Science Vs - Caffeine: How Much is Too Much?

Caffeine: How Much is Too Much?

11/30/23 • 42 min

2 Listeners

Caffeine is a drug that tons of us take every day. But is that a bad thing? And if we get it in the form of energy drinks, is that super dangerous? We talk to Dr. Astrid Nehlig, Prof. Gregory Marcus, and Prof. Sachin Shah.

Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsCaffeineEnergyDrinks

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Chapter 1: We love/hate caffeine

(02:12) Chapter 2: Coffee and our guts

(07:12) Chapter 3: Coffee and our brains

(12:40) Chapter 4: Coffee and our zzzzzzs

(17:42) Chapter 5: Coffee makes us go vroom vroom vroom!

(20:30) Chapter 6: Are we caffeine addicts?

(28:04) Chapter 7: Are energy drinks dangerous?

This episode was produced by Rose Rimler, with help from Wendy Zukerman, as well as Nick DelRose, Joel Werner, and Michelle Dang. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Sarah Baum. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Bobby Lord, Bumi Hidaka, Emma Munger and Peter Leonard. Special thanks to all the researchers we spoke to for this episode – including Dr. Bryan Saunders, Dr. Sergi Ferré, Prof. Andreas Heinz, Prof. Christine Curran, Dr. Erikka Loftfield, Dr. Felix Oberhoffer, Dr. Alan Wayne Jones, and Dr. Vijay Yadav. Extra special thanks to Jason Vytlacil and the Zukerman family.

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Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsCaffeineEnergyDrinks

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Chapter 1: We love/hate caffeine

(02:12) Chapter 2: Coffee and our guts

(07:12) Chapter 3: Coffee and our brains

(12:40) Chapter 4: Coffee and our zzzzzzs

(17:42) Chapter 5: Coffee makes us go vroom vroom vroom!

(20:30) Chapter 6: Are we caffeine addicts?

(28:04) Chapter 7: Are energy drinks dangerous?

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Previous Episode

MDMA: Can Ecstasy Cure Your Agony?

Molly, ecstasy, MDMA: whatever you call it, this drug is blowing up. Some say MDMA can be a legitimate medicine to treat conditions like PTSD. But others reckon it's a dangerous drug that can fry your brain, and even kill you — from just one bad pill. Who's right? That's what we're snorting up today. We talk to psychiatrist George Greer, public health researcher Prof. Joseph Palamar, former DEA special agent James Hunt, and neuroscientist Prof. Harriet de Witt.

Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsMDMA2023

This is an updated version of our MDMA episode from a few years ago.

Chapters:

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Chapter 1: Cops and club kids

(05:02) Chapter 2: Therapists try MDMA

(09:05) Chapter 3: Your brain on MDMA

(15:34) Chapter 4: Can MDMA cure racism?

(20:32) Chapter 5: Can MDMA Cure PTSD?

(23:13) Chapter 6: Is the MDMA comedown real?

(26:40) Chapter 7: Can MDMA damage your brain?

(30:04) Chapter 8: Can MDMA kill you?

(33:23) Chapter 9: Buying MDMA on the street

(37:01) Chapter 10: Conclusion

This episode was produced by Heather Rogers and Wendy Zukerman, with help from Shruti Ravindran, Kaitlyn Sawrey, Rose Rimler, Joel Werner, Nick DelRose and Michelle Dang. Edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Michelle Harris, Ben Kuebrich and Diane Kelly. Sound design by Martin Peralta, Haley Shaw and Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Bobby Lord, Peter Leonard, Emma Munger, So Wylie and Bumi Hidaka. Thanks to all the researchers we reached out to for this episode, including Prof. Jerrold S. Meyer, Prof. Niamh Nic Daéid, Dr Brian Earp, Dr. Carl Roberts and Dr. Matthew Baggott. An extra thanks to Lucy Little, Johnny Dynell, Jesse Rudoy, Joseph Lavelle Wilson, and the Zukerman family.

Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Next Episode

Personality Tests: Who Are You Really?

Personality tests like the MBTI are all over the internet, the workplace, and dating apps — but some say it’s all a bunch of baloney. So are any of these tests legit? And what can science actually tell us about personality? We talk to psychologists Dr. Alexander Swan, Dr. Emorie Beck, and Dr. Ted Schwaba.

Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/ScienceVsPersonalityTests

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Chapter 1: Personality tests and their impact

(05:49) Chapter 2: Personality and the MBTI

(13:21) Chapter 3: Why personality ‘types’ flop

(24:52) Chapter 4: The scientist’s personality test

(30:05) Chapter 5: What personality can predict

(33:24) Chapter 6: Can you change your personality?

This episode was produced by Michelle Dang, with help from Wendy Zukerman, Nick DelRose, Rose Rimler, and Joel Werner. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Fact checking by Eva Dasher. Mix and sound design by Bumi Hidaka. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Emma Munger, Peter Leonard, So Wylie and Bobby Lord. Special thanks to all the researchers we spoke to for this episode, including Dr. Nicholas Turiano, Prof. Howard Friedman, and Prof. Paul Duberstein. And special thanks to the Zukerman Family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.

Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices