You may swallow caffeine pills for a quick pick-me-up or because you hope it will help you lose weight. Caffeine is a stimulant that acts on the central nervous system. Caffeine is found in coffee, teas, sodas, certain foods and many medications. Caffeine also comes in pill form, and it may produce certain side effects in addition to positive benefits.
Caffeine Metabolism
The American Council on Exercise reports that caffeine's half-life is four hours. It takes your body four hours to eliminate half of the amount of caffeine you consumed. After eight hours, your body contains one-fourth of the caffeine amount, and after 12 hours, your body still contains an eighth of the caffeine amount that you originally consumed.
Cons
In a study at Duke University, researchers found that participants who took two caffeine pills, equivalent to 4 cups of coffee, felt more stressed, had higher blood pressure and produced more epinephrine than when they took a placebo. Caffeine may also cause you to suffer from insomnia, stomach discomfort, irritability, anxiety and nervousness.
Pros
Caffeine can give you a burst of energy, increase alertness and ward off drowsiness. Mayo Clinic nutritionist Kathyrn Zeratsky reports that caffeine pills can also aid in helping you lose a small amount of weight; however, no evidence shows that it leads to permanent weight loss. She states that several theories explain how caffeine affects weight, including appetite suppression and water loss. Caffeine may stimulate thermogenesis, which causes your body to generate heat and energy.
Warning
You may be more or less sensitive to the effects of caffeine than some people. Before you decide to use caffeine pills, talk to your doctor to ensure that caffeine pills can be used safely. Caffeine may also interfere with certain medications you may be taking. Caffeine should only be taken in moderate doses under a doctor's supervision. The American Pregnancy Association reports that in a 2008 study, caffeine was shown to increase the chance of miscarriage in pregnant women consuming over 200 mg a day; however, in another study, no increased risk was seen in women who drank 250 to 350 mg a day. Until a more conclusive study is done, the association recommends women drink less than 200 mg a day. Caffeine also passes through the breast milk, and in breastfeeding mothers who consume large amounts of caffeine, their infants have been shown to become jittery and have trouble sleeping.
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