten pounds to your squat without even trying. But fall down the slippery slope of thinking that every small bout of drowsiness can be cured by shot-gunning another Beaver Buzz, and you’ll be in for, at best, a crappy few days as you come off it, and, at worst, a trip to the E.R..