Caffeine May Increase Focus But Carries Risks

If you’re like many people, you’d probably say that your brain doesn’t function without caffeine. All it takes is that first cup of joe in the morning to give you the clarity you need. To some degree, that’s true.

Caffeine is a stimulant. You can get it from coffee, tea, energy drinks like Red Bull and 5-Hour Energy, and plant-based foods, including kola nuts and guarana seeds. You’ll find it in many supplements, too. It’s in drinks and pills meant to improve stamina and strength in sports. And it’s in numerous supplements marketed for memory and concentration. Anyone who can’t function without that a.m. java jolt knows that caffeine does have short-term effects on your ability to focus, concentrate and remember things. But there’s not enough evidence to say that those effects are cumulative. In other words, taking in caffeine every day isn’t proved to lower your risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease or even to keep your brain alert as you age.

The Global Council on Brain Health evaluated research on caffeine as a supplement to maintain brain health long term. Based on its findings, published in a report on supplements and brain health, the council doesn’t recommend this substance to preserve memory or stave off dementia.

The council, composed of scientists, health care professionals, scholars and policy experts, offers a warning about caffeine, too. Though you get it from coffee, tea and colas every day, the stimulant isn’t completely benign. Just because a little caffeine may help you focus or stay up through the end of a movie, more of it isn’t better. Indeed, too much may lead to potentially serious consequences, including an increased heart rate and higher blood pressure. Excessive caffeine intake may cause risky interactions with drugs and other supplements, such as ephedrine, theophylline and echinacea.

Up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day seems to be safe for most healthy adults. That’s about four cups of coffee or two energy shots. But an increasing number of people are taking in a lot more caffeine than that, often through energy drinks. The number of energy-drink-related emergency room visits more than doubled from just over 10,000 in 2007 to well above 20,000 in 2011. Most emergencies involved young men ages 18 to 25, but the fastest-growing group was adults 40 and over.