8 ms·

I save money on coffee by not buying it. ;-) Instead, I found Jet Alert 200mg caffeine tablets. They're about $3.70 for 90 tablets. Each tablet is equivalen

I save money on coffee by not buying it. ;-) Instead, I found Jet Alert 200mg caffeine tablets. They're about $3.70 for 90 tablets. Each tablet is equivalent to two cups of coffee, which really means one cup of coffee, the way we tend to serve it. I usually take one around 10am, and another around 3pm. The good: no, uh, 'intestinal distress', whiter teeth, better breath, no buzzy feeling like I get with coffee, and I feel like I'm alert for longer and more consistently. Also, I generally feel mellower than when I'm drinking coffee, and I have no explanation as to why. The bad: I still crave the taste and ritual of coffee once in awhile. I have one or two cups per week, skipping the caffeine pill, of course.

drivebyacct2 16y ago
That's quite an addiction you have. Have you considered kicking it?
- lsc 16y ago
  I find it amusing that the guy who has two double-shot lattes a day just likes coffee, but the guy who takes the same amount of caffeine in pill form has 'quite an addiction' when they are both consuming the same amount of the drug in question.
  - lwhi 16y ago
    If you're not drinking coffee for the taste and experience - stop drinking it. In my opinion, there's no point in sustaining an addiction without any of the main benefits.
    - beedogs 16y ago
      If you enjoy the taste so much, you should find yourself a delicious decaffeinated coffee.
      - nollidge 16y ago
        > you should find yourself a delicious decaffeinated coffee. Decaf coffee is universally worse than caffeinated. It's impossible to remove the caffeine from coffee beans without also removing a good deal of the chemicals that contribute to the flavor: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decaffeinated_coffee http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decaffeinated_coffee
  - corin_ 16y ago
    Amusing, yes, but not illogical. If I'm away for work chances are I'll be at a starbucks 4 times a day, sometimes same at home. I love it. But I've never had a caffeine pill, and if I don't drink coffee I don't notice any difference. (Exception being that if I'm massively underslept one morning a coffee does have a really good impact on getting me to feel less shit.)
  - drivebyacct2 16y ago
    >I find it amusing that the guy who has two double-shot lattes a day just likes coffee, I find it amusing that you say that, since I never implied any such thing. My father drinks coffee every morning and is a grump without it. He's just as much of an addict as someone who takes coffee pills. Trust me, I'm not one to use the "addiction" word as a scare word or to pass judgement. Though I do find it funny how often HN is anti-drug about things that are less dangerous and addictive than some recreational drugs.
    - lsc 16y ago
      >I find it amusing that you say that, since I never implied any such thing. really? because four servings of coffee a day doesn't seem that much over the median dose, at least among people I know, if you adjust for body size. When I'm on, I consume more caffeine than that. So, to me, suggesting that someone has a problem when the dosage is that close to the median suggests that you are criticizing the delivery method more than the dosage. While technically speaking many people (myself included) are 'addicted' to caffeine, I think comparing coffee dependence to something like alcohol dependence does not make a lot of sense; If I started every morning with a nice glass of scotch and finished a fifth every time I had real work to do, I'd likely be dead at this point. If I stop drinking caffeine, I sleep a lot and have a hard time getting work done. Some people get headaches. Withdrawal from long-term Alcohol abuse, on the other hand, often comes with hallucinations and sometimes death. Caffeine dependency isn't in the same class at all. In fact, while I agree that caffeine can be addictive, I'm not at all convinced that caffeine dependency is a bad thing.
      - drivebyacct2 16y ago
        I'm not criticizing the medium at all. In terms of health benefits, eating a caffeine pill is healthier than consuming the equivalent amount of coffee. No doubt alcohol withdrawl is worse, but if we're performing comparative metrics, I can vaporize cannabis for two months straight and stop all of the sudden without so much as a thought. I drank a twelve pack of coke across 4 days and had headaches for that Friday and Saturday. I just don't know what you want me to say. It's not an addiction? Okay. Do you feel better? It's a chemical stimulant that you notice when you stop consuming it. You consume it so that you stay functional. You can sugar coat it or say that it's not like being addicted to alcohol, but it doesn't change the fact that if you cut it out for a few weeks, you'd be more productive without the cost, dependency or negative side effects of coffee. The fact that you KNOW that, and continue to drink it, quite frankly supports the notion that it's an addiction.
