At MINDSCOPIC®, we love natural caffeine pills. We designed the ultimate caffeinated formula for optimal performance in a vegetarian capsule. Click on the link below and discover reviews, the working mechanisms and the complete formula based upon scientific research.

Natural caffeine pills, how to experience the benefits?

What are natural caffeine pills?

Well, natural caffeine pills are probably the most well-known psychoactive ingredients. Consumed by a large percentage of the world’s population it is by far the most used nootropic substance. Coffee or tea is by far the most popular and widely used of all psychoactive substances. It is sourced form the coffee bean in nature. It is often found and ingested in brewed coffee, tea, pills and powder form. Therefore, we also added natural caffeine pills (with theanine!) in our formula of MINDSCOPIC® N°1.

It is an ever-present compound around the world. Found in sodas, tea, coffee, energy drinks and cocoa, it’s definitely the most widely used and enjoyed of all psychoactive compounds and drugs. Besides, it is used by 92-98% of people in North America according to a 1984 study from Examine.com. More recent data from 2005 suggests that 87% of Americans use some form of it and in users the average daily intake was around 193mg (or 1.2mg/kg bodyweight).

Norway, Netherlands, Demark, Germany and Sweden are some of the top coffee drinkers in the world taking in on average around 300mg per person, per day. The amounts of caffeine in the most popular forms of caffeine varies but coffee is generally around 40-180mg caffeine per cup and tea around 24-50mg per cup. Sodas tend to be around 15-29mg per 180mL. Another source for caffeine ingestion is cacao and cocoa products. Commercial hot chocolates, for instance, generally contain a small amount around 4-5mg of caffeine per serving as well. In short, it is easily the most popular, widely loved and socially accepted of all drugs in the world. In natural caffeine pills form as in liquid dosage form.

Natural caffeine pills or the ingredient itself are a bitter compound that is occasionally used in sensory research as a standard for the “bitter” taste.

Caffeine is often described as a nootropic and several studies confirm it’s health benefits, if and when used in the proper dosage. Habitual caffeine use has been associated with reduced risk of Alzheimer’s, cirrhosis and even liver cancer. Habitual caffeine use can also lead to tolerance. However, so it is important to use it in the right dosage. Too much of a good thing is generally bad and caffeine is only an effective nootropic in the proper range.

Using it regularly will lead to your body attempting to regain homeostasis. Homeostasis is the internal equilibrium and inertia that exists in the body and brain. If your body or brain starts producing more of one endogenous (internally synthesized) neurotransmitter or hormone, then other internal compounds will upregulate or downregulate production to get the body back to its normal baseline functioning again.

Building tolerance means more of the same compound, whether it’s caffeine or any other psychoactive substance, to get the same effects. In some cases, and it is no exception here, tolerance can eventually lead to withdrawal. Caffeine withdrawal will of course not be as serious as withdrawal from pharmaceutical compounds or illegal drugs, but it’s still something you want to steer clear of.

We always recommend the minimum effective dosage rule. In the long term, this will save both your wallet and your body in the long run. If you use caffeine in too great amounts your body will begin to notice that the adenosine that signals tiredness isn’t doing its job. As a result, adenosine production will be up-regulated. This means more adenosine will be made and as a result, it takes more and more caffeine to block the adenosine response and the tiredness that it causes.

In small quantities, it has therapeutic benefits in humans. Our ancestors discovered these effects when they consumed plants containing this specific ingredient (without knowing it of course) and humans continued using this substance ever since.

Several studies have suggested the following effects on behavior when individuals consume caffeine in moderate amounts. Caffeine, in general, is known to increase alertness and reduce fatigue which could be helpful for those who work at night. Caffeine is also shown to improve performance on vigilance and alertness related to simple tasks requiring “sustained response.” When alertness is reduced for whatever reason (tiredness, for instance) the effects of caffeine are most notable, but evidence shows that benefits occur even when the person is fully awake.

Withdrawal of caffeine has few effects of performance in when compared to the benefits of use at recommended dosage levels. Too much of it has been shown to increase negative moods like anxiety or stress but taken at the proper dosages, regular use of it appears to be beneficial. Higher users of it have been shown to receive greater mental functioning. Controlling the maximum caffeine usage to find your own “sweet spot” is generally not too difficult either. The sweet spot is the level at the top of the “U-shaped” dosage response curve. Effects will improve to a point at which they fall off at the same level after ingesting greater than that amount.

