Issac ThorneYou already know what phenibut is. But what is caffeine, exactly? And how does it feel to mix phenibut and caffeine throughout the day?
On any given morning you can look out the window of any city's apartment and immediately identify America’s drug of choice: Caffeine.
Caffeine is the world’s most popular drug. Most Americans choose to get their daily dose of caffeine in the form of coffee, which is (not surprisingly) the second most traded commodity in the world; or from popular energy drinks such as Red Bull and Monster.
This caffeine-fueled lifestyle is not just accepted, but actually glamorized in American society.
Each morning, basic white girls clutch their daily cup of Starbucks to their chests as they head to class or work. Without it, they “can’t even.” Every night, the party scene rages on; carried on the backs of mixed drinks such as Red Bull-Vodkas and Jägerbombs.
So why is it that America offers the widest selection of caffeine-infused products? Why are we obsessed with caffeine? The answer likely lies in our culture’s emphasis on values of success and achievement; The American mindset that bigger is better. Caffeine can allow us to accomplish more throughout the day than we would ever have the energy to accomplish otherwise.
How Does Caffeine Work?
The basics of how caffeine works?
From the moment you wake up, a neurotransmitter called adenosine begins to accumulate in your brain.
These neurotransmitters bind to receptors in your brain, making you feel fatigued and tired.
The longer you’re awake, the more adenosine transmitters bind; making you need sleep.
Overnight, your adenosine levels decline, allowing you to wake back up in the morning feeling well rested and ready to take on the day.
The chemical structure of caffeine is similar to that of adenosine, and so when we drink caffeine throughout the day, the caffeine will compete with the adenosine to bind to these receptors.
Unlike adenosine, however, caffeine affects the human brain in a very different way.
Rather than feeling tired and fatigued, when caffeine binds to these receptors, your brain activity will be heightened.
Because it is competing with the adenosine, less adenosine will be able to bind. You will not feel the usual sense of fatigue that being awake should bring on.
In other words, caffeine seems to trick the brain into believing that it does not need rest.
Usage
Caffeine peaks in about 30 minutes, and has a half-life of about 6 hours.
This means that 6 hours after consumption, you will still have half of the caffeine active in your system.
Caffeine is not technically addictive, because it does not actually affect the brain’s “reward system”, as would truly addictive substances like opiates.
Nonetheless, we recommend cycling caffeine use to avoid developing a dependence or tolerance.
I like to take a few days off caffeine every few days.
Better to save the cup of coffee for when you need it than to need 3 cups of coffee just to get out of bed.
It is typically recommended not to have much more than 300mg of caffeine per day (This translates to about 24oz. of coffee), but overdosing on caffeine is very unlikely; to reach toxic levels of about 6g you’d pretty much have to be doing so intentionally.
Because of its 6 hour half-life and energizing effects, it would likely be most effective to consume caffeine in the morning. You could consume more later in the day as needed.
Caffeine is most useful in situations where you need to remain awake and mindful. It is not recommended to consume caffeine before bed or potentially anxiety-provoking situations.
Is Caffeine For You?
While there are a whole host of potential benefits and potential risks regarding caffeine use, here are a few of the major ones:
Pros
- Increased Energy
- Accelerated Heart Rate
- Boosted Metabolism
- Enhanced Athletic Performance
- Decreased Fatigue
Cons
- “Jitters”
- Anxiety
- Discomfort
- Increased Blood Pressure
- Extremely Unpleasant Withdrawal Symptoms
Is Caffeine a Good Fit for You?:
Caffeine can pair extremely well with phenibut (we'll get to that in a minute).
But if you're suffering from anxiety on a daily basis, you may benefit from quitting caffeine, instead. Check out this article on the benefits of not drinking coffee for more info on this!
Taking Phenibut and Caffeine Together
If you like the effects of phenibut and respond well to caffeine, can you take phenibut and caffeine together?
There are no reported cases of negative interactions between phenibut and caffeine.
In most anecdotal reports, including my own experiences, phenibut and caffeine work together incredibly well at the right dosage.
The potential negative effects of both drugs seem to negate one another.
Caffeine will heighten your senses (which could be dulled by high doses of phenibut).
Phenibut will calm you down and eliminate any jitters or anxiety that caffeine might cause.
The resulting effect of mixing caffeine and phenibut tends to be that of extreme euphoria in most people.
When I take phenibut and caffeine I feel more upbeat, positive, and ambitious than usual.
Music feels a little bit better. I want to move around, socialize, and reconnect with family members by giving them a phone call.
This combination is probably ideal for tackling a job interview, going on a date, or public speaking.
Overall, we give the caffeine and phenibut combination a thumbs up.
Let us know what you think!