- georgieporgie 16y ago
  Please do explain how taking 400mg of caffeine per day constitutes an addiction. I also take a daily multivitamin that contains ginseng, and a 'super' vitamin B pill. The latter makes the biggest difference in energy levels. I guess I'm 'addicted' to vitamin B, as well.
  - drivebyacct2 16y ago
    Are you kidding? You're taking a stimulant to get through the day and when one form of it is taken away, you supplement with another form. How is that different than a junkie getting their fix to stave off withdrawl? You don't need to get defensive about it, but if you're taking a concentrated form of a drug to get through your day... and you notice when you don't take it... that's the definition of an addiction.
    - georgieporgie 16y ago
      You're taking a stimulant to get through the day Come again? This is news to me. when one form of it is taken away, you supplement with another form. Again, what? I decided to try caffeine in a pill form and found that I mostly prefer it to the coffee form. Nothing was taken away. How is that different than a junkie getting their fix to stave off withdrawl For starters, because I don't experience any withdrawl. You don't need to get defensive about it. I'm not the least bit defensive about it. Rather, I find it bizarre that you make so many assumptions, and view taking a legal, safe stimulant as an inherent addiction. if you're taking a concentrated form of a drug to get through your day Again, where did I say anything about 'getting through the day'? Where did I imply that I 'need' caffeine? I should not benefit from a chemical, which seems to have no downside for my body, simply because it offends your arbitrary principles? How is it a "concentrated form of a drug" when a single cup of coffee contains 150mg of caffeine, in what seems to be a more rapidly absorbed liquid form? (Incidentally, a Starbucks Tall drip has 240mg, while a Grande has 320mg) I hope you see that you're projecting a lot onto my statements. and you notice when you don't take it... that's the definition of an addiction. That is neither what I said, nor is it the definition of addiction. http://www.google.com/search?q=define%3A+addiction http://www.google.com/search?q=define%3A+addiction
bartl 16y ago
Sheesh, I drink coffee for the taste, not for the caffeine. So caffeine pills is something I would never consider using in my life.
gwern 16y ago
$4 for 90x0.2g of caffeine? How wasteful. I just spend $13 for 400g: http://www.smartpowders.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=sp035 http://www.smartpowders.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=s...
- georgieporgie 16y ago
  I've heard of that. Besides the obvious dose management, I wonder how quickly it's absorbed by your body versus the tablet. As I mentioned, I feel like the tablet gives me a more consistent, less spiky boost than coffee does.
- brianleb 16y ago
  Please do not do this. I am sure you don't have the equipment to measure an appropriate dose of caffeine (because scales accurate to 100 milligrams are not very cheap for household use...), and it is not safe to 'eyeball' it. You will start to notice unpleasant effects (restlessness, etc) around 200-500mg, and then above that (say 600-1000mg) you may start to get into what could be called toxic effects (palpitations/arrhythmias, GI bleeding, potential for seizures). Caffeine has a half life of 5-8 hours and so by the time you go for your next dose you probably haven't cleared the first one, so you can definitely build up serum concentration. Your body can develop a dependency on caffeine and you'll get splitting headaches when you aren't taking it. I also had a friend in college who developed a light but unpleasant allergic reaction to caffeine after (ab)using caffeine pills. It is not easy to die from caffeine toxicity, but it is definitely possible when you have powder on hand. One or two spoonfuls will do it, so if you have children in the house I recommend even more strongly against having this powder around. Oh, and the stuff is BITTER. Really, really unpalatable. [1] http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/821863-overview#showall http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/821863-overview#showal... [2] http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-11-03/news/27080105_1_caffeine-red-bull-powder http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-11-03/news/27080105_1_c... EDIT: Oh, and don't base the amount you take on the size of a caffeine pill. Tablets, capsules, etc. are formulated with binders, preservatives, and inert ingredients that often take up much, much more space than the active compound. (I'm a pharmacist).
  - 16y ago

drivebyacct2 16y ago

That's quite an addiction you have. Have you considered kicking it?

