I'm more prone to abusing caffeine (read: 6-8 cups in a morning) at home, than at work. It helps energy (for a while), and maybe finger dexterity. Stress handling? Not. I'm a manager. I've got to have a calm, rational outlook on whatever troubles are presented during my day.

    Yes, if I'm feeling ok on an off-morning, I fire up that coffee pot, and bask in the energy, and effect. As for work days, it's a glass of orange juice to start, and lots of ice water. If I drink coffee at work, it HAS to be a really slow, non-brain-power day. Like if all of the big bosses are out playing golf, and we're scheduled to run less than half capacity.

AcidReign

My routine:
16oz cup of coffee with milk and honey at 8 AM, 10 AM, Noon, 2 PM, 4 PM, 6 PM, 8 PM on weekdays.

Variations of espresso, coffee and lattes throughout the day on weekends.

At least 48 oz of water a day. Coffee, water and the occasional booze are all I drink.

smitty1123

Actually, while small frequent doses do help, it's a good idea to restrict consumption per day to 2-3 cups of coffee-equivalent, since when you really need to get some fake energy into a long evening or drive, you can then exceed your built-up tolerance, to get more bang out of it.

ConnieH

@smitty: Damn dude, that's some seriouus intake.

Not advertising, but entertaining:
Death by Caffeine
[www.energyfiend.com]

rscotta

I do a 16 oz in the morning and thats more than enough to get me through the day. My entire family drinks coffee like crazy, though. Multiple cups a day. I'm a "light" user by their standards, and yet I still feel it excessive.

SDKano

I read a George Will column where he claimed that global warming could actually contribute to biodiversity and, say, give us more beaches or something. Indeed, there is more biodiversity in the tropics than in the tundras. But I think the counterargument was that species evolve over millions of years, and that almost any major shift would lead to mass extinction and a decrease in biodiversity, especially among the larger species (large mammals, e.g.). This is kind of the same way I understand Caffine, in a paranoid kind of way -- given its enormous history, it seems unlikely that anything we can do will have any long term benefits, and probably will have many frightening consequences.

q335r49

I don't like the taste of any kind of coffee or any of the coffee substitutes. I drink NingXia Red juice (check out the video too) for a boost. It doesn't have any caffeine or other stimulants. The boost happens because it's loaded with nutrients - amazing what some great food can do for the body and mind!

NingXia Red is also low-glycemic and tastes great. I drink 1 to 2 ounces a day and my energy stays at a real nice level and there are no peaks and crashes!

You can get NingXia Red here TheVeryEssence.com

Oh, and 2 ounces costs less than a Star Buck's coffee. An added benefit is that you are giving your body something that's good.

Evelyn Vincent

If you want to give yourself a nice energy boost without caffiene, sugar, and other stimulants you REALLY need to try NingXia Red juice. It's low-glycemic, no junk juices (apple, grape, pear, etc). It's a terrific energy juice because it's loaded with nutrients - it's all the nutrients that give you energy!

The thing I like most about NingXia Red, is there are no peaks and crashes - seriously! Your energy builds and stays there, well, until your body uses up all the good stuff. That's why you'd want to drink abut 1 to 2 ounces a day, for maintenance.

It's not at all like the other energy drinks on the market either... this stuff tastes good and is good for you! Check out this video, it's pretty funny.

NingXia Red is available at TheVeryEssence.com

Evelyn Vincent

@Craig:
Hi, like I said in my post (above) if you dislike the taste of pure Yerba get yourself a flavoured one, or flavour it yourself. Guyaki, for instance, is makes delicious, organic, fair trade flavoured Yerba and its readily available. Even fussy people find it delicious, like my girlfriend's mother! You can get Chocolate flavour, for instance. This beverage is simply untouchable. But hey, it's your life. I used to drink tons of Green tea, but not any more. The only other tea I drink is Tulsi (Holly Basil). But that's another thread all together. :)

philosopher_dog

This post runs the gambit of addiction levels. Having proudly recovered from 5-7 cups throughout day to now just one cup in the morning, and as one struggling to recover from the afflictions of being a coffee geek, I have one more things to add:

Drink Good Coffee.

The effects of the caffeine in Robusta beans is different, no question about it. Robusta are the cheaper, higher caffeine content beans used in folgers and other "tin can" type coffees. This sort of java will string you out and leave you scattered.

While my reduction to one cup in the morning is perhaps a little extreme, I recommend to anyone who feels a little enslaved to the beverage: cut out the bad coffee. Bad coffee's less enjoyable, and the higher price of good coffee will help you to only have a cup when you really need it.

Woody Schneider

1 double expresso with four teaspoons of sugar... and let the coding begin!!!

whiskey

@Craig: caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline. There's 2 other chemical compounds in Yerba Mate.

I'll be honest, I was doubtful at first, too. But after trying it for myself and seeing I could 1) concentrate on work, 2) had no low, 3) could even sleep after drinking it, 4) receive health benefits from it (!), 5) enjoy it by adding honey or other drinks to it, I'm hooked. I use it before long distance running, since everywhere you read, drinks that are solely caffeinated do NOT work well for endurance exercise. Yerba mate, however, works on the contrary since the energy is slow release and subtle.

I just received 11 lb (5 kg) of Cruz de Malta at home. That should last me a while...

AKthe47

@philosopher_dog: Yerba Mate has to be the most disgusting beverage I've ever tried. And despite claims to the contrary, its high is caffeine-based just like coffee's ([www.erowid.org] among others), so I suppose it's just a matter of acquired taste.

Craig

If you haven't read Philosopher_dog's comment above, read it again.

YERBA
MATE

I 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th his comment. You will NEVER go back to coffee again. Yerba mate has a HOST of other benefits way above coffee, and yet it's subtle enough to take before you sleep (to help you sleep deeper, if you believe it or not). I take Yerba a few hours before I sleep so I can get some reading done. When it's time to sleep, I have no problems sleeping whatsoever and even have more dreams (if that's a sign of deeper sleep?).

Perhaps it's only a matter of time before the US catches on. Makes you wonder why people drink coffee or tea anymore, and why more places don't carry yerba mate.

AKthe47

Two words: 1) Yerba 2) Mate. Find out about it, and never crash on coffee again, or get that bad feeling in the gut, or feel tired in the morning. Trade that in for solid, clear, non-anxious energy instead. If you're a baby and need it to taste like a late, it's possible to drink sweet, flavoured, etc. Personally, I like the traditional method: in a gourd. It's my favourite life hack.

philosopher_dog

I drink coffee every morning, if I dont do it consumes me an unbearable headache. kidneycardonations. com

MayGirl

@q335r49: Wooah man what are you talking about?

I have recently switched to only occasional coffee mornings..
I still get my caffeine form other sources but not as concentrated...

DocGratis

I'll have about 16 oz of very strong coffee in the mornings if I'm planning on doing a lot of work that day. Otherwise, I try to skip it to avoid becoming dependent on caffeine.

Eric1285

Another good use: drink coffee before working out, especially lifting. It doesn't help as much if I'm running and need to keep a steady pace, but for sprinting and lifting weights, a strong cup of coffee definitely helps me push harder than normal. Just remember to keep drinking water to stay hydrated.

iblokh

@Evelyn Vincent: Hmm. I think that's called advertising.

philosopher_dog