Using Caffeine to Optimize Mental & Physical Performance | Huberman Lab Podcast 101

In this episode, I explain how to use caffeine to enhance mental and physical health and performance, including the optimal dosages and intake schedules for caffeine. I explain how caffeine powerfully reinforces the consumption of certain foods and drinks—thereby increasing how much we like their tastes and seek them out. I discuss the mechanisms by which caffeine increases focus, alertness and mood and reduces sleepiness. I also explain many practical tools for caffeine use, including delaying caffeine intake after waking, intermittent caffeine use, during fasting, before and during exercise, and the use of theanine to curb jitters caused by caffeine. I also discuss the positive effects of caffeine on overall health and longevity and address several myths about caffeine. Since caffeine is one of the most commonly used substances (more than 90% of adults use caffeine daily!), this episode provides actionable tips for adjusting caffeine consumption to positively impact performance and health, including sleep.

#HubermanLab #Caffeine #Science

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Timestamps
00:00:00 Caffeine
00:02:58 Tool: GLP-1, Yerba Mate, Satiety & Weight Loss
00:11:06 Levels, Eight Sleep, ROKA, Momentous Supplements
00:15:23 Caffeine Benefits for Mental & Physical Performance
00:20:23 Caffeine in Nature & Positive Reinforcement
00:26:44 Caffeine Effects on Brain; Reward Pathways
00:29:55 Caffeine as a Reinforcing Agent
00:36:47 AG1 (Athletic Greens)
00:38:01 Caffeine, Adenosine & Reduced Sleepiness
00:45:16 Tool: Caffeine Dosage, Caffeine Adapted
00:53:44 Tool: Delayed Caffeine Intake, Afternoon Crash & Sleep
01:04:46 Morning Exercise & Residual Caffeine Effects
01:07:56 Tool: Theanine & Jitteriness; Fasting, Intermittent Caffeine Use
01:13:00 Theanine: Effects & Dosage
01:18:41 InsideTracker
01:19:45 Other Effects: Osteoporosis, Hormone Levels, Depression
01:27:41 Afternoon Caffeine & Sleep
01:31:45 Tool: Caffeine & Mental/Physical Performance; Cortisol & Caffeine Abstinence
01:46:04 Caffeine, Performance & Menstrual Cycle
01:47:27 Tool: Memory & Caffeine Timing; Adrenaline & Cold Exposure
01:54:08 Caffeine & Naps
01:56:34 Tool: Exercise, Caffeine, Dopamine & Positive Reinforcement
02:01:55 Dopamine Stacking
02:06:04 Scheduling Caffeine to Maximize Its Effects
02:08:33 Pro-Health Effects of Caffeine
02:13:38 Tool: Sugar Cravings & Reinforcing Effects of Caffeine
02:20:17 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Social Media, Momentous Supplements, Neural Network Newsletter

[realdopewater]

Because of your podcast I have stopped smoking weed, observe a low carb & low sugar diet, and don't drink coffee in the afternoon. All in attempts to have more energy and improve my mental health. It has truly helped A LOT. Thanks for all that you do!

[emmettsummers]

After finding Dr Huberman, my life has exponentially changed in ways I never knew were possible! The well rounded balanced enlightenments has greatly brought more meaning and value into my life! There are no words that can express my thanks for these priceless life lessons! Thank you for helping change my life and the way my mind operates! Much appreciation and admiration!

[AndiJaneMusic]

This video SINGLE-HANDEDLY turned my avoidance of morning jogging into EXCITEMENT for a morning jog. Why? Because it's now a "cortisol spike" so I don't crash later, instead of one baby step closer to the massive goal of getting in shape. Short term benefits, I like!! Thank you! I jog as soon as I wake up now and it's turning my whole life around. 🙏❣️

[samantharepath]

Gave up all caffeine last year and it took 140 days before I felt normal. But now without having caffeine I have so much more energy. I use to say that if only we could ‘bottle’ energy of kids, yet it’s simple… you wouldn’t give your kids caffeine, don’t take it yourself. Life changing breaking the caffeine addiction!

[andrealoloko]

I've been a caffeine user since I was a toddler, and it's difficult for me to maintain my energy levels during the day even when I have had many cups of coffee (four or five). Now in my 30s, I started drinking coffee 90-120 minutes after waking up and eliminated coffee 10-12 hours before bedtime and the change has been almost magical.

This is the first episode I've seen of Dr. Huberman's, and the impact this information has had on my performance has been much better than I imagined. I will definitely be watching all the other episodes!