lsc 16y ago
I find it amusing that the guy who has two double-shot lattes a day just likes coffee, but the guy who takes the same amount of caffeine in pill form has 'quite an addiction' when they are both consuming the same amount of the drug in question.
- lwhi 16y ago
  If you're not drinking coffee for the taste and experience - stop drinking it. In my opinion, there's no point in sustaining an addiction without any of the main benefits.
  - beedogs 16y ago
    If you enjoy the taste so much, you should find yourself a delicious decaffeinated coffee.
    - nollidge 16y ago
      > you should find yourself a delicious decaffeinated coffee. Decaf coffee is universally worse than caffeinated. It's impossible to remove the caffeine from coffee beans without also removing a good deal of the chemicals that contribute to the flavor: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decaffeinated_coffee http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decaffeinated_coffee
- corin_ 16y ago
  Amusing, yes, but not illogical. If I'm away for work chances are I'll be at a starbucks 4 times a day, sometimes same at home. I love it. But I've never had a caffeine pill, and if I don't drink coffee I don't notice any difference. (Exception being that if I'm massively underslept one morning a coffee does have a really good impact on getting me to feel less shit.)
- drivebyacct2 16y ago
  >I find it amusing that the guy who has two double-shot lattes a day just likes coffee, I find it amusing that you say that, since I never implied any such thing. My father drinks coffee every morning and is a grump without it. He's just as much of an addict as someone who takes coffee pills. Trust me, I'm not one to use the "addiction" word as a scare word or to pass judgement. Though I do find it funny how often HN is anti-drug about things that are less dangerous and addictive than some recreational drugs.
  - lsc 16y ago
    >I find it amusing that you say that, since I never implied any such thing. really? because four servings of coffee a day doesn't seem that much over the median dose, at least among people I know, if you adjust for body size. When I'm on, I consume more caffeine than that. So, to me, suggesting that someone has a problem when the dosage is that close to the median suggests that you are criticizing the delivery method more than the dosage. While technically speaking many people (myself included) are 'addicted' to caffeine, I think comparing coffee dependence to something like alcohol dependence does not make a lot of sense; If I started every morning with a nice glass of scotch and finished a fifth every time I had real work to do, I'd likely be dead at this point. If I stop drinking caffeine, I sleep a lot and have a hard time getting work done. Some people get headaches. Withdrawal from long-term Alcohol abuse, on the other hand, often comes with hallucinations and sometimes death. Caffeine dependency isn't in the same class at all. In fact, while I agree that caffeine can be addictive, I'm not at all convinced that caffeine dependency is a bad thing.
    - drivebyacct2 16y ago
      I'm not criticizing the medium at all. In terms of health benefits, eating a caffeine pill is healthier than consuming the equivalent amount of coffee. No doubt alcohol withdrawl is worse, but if we're performing comparative metrics, I can vaporize cannabis for two months straight and stop all of the sudden without so much as a thought. I drank a twelve pack of coke across 4 days and had headaches for that Friday and Saturday. I just don't know what you want me to say. It's not an addiction? Okay. Do you feel better? It's a chemical stimulant that you notice when you stop consuming it. You consume it so that you stay functional. You can sugar coat it or say that it's not like being addicted to alcohol, but it doesn't change the fact that if you cut it out for a few weeks, you'd be more productive without the cost, dependency or negative side effects of coffee. The fact that you KNOW that, and continue to drink it, quite frankly supports the notion that it's an addiction.
georgieporgie 16y ago
Please do explain how taking 400mg of caffeine per day constitutes an addiction. I also take a daily multivitamin that contains ginseng, and a 'super' vitamin B pill. The latter makes the biggest difference in energy levels. I guess I'm 'addicted' to vitamin B, as well.
- drivebyacct2 16y ago
  Are you kidding? You're taking a stimulant to get through the day and when one form of it is taken away, you supplement with another form. How is that different than a junkie getting their fix to stave off withdrawl? You don't need to get defensive about it, but if you're taking a concentrated form of a drug to get through your day... and you notice when you don't take it... that's the definition of an addiction.
  - georgieporgie 16y ago
    You're taking a stimulant to get through the day Come again? This is news to me. when one form of it is taken away, you supplement with another form. Again, what? I decided to try caffeine in a pill form and found that I mostly prefer it to the coffee form. Nothing was taken away. How is that different than a junkie getting their fix to stave off withdrawl For starters, because I don't experience any withdrawl. You don't need to get defensive about it. I'm not the least bit defensive about it. Rather, I find it bizarre that you make so many assumptions, and view taking a legal, safe stimulant as an inherent addiction. if you're taking a concentrated form of a drug to get through your day Again, where did I say anything about 'getting through the day'? Where did I imply that I 'need' caffeine? I should not benefit from a chemical, which seems to have no downside for my body, simply because it offends your arbitrary principles? How is it a "concentrated form of a drug" when a single cup of coffee contains 150mg of caffeine, in what seems to be a more rapidly absorbed liquid form? (Incidentally, a Starbucks Tall drip has 240mg, while a Grande has 320mg) I hope you see that you're projecting a lot onto my statements. and you notice when you don't take it... that's the definition of an addiction. That is neither what I said, nor is it the definition of addiction. http://www.google.com/search?q=define%3A+addiction http://www.google.com/search?q=define%3A+addiction

