Coach Maggi: Tips for Healthy Ways to Consume Caffeine

One of the most commonly used stimulants in the world is caffeine. According to recent research, over 90% of adults use it regularly to improve alertness, energy levels, and their mood. There are many debates about whether or not caffeine is good or bad for you. The purpose of this article is not to consider that fact, but to provide you with a few ways you can make your caffeine intake a little bit healthier. I personally consume caffeine regularly and have found the tips in this article to help me tremendously.

Caffeine is often used first thing in the morning to wake up. While caffeine is a stimulant, it provides its effects by binding to adenosine receptors. Adenosine is a substance that naturally occurs in our bodies and one of its main jobs is to relax and dilate our blood vessels. The amount of adenosine in our blood stream increases throughout the day and as it increases, we tend to feel sleepier. One of the best ways to improve the effectiveness of caffeine is to wait 90 minutes after waking before consuming it. By waiting, you will allow the adenosine levels in your body to rise slightly, making the caffeine more effective at blocking the receptors, making you feel more alert. If the caffeine we are consuming is more effective, this will help us consume less of it each day.

Another way to make our caffeine intake more effective and less destructive to our bodies is to eat food and drink water before consuming caffeine. Consuming caffeine on an empty stomach puts a lot of stress on our bodies and causes the release of cortisol, which is a hormone our body releases when we are stressed. Cortisol tells our bodies we need to increase blood sugar because we may need to fight or flight. This rush of a release of blood sugar sets us up for uncontrolled blood sugar levels all day long. Eating food and drinking water before consuming caffeine will help stabilize both our blood sugar and cortisol, making the caffeine more effective and less damaging to our bodies.

Many caffeinated beverages also contain a lot of unnecessary sugar. If you are consuming a drink with the purpose of consuming caffeine, then it’s important to also note how much sugar you’re consuming along the way. Sugar is very detrimental to our health. While it is not something we can or need to avoid completely, there are a lot of places we can be more mindful of our consumption, and in our drinks is one of them. If you consume caffeinated beverages often, consider switching to one that doesn’t contain sugar. This will help you get your desired benefit without putting your body under the extra stress of dealing with sugar, too.

Lastly, get to know your body’s caffeine tolerance. It is recommended by the FDA that we keep our caffeine intake under 400 mg per day. By implementing these strategies, you may realize that you don’t need to consume anywhere near that much caffeine. Notice how caffeine from different sources make you feel and choose the source that makes you feel your best.

Maggi Fitzpatrick is the Health and Wellness Columnist for the Sullivan County Democrat and this “Moving Toward Health” column originally appeared in the paper on March 11, 2025.