[frankjohannessen]

From personal experience with caffeine withdrawal from dozens of tolerance breaks:
1. Higher regular amount of caffeine consumed leads to longer time before significant withdrawal symptoms start. With 4mg/kg once a day: 60 hours, 2mg/kg once a day: 36 hours.
2. Symptoms were worse with higher dosage, but number of days with withdrawal symptoms were the same.
3. withdrawal was worst on the second day with withdrawal symptoms. No significant symptoms on fifth day.
4. Withdrawal was low in the morning and progressively got worse for each hour awake. Taking a nap helped.
5. Consuming caffeine while having a withdrawal-headache made the headache even worse.
6. Tried starting with 300mg once a day and then lowering 10mg each day. 290-80mg: No withdrawal symptoms. 70-50mg: mild withdrawal. 40-0mg: Similar withdrawal as going cold turkey.
7. Tried 14 days and 28 days abstinence (only once each). Did not notice any further benefits vs 7 days.

[evrenkutar]

i was suffering sleeping and afternoon fatigue for a while. After watching this i am convinced it is because of afternoon coffee that i have all the time. it is now 1 week i restricted my coffee hours to:

| wake up + 1.5hrs | coffee time window (2 hrs) | 12h NO coffee | sleep |

It worked! i am now able to sleep just in minutes, and no more afternoon fatigue. Of course with the other things mentioned in the podcast on top of this coffee regulation. Thanks a lot for that great episode!!

[SahajTalwar]

The caffeine addict in me has been waiting for this day since I discovered this channel!

[jerrelleverett]

andrew huberman seems like such a good person. seems so humble and down to earth. extremely knowledgeable and seems to back ideas with actual studies. even tries to present the information in vernacular in which not so educated people like myself can understand. i really enjoy listening to him. and again, i really like it that he doesn't seem to have a big ego. not uncommon at all for people with his education and status to have

[janorr]

Great Stuff! I started the new year by not drinking coffee first thing in the morning and having a glass of water instead. My energy level actually improved and I stopped having an afternoon knuckle-dragging crash! Awesome!

[mhernandez]

My experience with caffeine almost every other day for the past 6 months:

I drink coffee Tues/Thurs/Sat with no negative side affects and moderate to high levels of productivity, positivity, motivation and mental clarity.

However recently I tested my limits and added another day of coffee on Wednesday. On that Saturday I started to feel had negative affects of fatigue, irritability, increased anxiety, and heartrate.

I have since taken a 5 day break and today I am starting back on my 3 days a week coffee routine.

Thank you so much for what you do and the information that you share.

[colefleischmann]

I use caffeine every other day (Mon, Wed, and Fri). Sometimes I skip Wednesdays even. I only take it to workout and it works great. When caffeine was a daily thing I would start to have anxiety and panic attacks but taking those 4 days off really helps. I also had problems with sleep when I took caffeine every day. Also, when I took it daily I was much more tired without it. Now I have 0 withdrawals on the off days, and it hits way harder when I do take it. Nothing feels better than when a caffeinated workout is finished and I can go on with my day full of energy

[keatsu]

In my experience, coffee addiction (cause it is kinda like a drug) had negative effect on my mood, sleep etc. It was my "go to drink" to get things done. I had been drinking coffee for 8 years or so everyday in various forms. Coffee, Mate, even Tea. I stumbled upon videos with testimionals about caffeine withdrawal. I was scared but also curious about side effects and benefits that might come with caffeine-free life. I went cold turkey and struggled with motivation and mood for 4 weeks. First two weeks were horrible. It's 2 months caffeine free. My digestion dramatically improved. I sleep like a baby and have 4-7 dreams every night. I don't have to drink coffee every time I want to do something.
It is not just my experience.

I do not consume caffeine in any form. I have a lot more energy which is stable throughout the day. I don't experience anxiety (which happened almost everyday). I love coffee and Mate, I really do, but I do not plan to drink any caffeinated stuff probably ever.

I'm not saying that coffee is bad, I think it is like many things in life - the bigger dopaming hit - the bigger crash will be afterward. Coffee can be used wisely, as Dr. Huberman advises. My body does not react good to caffeine, probably processes it slower than normal and it messes up my sleep even after drinking small cup before 12 o'clock

[iss]

I never drank coffee until I hit 40, when I needed it. This year I started a daily cold shower then added alt day fasting and like magic, my need for coffee disappeared. I have the occasional cup when I see clients but I don't feel a perk up with the coffee anymore. I feel the same. Best days are fasting days. It is nothing short of amazing. Month 11 of this regime. I don't think of coffee or crave it. I don't drink caffeine tea either. I just don't need it.

