Caffeine
Also called coffee, espresso
What Huberman said
Huberman says he is a regular caffeine user and gives 1 to 3 mg per kg of body weight as the range, starting at the low end, with 100 to 200 mg before focused work working well for most people. He suggests delaying caffeine 90 to 120 minutes after waking if you get an afternoon crash, and avoiding it within 10 to 12 hours of bedtime (8 hours is fine for some).
Doses, as he worded them
“1 to 3 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body weight”[3]
per dose; he says start on the lower end
“100 to 200 milligrams of caffeine”[4]
prior to focused work
“I could safely ingest 100 to 300 milligrams of caffeine in a single dose”[3]
his own example at ~100 kg body weight
Quoted, not prescribed. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist first if you take medication, are pregnant or have a health condition.
Cautions he mentions
- Start on the lower end of the 1-3 mg/kg range; if sensitive, start lower.[1]
- Avoid caffeine within 10-12 hours of bedtime; for some people 8 hours is fine.[1]
- If you experience anxiety or panic attacks, be very careful with your caffeine intake.[6]
- Avoid extended consumption of high levels of caffeine: increased risk of headaches, anxiety, irritability and blood vessel damage.[1]
- Large commercial coffees can contain as much as 1 gram (1,000 mg) of caffeine.[3]
- Caffeine is a diuretic (loss of fluid, sodium and other electrolytes); consume equal volumes of water with your caffeine.[1]
Safety notes from independent sources
- EFSA says single doses up to 200 mg, and up to 400 mg a day, raise no safety concerns for healthy adults, so a 300 mg single dose is above EFSA's figure. In pregnancy the figure is 200 mg a day. EFSA Scientific Opinion on the safety of caffeine (2015)
Where he said it
- 1
“Dose: Start with 1 to 3 mg of caffeine per kilogram body weight. If sensitive, start lower.”
Use Caffeine for Mental & Physical Performance
Newsletter · 2024
- 2
“I wouldn't call myself a caffeine abuser, but I am a regular caffeine user.”
Using Caffeine to Optimize Mental & Physical Performance
Episode · 00:15:23 · 2022
- 3
“ingesting 1 to 3 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body weight is going to be the range”
Using Caffeine to Optimize Mental & Physical Performance
Episode · 00:45:16 · 2022
- 4
“most people do quite well to ingest 100 to 200 milligrams of caffeine prior to doing some focused work”
Focus Toolkit: Tools to Improve Your Focus & Concentration
Episode · 00:47:53 · 2022
- 5
“delay your caffeine intake to 90 to 120 minutes after waking up on most days.”
Using Caffeine to Optimize Mental & Physical Performance
Episode · 00:53:44 · 2022
- 6
“If you're somebody who experiences anxiety or panic attacks, be very careful with your intake of caffeine.”
Developing a Rational Approach to Supplementation for Health & Performance
Episode · 01:30:54 · 2023
Part of his stacks
Related
This page reports what Andrew Huberman has said. It isn’t medical advice and NSDR.co isn’t affiliated with Huberman Lab. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist first if you take medication, are pregnant or have a health condition. Safety information