A claim you hear on longevity podcasts

Does extra caffeine stop working if you drink it daily?

The claim checked: Caffeine above your usual intake will not help you think better or perform better physically Hear it at 8:34

What do the studies say?

Not enough evidence

Of two trials, one found caffeine did not lift mental performance in regular users, though it sped up tapping and reaction times; the other found it improved attention and memory whether users had abstained or not.

Computed from 2 studies that test this point, each judged by two readers, in full. Fewer than 3 sources so far. 10 more studies are waiting for a full read and do not count yet.

What was said on the podcast?

“Caffeine is a performance-enhancing drug, but only when compared to the noncaffeinated state. And 90% of the adult population of the world is caffeinated. So adding more caffeine above what you would normally consume is certainly not going to allow you to think better and perform better physically.”
Andrew Huberman, Huberman Lab · AMA #8: Balancing Caffeine, Decision Fatigue & Social Isolation · 8:34 on YouTube
Comes up in 8 episodes of the show.
Point 1 of 2 Not enough evidence

In habitual daily users, caffeine mostly restores baseline and does not raise performance above it

Agree 1

controlled trial · 2013

“While caffeine benefits motor performance and tolerance develops to its tendency to increase anxiety/jitteriness, tolerance to its effects on sleepiness means that frequent consumption fails to enhance mental alertness and mental performance.”

Faster but not smarter: effects of caffeine and caffeine withdrawal on alertness and performance. Psychopharmacology (Berl)
Who: Adult volunteers classified by habitual caffeine intake as medium-high or non-low consumers, tested after overnight caffeine abstinence (from 7 PM) with salivary caffeine checks
PMID 23108937

Partly agree 1

trial or observed group · 2009

“Caffeine had a greater effect on mood and choice reaction time in the abstained state than in the normal caffeinated state, but caffeine improved selective attention and memory in both states.”

A comparison of the effects of caffeine following abstinence and normal caffeine use. Psychopharmacology (Berl)
Who: 17 healthy habitual caffeine consumers (8 men), age 30 ± 8 y, 375 ± 101 mg/day, prescreened for withdrawal symptoms
PMID 19777214

Disagree 0

None.

Point 2 of 2 Leaning against

Extra caffeine above your usual intake will not make you think better or perform better physically

All three studies found a caffeine dose still helped: in cyclists whatever their usual intake, in daily users who had not abstained, and in sprint tests. Two of the three tested people after 1 to 2 days without caffeine.

Computed from 3 studies that test this point, each judged by two readers, in full. 10 more studies are waiting for a full read and do not count yet.

Agree 0

None.

Partly agree 0

None.

Disagree 3

other primary study · 2017

“Performance effects of acute caffeine were not influenced by the level of habitual caffeine consumption, suggesting that high habitual caffeine intake does not negate the benefits of acute caffeine supplementation.”

Dispelling the myth that habitual caffeine consumption influences the performance response to acute caffeine supplementation. J Appl Physiol (1985)
Who: 40 male recreationally trained competitive cyclists split into tertiles of habitual caffeine intake (58, 143 and 351 mg/day)
PMID 28495846

trial or observed group · 2009

“These results suggest that among moderate daily caffeine users there may be some benefits to consuming more than one’s typical daily intake.”

A comparison of the effects of caffeine following abstinence and normal caffeine use. Psychopharmacology (Berl)
Who: Healthy habitual caffeine consumers aged 18-50 (mean 30) in Winston-Salem, NC, consuming 200-600 mg/day and prescreened for withdrawal symptoms
PMID 19777214

controlled trial · 2008

“Overall, the results of this study suggest that caffeine has ergogenic properties with the potential to benefit performance in both single and multiple sprint sports.”

Caffeine supplementation and multiple sprint running performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc
Who: 21 physically active male sport science students (age 21 ± 3 y), low habitual caffeine intake (88.4 ± 87.3 mg/day)
PMID 18799995

What else was said but not tested?

  • Caffeine improves cognition compared with a non-caffeinated state (non-users or withdrawn users)
  • Physical energy and stamina follow the same pattern

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