[motomow]

I'm a recovering meth addict...3 months Sober today! Thank You Doctor Huberman for giving me the tools necessary to get my "Happy" back. Your videos on addiction and dopamine have delivered the skills I desperately sought to remain an inspiration to those I deeply care for who still suffer from addiction and who WERE too scared to take the initial steps necessary to a longer, healthier and happier future. Seeing how much happier I am and how fast my life is blossoming at 44-after doing Meth Since I was 15-is blowing minds and helping people I know who had given up rethink they're potential. Your Amazing and I want to thank you for changing peoples lives in such a noble, infectious way. Sir you are a blessing! Thank you for saving my life!

[nolanbrewermusic]

Thank you Dr. Huberman, I greatly appreciate your videos. After years of suffering from anxiety, and depression, I am finally starting to turn things around. And for once I actually feel like I'm alive. Now I am able to walk on the correct path in my life, and your podcast has no doubt helped me achieve this. I'm really grateful for your help. Stay strong.

[petrusweenink]

Thank you for this! Explains why people who smoke and drink caffeine struggle to quit. As a doctor noticed that people who smoke and drink coffee together really struggle much more to quit. This is going to be a gamechanger as i try to help these patients. Really appreciate all you do Prof. Huberman.

[katenowell-smith]

Thank you Dr. Huberman and team for the excellent, as usual, podcast. The impressive examples you give of where and how caffeine worked its way into life on earth makes me think that while you were not consulted at the design phase, perhaps the Caffeine Sprites were. No pun intended ;)

As briefly as I can: I love coffee, but I love sleep more, for that reason, at age 40, ten years ago, I gave up my beloved single morning cup. It was one of many things I did to improve my sleep hygiene. For years I had resisted, reasoning that surely one cup of stovetop espresso early in the day could not hurt my sleep. Then my ER doctor husband returned from a toxicology lecture where, as an aside, the speaker mentioned that people vary in the speed with which they metabolize caffeine. He explained that effectively, some people may clear one cup in a matter of hours, while others may be walking around with the equivalent of 3-4 cups in their system at any given time. That was enough info for me; I gave up coffee that day. The first two weeks were horrific - on my daily run I felt like I left my jet-pack at home! What would be the point if I couldn't enjoy my run anymore? But then at the two week mark I felt completely fine. And sleep, while not always 100%, became much better. (And then became fantastic once your podcast came on the scene, but that's another story involving early morning light, etc...)

Why do I tell you all this? Because I think my experience touches on some nuances that perhaps your podcast missed*, which may be relevant to others:
-You did mention the half-life of caffeine, but I'm wondering about this, based on the above lecture I mention. I will look for the studies on how/if people metabolize caffeine differently.
-Given that caffeine is a psychoactive drug, I think it is wise to take a drug holiday from it, from time to time, as one is typically recommended to do for any psychoactive drug. I had been on caffeine for a good twenty years without ever checking in on what life was like without it. When I gave up caffeine I became newly aware of how aggressively people were driving on the morning commute, for instance. You talk about giving up caffeine to experience a positive bump in performance when you go back on it, which is interesting, and useful, but I propose another additional goal: give it up for a while to see who you are without it. I found that I like myself more without caffeine. Turns out I'm more mellow than I realized. Just as motivated, just as active, just no background low-grade sense of urgency anymore.
-Perhaps it is the case that as we age the way we metabolize caffeine changes? I'm curious, I wonder. I was fine with it at 20, not so at 40. But then at 20 I had less to keep me up at night. Food for thought.
-My jet lag pretty much disappeared after giving up caffeine, and I fly from San Francisco to London fairly frequently, so I take this as pretty decent anec-data.
-I really enjoy not feeling drawn to, or "controlled by" a substance. There's still air, and water, and food, (and small amounts of chocolate of course), but I feel much freer now.
-I enjoy the smell of a cup of coffee as much as ever, and just content myself with that and lots of cups of Rooibos.

Thank you for considering these notes.
Kate.

*I should probably re-listen to be certain, but I'm on to your next podcast...

[martinz]

Once I have a son will name him Andrew, because Mr. Huberman changed my life to the better, especially with fixing my sleep and stress

[TheLKStar]

I arrived at the "every other day" protocol by introspection, and it naturally evolved to "only days when I workout" cause it gives a great boost. I think it's great, and the fact that I've done it by pure self-experimentation indicates that there's something to it.