To maximize the positive effects, taking the right doses in the right amount are vital. Consuming caffeine in the right dosage, the right schedule, and cycle and at the right times will be vital to getting the most out of it. With more than normal caffeine intake, side effects vary from upset stomach to nervousness, but negative effects begin to appear when very large amounts are given, especially to sensitive groups.

In the end, it really depends on factors such as the quantities and the make up of the user. For most everyone, however, caffeine taken in proper doses and with calming substances like theanine, may prove a potent cognitive enhancing tool to your biohacker’s toolbox. According to evidence in recent studies, the levels of it that most users consume have, for the most part, largely positive effects on behavior while excessive consumption and over-use may cause difficulties, especially if you’re sensitive to stimulants.

Synergistic effects

Caffeine has a synergistic effect with l-theanine (also an excellent nootropic) regarding alertness and attention switching. The mechanism of action between the interaction of both ingredients can come from the reducing in stimulatory effects (jittery effect). You can find this wonderful and powerful combination in our N°1 from MINDSCOPIC®. Besides, this combination assures you do not experience a ‘crash-effect’ after consumption.

Theanine and caffeine for increasing cognition is one of the oldest natural based stacks. Green tea actually combines the energizing and focus sharpening force of caffeine with the calming and focus sharpening power of l-theanine. Studies have even shown the synergy between caffeine and theanine to be greater than either alone.

Caffeine and l-theanine synergy has been explored in multiple studies and the idea of “the whole being greater than the sum of its parts” is at the basis of the stacking philosophy. If you don’t recall, stacking is the combination of individual nootropic compounds or ingredients in a specific way to maximize the efficiency of both nootropic compounds.

In a study on low doses of caffeine and theanine, alone and combined, it was suggested that a combination of l-theanine and caffeine could have positive effects on cognition where the same amount of either compound alone would not. Not only does the theanine improve focus by itself, combined with caffeine it can have a mitigating effect on the jitterinesss that accompanies caffeine ingestion in some people. It has an effect as well and can raise blood pressure, but theanine combined with caffeine also works to improve mood, blood pressure and performance. Caffeine and theanine are found together in green tea, but not in the most ideal ratio. To get the most out of the combination of caffeine and theanine, you will need them in a specific ratio where there is more theanine than caffeine. We experienced the best customer feedback with the combination of 150mg of caffeine and 200mg of l-theanine. For more information about MINDSCOPIC°1 click here.

Theanine in addition to the synergy and mitigation of negative effects also has mood lifting effects, neuroprotective and cardiac protecting effects. Theanine works in a nearly opposite way to caffeine. In the case of L-theanine, the theanine molecule is shaped similarly to GABA. GABA is the body’s primary inhibitory neurotransmitter and acts as the mind’s natural calming compound. One sub-receptor of the GABA system is the benzodiazepine receptor which drugs like Valium affect. In the case of theanine, the GABAergic effects come are two-fold.

GABA is up-regulated by theanine which will may improve stress response and sleep. In addition, since theanine blocks the glutamate receptor it resembles (glutamate, if you recall is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter) causing a GABAergic response. Theanine is also an adaptogen, meaning it improves the body’s response to internal and environmental stressors.

Theanine by itself can be as effective as caffeine in improving attention. The amounts of theanine in the trials were equal to something like 8 cups of green tea so supplementing with theanine would be a better way to get the amount of theanine to receive the maximum benefit. So in addition to decreasing some of the negative side effects of it (jitteriness, anxiety, etc.) caffeine and theanine improve the function of the other. According to a 2008 study, scientists discovered that using it together with L-Theanine significantly improved reaction times over either alone. In short, they showed that caffeine and theanine together has an entirely different pharmacological profile, and as a result different effects than either alone. Focus, attention, accuracy, alertness, awareness, speed and accuracy of performance were all notably improved by the combination of caffeine and theanine.

Caffeine and theanine are mild, but effective and natural enhancers with few negative side effects. For this reasons, caffeine and theanine together are recommended as a great beginner’s stack. Natural, safe and effective is always a good choice when you begin stacking.

