Does Caffeine Really Make You Sharper?
Do you absolutely need a jolt of caffeine to get going in the morning? Are you convinced that a cup of coffee gives you an edge? According to one English study, you may need coffee to boost your performance or just to function only because you drink coffee.
Research conducted at the University of Bristol’s Department of Experimental Psychology found that the stimulatory effects of caffeine that many coffee “addicts” experience may be just a reversal of the negative effects of caffeine withdrawal.
The study, published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, tested 379 people, half of whom typically used little or no caffeine and half of whom were medium or high users. The participants abstained from caffeine for 16 hours and were then given either caffeine or a placebo. All were asked to rate their levels of anxiety, alertness and headache before and after the caffeine or the placebo. They were also asked to perform a series of computer tasks to test for memory, attentiveness and vigilance. The results showed that there was little difference in the subjects’ responses.
The higher caffeine users who received the placebo felt less alert and had headaches, which are typical caffeine withdrawal symptoms. High caffeine users who received caffeine instead of the placebo didn’t have the withdrawal symptoms but their level of alertness was no higher than the lower users who received a placebo.
Read Full Article: http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/does-caffeine-really-make-you-sharper
For more articles check out: http://www.designed-perception.com/alternative-news-page-4.html
