Health Check: does caffeine cause dehydration?
Regular caffeine intake makes us tolerant to the effect on irregular users of wanting to go to the toilet.
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Articles on caffeine
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Health Check: what are ‘coffee naps’ and can they help you power through the day?
Can drinking a cup of coffee before taking a short nap really give you the energy you need to see you through the day?
When ‘energy’ drinks actually contained radioactive energy
Back in the early 1900s, if you felt a bit sluggish you could reach for a beverage enhanced with radioactive elements to really add some pep to your step. It wouldn't be a healthy choice, though.
Research Check: can drinking coffee reduce your dementia risk?
A study was reported to show caffeine protects older women from dementia. But looking closer at the research, we can't truly claim coffee was the reason some of the women had a lower risk of dementia.
Health Check: is caffeine actually bad for kids?
Kids normally need a lot of extra nutrition during their adolescent growth spurt, and you might expect the appetite-suppressing effect of caffeine to result in poorer dietary intake and reduced growth.
Everything you need to know about the legal high ban
Legal highs are now illegal in the the UK but why has it taken so long for the law to be changed?
Alert and ready for action: why it’s time to ban energy drinks for under-18s
Given the heightened risk of harm, governments should ban the sale of energy drinks to anyone under the age of 18 years old.
Health Check: five reasons to put the kettle on and have a cup of tea
Put the kettle on and relax with a cuppa; your brain, heart and waistline will thank you.
Caffeine may reduce stress – but it won’t solve your problems
There's great news for coffee lovers. A study has found that caffeine can help combat stress.
Health Check: four reasons to have another cup of coffee
Until recently, coffee was on the list of habits to break if you really wanted to be healthy. Not anymore.
The perfect cup of coffee boils down to four factors
Welcome to the second instalment in our series Chemistry of Coffee, where we unravel the delicious secrets of one of the most widely consumed drinks in the world. Here we look at how tweaking variables…
Just eat well – the £250m gym supplements industry isn’t working out
I am always amazed by the wide range of sports nutrition products on sale in gyms and sports centres. No matter the time of day, it seems gym goers are always drinking nutrient shakes. The sports nutrition…
Moderate amount of coffee doesn’t dehydrate you
There is no evidence for a link between moderate coffee consumption and dehydration, according to a study in PLOS ONE. The…
Death by caffeine really is a thing, if you’re susceptible
Sadly, tragic news has emerged that a man in the United Kingdom recently died from caffeine overdose. John Jackson was 40 years old. What makes this unfortunate death worrying is that it was due to consumption…
Health Check: does caffeine enhance performance?
Unlike many drugs, caffeine may be taken legally by people of all ages, which helps make it the world’s most widely used stimulant. Approximately 80% of the world’s caffeine is consumed in the form of…
Caffeine withdrawal drives need for more but are we addicts?
Caffeine is humankind’s favourite drug. It’s estimated to be consumed by 80% of people worldwide, and most of us consume several doses a day. This popularity would appear to be explained in large part…
What’s the buzz on caffeine?
The most popular addictive drug available in Australia right now is 1, 3, 7-trimethylxanthine, or C₈H₁₀N₄O₂. Let’s call it 137TX until we can come up with something catchier. Most adults seem to feel a…
Caffeine gives bees the buzz too
Honeybees may have an advantage over other pollinators – caffeine improves performance. The findings, from Newcastle University…
Top contributors
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Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle
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Senior lecturer in Pharmacology, University of Adelaide
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Clinical Affiliate, University of Sydney
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Peter Miller is a Friend of The Conversation.
Professor of Violence Prevention and Addiction Studies, Deakin University
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Chris Forbes-Ewan is a Friend of The Conversation.
Retired nutritionist, Defence Science and Technology Organisation
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Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Liverpool
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Professor of Biological Psychology, University of Bristol
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PhD Candidate, School of Psychology, Deakin University
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Doctoral Researcher, Loughborough University
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Senior Lecturer, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen
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Research Associate, Southern Cross University
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Scientia Professor of Ageing and Mental Health, Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, UNSW
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Associate Professor of Sleep and Wellbeing, University of Sydney
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Postdoctoral Fellow (Psychology), University of Tasmania
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Director of the Health Physics and Radiation Protection Graduate Program and Associate Professor of Radiation Medicine, Georgetown University
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