https://lfbiohacking.squarespace.com/blog/an-evidence-based-guide-on-reversing-caffeine-tolerance 0 Skip to Content LFBiohacking LFBiohacking All Biohacking Content Infographics Contact Open Menu Close Menu LFBiohacking LFBiohacking All Biohacking Content Infographics Contact Open Menu Close Menu All Biohacking Content Infographics Contact An Evidence-based Guide to Reversing Caffeine Tolerance Jun 7 Written By Yeah ok [ezgif] TL;DR at end, but you should review the research before making lifestyle changes. Prelude If you're reading this, you know how caffeine works. I wont bore you with the reworded Wikipedia definition thing that most articles do. I really can't seem to wrap my head around why caffeine is treated like an understudied compound. We see threads asking "how long until caffeine tolerance?" on this subreddit almost every week. Caffeine is not some novel nootropic with 3 rat studies and unproven effects, it is perhaps the most well-studied psychoactive compound in the world. Anecdotes are evidence, but they are obsolete in the face of the 77,400 studies we have involving caffeine. Discussions on nootropics and biohacking forums should attempt to consult the literature before jumping to anecdotes as evidence. This review will seek to provide evidence-based answers to the following common questions: * Does chronic caffeine consumption result in complete tolerance to all of its effects? * How long until complete tolerance is reached for caffeine? * How long until complete tolerance to caffeine is reset? Complete tolerance to subjective effects "Complete tolerance" refers to when the chronic use of a drug results in a return to baseline levels. Chronic caffeine consumption results in complete tolerance to subjective, but not physiological measures. Examples of the subjective effects of caffeine are the following: * Vigor * Sociability * Energy * Motivation [f2ef4f38-3] (Sigmon et Al, 2009) Compare the Caff/Caff and Plac/Caff groups to see the extent to which tolerance builds to a certain subjective effect beyond 14 days of 400mg/day. Incomplete tolerance to physiological effects Cerebral blood flow: Chronic caffeine intake does not cause significant tolerance to cerebral blood flow when compared to acute administration (see graph below). [00d1c73a-7] (Sigmon et Al, 2009) The differences seen between Caff/Caff (chronic caffeine group) and Plac/Caff (acute caffeine group) are not statistically significant. Withdrawal from caffeine also does not result in rebound low cerebral blood flow (Caff/Plac and Plac/Plac not statistically different). Cortisol: Tolerance to elevations in cortisol after caffeine consumption is incomplete at chronic 300mg/day dosing but is complete at 600mg/dayLovallo et Al, 2005 [858eb832-7] (Lovallo et Al) Blood pressure: Caffeine's effect on blood pressure persists during chronic use in some, but not all, users. Chronic caffeine and neurodegenerative disease [bba15e29-6] (Tallis et al, 2021) Chronic caffeine consumption reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and depression but increases the risk of developing Huntington's disease and anxiety. Time to tolerance Complete tolerance to the ergogenic (NOT eugeroic) and performing-enhancing effects of caffeine takes at least 20 days of caffeine consumption at 3mg/kg (210mg for average male). Time to reverse tolerance The time it takes to completely reverse complete tolerance varies based on the dosage at which complete tolerance developed. For tolerance to be 'reset', withdrawal must pass. Therefore, caffeine tolerance is reversed in as little as 2 days of abstinence from 100mg /day and as much as 9 days at higher doses (400mg+/day). Chronic caffeine is a net positive Caffeine isn't free lunch, but it lets you choose when lunchtime is. This is what makes chronic caffeine consumption a net positive for overall health. While there are some 'free lunch' aspects to caffeine that may have positive implications for neurological health in the long term (cerebral blood flow, amyloid clearance, etc), they are not what makes caffeine a net positive in the short term. Instead, caffeine is a net positive because it acts as a master calibrant of the circadian system. We already know that exposure to blue light during waking hours is beneficial to sleep and cognition. This is primarily because blue light is the master regulator of the daytime state. Habitual caffeine consumption upon waking can likewise act as a signal for the initiation of the daytime state. In doing so, caffeine isn't boosting your baseline, but it is shifting your area under the curve to your actual waking hours. 'Depending' on caffeine in this way also allows you to quickly shift your circadian rhythm should you need it (jetlag, working a nightshift, partying later in the day, etc). I visualized this concept in the graph below. [caffeine] Surprisingly, dependence on caffeine might actually give you some control and rhythm while posing little long-term risk, even in the absence of long-term subjective effects. Conclusion/TL;DR Complete tolerance to caffeine's subjective effects is complete and takes at least 2 weeks at 400mg/day to develop. Caffeine's performance-enhancing effects remain for at least 20 days at 210mg/ day. Tolerance to caffeine's effects on cerebral blood flow, blood pressure, and cortisol is incomplete. Tolerance takes 2 days to reverse at 100mg/day and up to 9+ days at 400mg+/day. Caffeine intake exhibits preventative effects on the development of Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and depression, but also increases the risk of developing anxiety and Huntington's. Yeah ok Previous Previous Rapid Tolerance to Stimulants: Liver Enzymes Next Next Testosterone Boosting Supplements That Actually Work and Why Most Don't Infographics Blog Contact