When you consider that pretty much every soft drink on the market has caffeine; that coffee shops can be found in nearly every neighborhood in America, and chocolate is the number one selling candy in the world you might just find yourself asking this question: Who exactly is taking caffeine pills and why are they taking them?

To which you might also want to add these questions: Do they really do any good and is there any real danger in taking them?

First, we’ll look at who is taking caffeine pills. The answer, as you might expect, includes college students and shift workers who need to be alert through the night. Most college students could probably get by without the need for energy boosting medication if they would just get their schoolwork done before partying, but, well, priorities are priorities, after all. Seriously, though, many students are carrying heavy class loads along with jobs to help them pay for their education. Those all-night cram sessions and last-minute research papers can be very tiring, so it’s probably not surprising they turn to caffeine. Better caffeine than other amphetamines. And those working graveyard shifts and other long hours use pills to keep them going.

So why get caffeine in pill form instead of drinking some coffee or a soda? That’s a more difficult question and the answer can vary. When it comes to late shift workers, often they don’t have access to beverages except during breaks. For college students working desperately to beat a deadline, even that few minute it takes to make a cup of coffee or go down the hall to the vending machine may be too much of a risk. Far more likely as an explanation for the popularity of caffeine pills is that they are easily accessible, relatively cheap and don’t require brewing time or refrigeration. It is also possible that users of caffeine tablets think they work faster and stronger than caffeine diffused in liquid. There is no evidence to support that belief, however.

Do caffeine pills work? Depends on what you mean. One tablet of a typical caffeine pill is generally the equivalent of anywhere from one to four cups of coffee. If four cups of coffee gives you trouble sleeping, then you would probably benefit if you need to stay up and get something done. On the other hand, if four cups of coffee barely affect you, then the pills will probably go in and out of your system hardly even noticed. Yes, they do work. But no more so than their beverage-based equivalent.

Are they bad for you? Yes, but only if you overdo it; just as drinking a pot of coffee or a six pack of 20oz soft drinks could be bad for you. Among the side effects you could possibly experience are nervousness, anxiety, or restlessness; stomach cramps, increased heart rate, or chest pain; headache, or even seizures.

It used to be that if you wanted a caffeine rush, you had to either brew up a pot of coffee or buy a six pack of soft drinks. Times change. Now if you want caffeine and the energy rush associated with it, you can eat or chew your way there.

Do you prefer mints? Gum? Chocolate candy? Doesn’t matter, really; caffeine can be brought to your bloodstream courtesy of any of the above. One may be tempted to ask the obvious. Why? Why are companies putting out caffeinated candies and candy-type products when caffeine is so readily available at your local convenience store courtesy of the Coca-Cola and Pepsi bottling companies? It’s not a bad question. But the most obvious answer probably isn’t what you were looking for. Money. Profits. You can get soft drinks via candy, or at least you used to be able to. So why not the benefits of soda in a gum?

Jolt Cola asked themselves that question and the answer is provided in the form of Jolt Caffeine Energy Gum. The package even claims to have identical ingredients to their famous (infamous?) soft drink, although the gum features minty flavorings not associated with the cola. Each little tab of gum contains as much caffeine as a cup of coffee. Among those on this big wide world we like to collectively call the internet who have published reviews of this product, it gets high marks not only for its ability to give one an energy boost, but also as a darn fine piece of gum.

Caffeinated mints offer more of a choice. Foosh Energy Mints are probably the most hyped. These mints are notable not only for the interesting atom design engraved into them, but also their size. These are some serious mints! And they contain serious caffeine as well. In fact, each mint has 25% more caffeine than is found in a single can of Red Bull.

If Foosh doesn’t do it for you, there’s always Penguin Mints, which claims to be the original caffeinated mint. Then there’s XTZ Mints. And if that weren’t enough, XTS also makes a chocolate mint with a caffeine rush.

Now caffeine and chocolate have gone hand in hand since way back. Any chocolate bar worth its weight is going to provide a little caffeine rush, but this is the 21st century and we need more than just a little boost. If you like chocolate and caffeine, but don’t care for mint, there’s always Buzz Bites. These are chocolate chew candies that promise an energy boost. They’ve got pretty much the same energy-inducing ingredients as the typical energy drink, but in candy form. Reports are that it’s the candy part that suffers, but better to taste for yourself before making any decision.

An alternative to Buzz Bites that takes caffeinated chocolates to a whole new level is Caffeinated Chocolate Truffles. Sporting 150mg of caffeine per truffle, you can feel like a rich energy vampire when eating these.

Clearly, caffeine has moved into a new arena. And these candies and gums are just the beginning. It’s not hard to predict that soon there will be caffeinated versions of just about everything: caffeinated meat, caffeinated vegetables, who knows where it will end. Is there anything wrong with this? Probably not. Although candy and gum are popular with the little ones so as a parent you should probably take care to store these where they can’t be reached by curious children.

In today’s busy world, caffeine would seem to rule as far as the stimulant of choice. Only problem is that caffeine can raise blood-cholesterol levels, deplete B vitamins, irritate the stomach, and possibly lead to breast and prostate problems, among other drawbacks. Caffeine is not necessarily bad for most of us if taken in moderation, say no more than two or three cups of coffee daily, but for many of us, that doesn’t seem to be enough, myself included.