Why does N°1 from MINDSCOPIC® contains caffeine?

Yes, along with theanine it is s an important ingredient and combination in N°1 from MINDSCOPIC®. It’s included because, in the proper doses, caffeine is highly neuroprotective and has positive benefits on cognition as well as working well with the other ingredients in the stack.

Equally important are the other ingredients like Bacopa Monnieri and Rhodiola Rosea.

Would you like to more about all the active compounds? Click here and find an overview of all 11 certified ingredients.

Caffeine Metabolism

It is rapidly absorbed when taken orally. Within around 45 minutes, the full effects of it are felt and reach peak values in the blood within 15 to 120 minutes depending on the individual’s physiology, the dosage form of the caffeine (coffee, pills, liquid, gum, etc.). Absorption from drinking coffee is a bit quicker as compared to soda and chocolate, but capsules containing caffeine have the best absorption rates according research.

The proven benefits:

• Helps with motivation: by increasing the neurotransmitter in the brain called dopamine, which is correlated with motivation.
• Alertness: By blocking adenosine receptors in the brain you get a more wakeful feeling. Adenosine accumulation in the brain is what gets us sleepy at the end of the day.
• Reducing inflammation: Blocking pain perception in the brain.
• Increases muscle endurance: This by changing the why muscle use stored glycogen
• Anaerobic running capacity improvements
• Increased power output
• Adrenaline
• Increase in fat oxidation
• Reaction time
• Wakefulness
• Memory
• Oxygen uptake
• Subjective well-being

Recommended dosage, active amounts, other details

Caffeine dosages will depend on the person. With any substance, some are more sensitive whereas others may not respond well or hardly at all depending on various factors, often tied to genetics. If you’re new to using it and are not stimulant sensitive a dose of around 100mg should be sufficient to start with. A dose of around 200mg is typically recommended for use in fat-burning, acute strength increase can occur at around 500mg and above for those who are using it to kickstart their workout. Researchers studying caffeine have found a happy medium to exist at around 4-6mg/kg of bodyweight.

Do remember, however that many of caffeine’s effects, from fat burning, focus and strength benefits to euphoria and wakefulness will be subject to tolerance.

Things to Note

Natural caffeine pills are one of the most well known of all psychoactives and caffeine itself is often used as part of social recipes from tea ceremonies around the world to the cup of coffee many people start their day with. It affects the metabolism as well. Combined with Acetyl L-Carnitine for instance it has been known to increase body fat burning potential. The metabolic effects of intake however will vary depending on whether the user is a regular or infrequent user. Metabolic effects are also related to genetic factors. Remember that it can be affected by some prescription medications such as Fluvoxamine as well as aromatase inhibitors such as Anastrozole.

Combining it with Xanthine Oxidase inhibitors like Milk thistle, Curcumin and Quercetin may increase circulating caffeine levels.

Where do you find natural caffeine pills?

The caffeine from natural caffeine pills is present in different kind of plants. The most used products that contain caffeine are coffee (of course) containing the most, chocolate, tea such as green and black tea, and yerba mate. Some of it is also found in cacao and cocoa, Paullinia cupana (Guarana) and Kola nut (one of the flavorings in many soda drinks). And ofcourse there are also the natural caffeine pills.

How do natural caffeine pills work in our brain?

It works primarily as an adenosine antagonist. Agonism is the activation of a neurotransmitter or sub-receptor of a neurotransmitter. Antagonism is the blocking of the activity of some neurotransmitter. In the case of this ingredient, the molecule is shaped very similarly to that of the adenosine neurotransmitter.

Adenosine is a neurotransmitter that causes sedation, relaxation, and tiredness as a signal that the brain and body have done work. It prevents (antagonizes) the adenosine which, in turn, affects the dopamine, serotonin, acetylcholine and adrenaline systems.

The main effectiveness is the fact that it is an adenosine receptor antagonist. It’s a competitive inhibitor which means, it will block the signal of the adenosine by fitting into the sub-receptor spot for adenosine. In addition to adenosine antagonism, however, it effects other neurotransmitters and their transmission in the brain and body.

The primary mechanism of action is not it’s only one. Natural caffeine pills have also effect on serotonergic systems (related to perception and mood), dopamine systems (related to will, motivation, and pleasure) and acetylcholine systems (related to learning, memory and movement).

