Caffeine gets a bad press more often than not. Have too much and you’ll likely be feeling jittery and wired, which can leave you struggling to sleep and feeling groggy in the morning (and craving your next fix to get you through).
In moderation, though, caffeine can actually produce some fantastic benefits which means it definitely shouldn’t be shied from. Just stay off the double espressos before bed, okay?
- Caffeine is a nootropic that supports focus and brain function. Caffeine is a cognitive stimulant (surprise!) that works by blocking adenosine receptors in the brain to increase feelings of alertness, improve attention span, and reduce feelings of fatigue.
- Caffeine improves muscle strength and power. Caffeine is commonly found in nutritional supplements because it can give a performance edge during physical activity. In particular, the upper body has been found to benefit from improved muscle strength and power, whilst also helping athletes keep going for longer, and increase their intensity and performance. Use The Energy Booster before working out to see this in action.
- Caffeine supports a healthy liver. Studies have found that drinking a cup or two of coffee each day can prevent the likelihood of liver diseases by breaking up fat stores in liver cells.
- Caffeine can raise metabolism and aid fat burning. Caffeine stimulates the breakdown of adipose tissue (AKA: fat) via a process called 'lipolysis', in which fatty acids are released from the adipose tissue into the blood to be used for energy. Caffeine also increases thermogenesis, which in turn raises your metabolism and keeps you burning more calories. We put the perfect amount of caffeine into The Tone Capsules to reap its fat metabolising benefits and keep you feeling energised throughout the day.
- Caffeine can be great when used externally too. Caffeine hair treatments have been found to prevent hair thinning and loss, by stimulating blood circulation to hair follicles and blocking an enzyme (5α-reductase) which is associated with hair loss.
The NHS recommends limiting your daily caffeine intake to less than 400mg for adults (the equivalent of four cups of coffee) and 200mg for pregnant women. Stay within these limits to enjoy all of the benefits, with none of the wide-awake-at-4am-vibes.