bartl 16y ago

Sheesh, I drink coffee for the taste, not for the caffeine. So caffeine pills is something I would never consider using in my life.

gwern 16y ago

$4 for 90x0.2g of caffeine? How wasteful. I just spend $13 for 400g: http://www.smartpowders.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=sp035 http://www.smartpowders.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=s...

georgieporgie 16y ago
I've heard of that. Besides the obvious dose management, I wonder how quickly it's absorbed by your body versus the tablet. As I mentioned, I feel like the tablet gives me a more consistent, less spiky boost than coffee does.
brianleb 16y ago
Please do not do this. I am sure you don't have the equipment to measure an appropriate dose of caffeine (because scales accurate to 100 milligrams are not very cheap for household use...), and it is not safe to 'eyeball' it. You will start to notice unpleasant effects (restlessness, etc) around 200-500mg, and then above that (say 600-1000mg) you may start to get into what could be called toxic effects (palpitations/arrhythmias, GI bleeding, potential for seizures). Caffeine has a half life of 5-8 hours and so by the time you go for your next dose you probably haven't cleared the first one, so you can definitely build up serum concentration. Your body can develop a dependency on caffeine and you'll get splitting headaches when you aren't taking it. I also had a friend in college who developed a light but unpleasant allergic reaction to caffeine after (ab)using caffeine pills. It is not easy to die from caffeine toxicity, but it is definitely possible when you have powder on hand. One or two spoonfuls will do it, so if you have children in the house I recommend even more strongly against having this powder around. Oh, and the stuff is BITTER. Really, really unpalatable. [1] http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/821863-overview#showall http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/821863-overview#showal... [2] http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-11-03/news/27080105_1_caffeine-red-bull-powder http://articles.nydailynews.com/2010-11-03/news/27080105_1_c... EDIT: Oh, and don't base the amount you take on the size of a caffeine pill. Tablets, capsules, etc. are formulated with binders, preservatives, and inert ingredients that often take up much, much more space than the active compound. (I'm a pharmacist).
- 16y ago