Guarana. Although actually containing caffeine, the seeds of the guarana plant are known for naturally increasing mental alertness and fighting fatigue. The seeds from this South American jungle shrub are crushed and either brewed as a tea or may be added to food. Guarana has been used regularly by Brazilian Indians in a traditional beverage for hundreds of years and is used in energy drinks all over the world, usually along with ginseng and taurine. Does Red Bull ring a bell? Herbalists in the U.S. also use guarana to treat headaches, paralysis, urinary tract irritation, and diarrhea. Personally, I think guarana is stronger by far than coffee caffeine but for some reason doesn’t give me any real jitters or restlessness.

Yerba mate has been used as a beverage since the time of the ancient Indians of Brazil and Paraguay. In addition to its standing as a popular beverage, yerba mate is used as a tonic, diuretic, and as a stimulant to reduce fatigue, suppress appetite, and aid gastric function in herbal medicine systems throughout South America. I’ve had it many times myself and though I find the beverage to be very strong tasting, it’s a fantastic pick me upper. I highly recommend Yerbe mate as instant rocket fuel for a nice change. By the way, Yerbe is the drink while mate means “gourd”, the traditional serving cup.

In Brazil, Yerbe mate is said to stimulate the nervous and muscular systems and is used for digestive problems, nerve pain, depression, fatigue, and obesity. The traditional use of yerba mate for fatigue is explained by its primary active chemical: caffeine. Yerba mate could be beneficial as a weight-loss aid because of three active ingredients, known as xanthines (theobromine, caffeine, and theophylline) which all have diuretic properties. These substances have several other documented pharmacological actions including central nervous system stimulation, relaxation of smooth muscle (especially bronchial muscle) and myocardial stimulation, beneficial for the walls of the heart and arteries.

Cayenne is the greatest blood circulation stimulant known. Cayenne increases your blood circulation immediately within seconds, more than any other herb. Cayenne pepper (also called Capsicum frutescens) is a stimulating herb made from the dried pods of chili peppers and is well known for its pungent taste and smell. Cayenne is a popular spice used mainly for adding a hot kick to food, but it has also been used medicinally for thousands of years. Because of it’s remarkable blood cleansing properties, it serves as a tonic to the bloodstream, increasing blood flow and creating a general overall feeling of well being. Start easy and work your way up, especially if you’re not used to hot spices.

Coffee Drinkers Rejoice! Caffeine and Exercise Found to Prevent Skin Cancer

Good news coffee drinkers! A recent study at Rutgers University found that exercise and caffeine, used together, doubled the levels of the tumor-suppressing protein “phospho-p53. Exercise alone boosted this protein by 18% and drinking two cups off coffee increased this protein by 27%.

So drinking coffee and exercising may prevent cancer in sun-damaged skin cells by increasing the level of a tumor-blocking protein in the body.

“We think this points out a need for more studies to see if the combination will protect people against sunlight-induced skin cancer,” said the study’s senior researcher, Allan Conney, the director of the Laboratory for Cancer Research at Rutgers University.

This research was conducted as a result of a previous study on Green Tea. It was found that only the caffeinated version of Green Tea helped get rid of DNA damaged skin cells. The decaffeinated Green Tea had no effect to repair damaged skin cells.

Here is What I Recommend as The Best Strategy to Use Caffeine and Exercise Together

1) Don’t eat anything 4 hours before working out

2) 30 minutes before training drink two cups of coffee or 3 cups of Green Tea

3) Make sure and perform intense cardio after lifting to take advantage of caffeine’s fat burning potential

It looks like mother nature wants us to drink coffee! So Starbucks is a health food store…I knew it! Don’t go crazy here…coffee and green tea is great as long as you don’t load it down with sugar and cream. Stick with black coffee. My drink of choice is a “Double Tall Iced Americano”. This is basically a fancy way of making iced coffee with espresso shots, water and ice. You can make a similar drink with brewed coffee, but it isn’t quite the same.

Not only will caffeine reduce your risk of skin cancer, it will give you energy on a low calorie diet to burn body fat like crazy!

Is it dangerous to drink more than the moderate amount of caffeine during pregnancy?

No one really knows for sure, but research suggests that consistently having more that 300mg of caffeine per day could be related to a higher risk of low birthweight, miscarriage and birth defects, such as cleft palate.

Some research has failed to take into account other risk factors, such as smoking and alcohol intake, which can also lead to complications in pregnancy, labour, and delivery. However, it still seems sensible to stick to moderate amounts of caffeine while pregnant.

What exactly does caffeine do to my body?

Caffeine is a stimulant; it increases your heart rate and metabolism, which in turn affects your developing baby. But while unremitting stress isn’t healthy, brief bouts of fetal stress, such as that your baby would feel after you drink a cup of coffee, won’t cause him any harm. It’s akin to your dashing to the bus, another situation that briefly boosts your heart rate and metabolism.

Anyone who drinks coffee regularly knows that it can be addictive and that large amounts can also cause insomnia, nervousness, and headaches. And it’s a diuretic, which causes your body to lose water and other fluids and calcium, all of which you need to maintain a healthy pregnancy. Tea hampers your body’s ability to absorb iron if you drink it within one hour before or after a meal.

Which foods and beverages contain caffeine?

Caffeine can be found in coffee, tea, colas, and chocolate. Some over-the-counter drugs, including headache and cold tablets, stay-awake medications, and allergy remedies also contain caffeine. Always seek your pharmacist’s advice before you buy over-the counter remedies, and don’t forget to mention that you are pregnant.