Serotonin appears to increase due to the adenosine receptor antagonism brought about by ingesting this ingredient. Serotonergic transmission may also be part of the reason it has a synergistic effect with many pain killers as well. The analgesic (painkilling) effects of it are thought to work primarily through adenosine antagonism as well.

Increase in adrenaline also occurs with caffeine ingestion. This seems to be unrelated to the adenosine receptor activity. The adrenergic effects of it are considered to be fairly dose dependent, that means greater amounts will have far different effects. Bear in mind, too much adrenaline, especially for those who experience anxiety regularly is definitely something you want to steer clear of so be sure to stay in the recommended range.

Caffeine can also reduce the negative effects of sedatives on performance and recall tasks. In addition, it has an effect on mood and performance. It also raises energy levels through its effect on glutamate neurotransmission. Glutamate is the most widely distributed of all the neurotransmitters. It is also the primary excitatory neurotransmitter. Excitatory neurotransmitters cause nerves to fire whereas inhibitory neurotransmitters cause them to stop firing. It is suggested to increase glutamate release. Does it makes sense now that coffee is the second most drunken drink in the world and natural caffeine pills are consumed worldwide?

Caffeine has even been suggested to improve the levels of the learning, memory and movement neurotransmitter, acetylcholine based on clinical tests. Chronic exposure to it may lead to upregulation of both the muscarinic and nicotinic acetylcholine subreceptors by about 40-50%. It is also shown to occasionally improve memory, recall and learning tasks on its own but can be unreliable for this unless stacked with other compounds to improve the effectiveness.

For many people, caffeine is the ultimate mood boosting, cognitive enhancer. But taking more than the recommended amounts can decrease the effectiveness. It may also be a neuroprotective agent. Hypoxia (lack of oxygen) can be incredibly neurotoxic. Adenosine receptor inhibition led to an improvement in artificially induced anterograde amnesia in a rat study. It has even been suggested as a treatment, along with the dopamine precursor L-Dopa, for Parkinson’s patients.

L-theanine and Caffeine, by the way, are the recommended beginner’s Nootropic stack at the r/Nootropics community on reddit.com.

Some Studies on natural Caffeine pills and Theanine Synergy

One recent study on young adults found “The combination of L-Theanine and Caffeine improves the cognitive performance and increases subjected alertness”.

According to The Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory in New York, who conducted tests for 4 days on volunteers aged 21 and 40 with results suggesting that “L-Theanine and Caffeine in combination affect human cognition as evidenced by oscillatory alpha-band activity and attention task performance.”

Another study on cognition and mood using healthy, adult volunteers found that “The L-Theanine and Caffeine combination improved both speed and accuracy of performance of the attention-switching task, and reduced susceptibility to distracting information in the memory task. These results replicate previous evidence with suggests that L-Theanine and caffeine in combination are beneficial for improving performance on cognitively demanding tasks.”

Yet another study showed: “The results support previous evidence that L-theanine and caffeine in combination can improve attention”

In a literature review from the School of Psychology in Australia it is noted that: “L-theanine may interact with caffeine to enhance performance in terms of attention switching and ability to ignore distraction.”

What are the other ingredients in N°1 from MINDSCOPIC®?

• Bacopa Monnieri
• Rhodiola Extract
• L-theanine
• L-tyrosine
• DMAE bitartrate
• B – Vitamins
• Co-Enzyme NADH
• Piper Nigrum (bioperine®)

Remember despite the fact that natural caffeine pills are considered a nootropic and cognitive enhancer, the dosage form is of primal importance. Even antioxidants in the wrong dosages may be unhealthy to use in amounts greater than those recommended. Latenight consumption of caffeine can also have an effect on one’s quality of sleep; while you may be able to fall asleep, it will be of inferior quality. We recommend to stop your caffeine intake after 16:00pm.

Do you have more questions regarding ingredients?

For more information about natural caffeine pills or other supplements and ingredients, feel totally free to contact us at [email protected]

Our team is happy to assist you at any time. Would you like to visit our offices? Don’t hesitate to pass by at Robert Schumandomein 2, 6229ES Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Kind Regards,
Team MINDSCOPIC®