I just recieved a message before about a post I made a long time ago regarding cutting artificial sugar out of one's diet. A simple yet very effective way to boost your wellbeing and even your physique. That reminder inspired this post, which is something that's affected me anecdotally and that I wanted to share and to hopefully provoke some informative discussion.

First, I want to say I believe the expansion of topics discussed in TRP is definitely beneficial for it's readers and the content creators. Just talking about how to fuck hot girls is counterproductive to becoming a real, masculine man. The man comes first and the women follow. Chicken before the egg so to speak.

Given that lifting and diet is often overdone on here, I decided to discuss supplementation. Supplementation not only affects sports performance and physique, but can even cross into the realm of changing your life via supplementing mental capacity and endurance through 'nootropics'. Bolstering your work capacity and improving mental performance.

It's not going to be like that movie Limitless (which FYI is based loosely off modafinil, a favourite of mine). Personally I think a lot of the claims made by the nootropics community is farfetched to say the least. If you choose to dive down that rabbit hole it can go into the territory of traditional chinese herbs and newer, less understood research chemicals such as NSI-189.

Today we're going to discuss caffeine, which is one of the most well-known nootropic/supplement.

I work in the navy and often do very inconsistent working hours. Often working multiple days in a row on little notice. Working ungodly hours in the morning and sleeping during the 'day'. Not only is my body clock thrown out of wack, but the lack of accessible natural sunlight can plummet testosterone levels by interfering with the body's circadian rhythm. If you don't understand any of these terms I suggest you research them to maximise your natural T production.

For the past year and a half I have been drinking 1-2 cups of coffee a day just to feel awake. There is a huge coffee 'culture' in the navy. Sailors and officers alike often group together to invest in high-end coffee machines to get their fix without resorting to instant coffee.

Recently after a fairly lax weekend and feeling like i'd been run over by a bus (a feeling I was used to by that point). I decided to cut coffee out of my life completely to observe the effects. After the first 24 hours I had a pounding migraine, constipation and almost cold-like symptoms. It may sound like I'm exaggerating but I'm not. The symptoms slowly faded over the next 3 days to nothing. Maybe it was all in my head but I've heard similar things from people with addiction to coke (the drink), which has a double dependancy factor of sugar and caffeine.

Now I feel like my 'natural' energy stores have tripled. I feel less anxious and sad. Better quality sleep. It's something you never notice until you make the change and people comment on it.

The way I see it you can't get anything for free. The energy boost caffeine gives you comes from somewhere and this will take a toll when it wears off. The toll will probably be negligible if you only drink a cuppa everynow and then. For those who drink more maybe it is more noticeable. It wasn't for me until I stopped consuming it.

I don't understand the biological mechanics of caffeine to give one-size-fits-all answer. But to summarize, let's look at what we do know about caffeine:

Pro:

  • Grants additional energy. Has been shown to boost athletic performance and improve alertness. 'Wakes you up'.

  • Boosts metabolism. Has a 'thermogenic' effect. Slightly supresses appetite.

  • Has been shown to have T boosting and immune boosting properties.

Con:

  • Mild diuretic. Not optimal if you are already dehydrated or working in the hot sun.

  • Can disrupt natural sleep. Caffeine's half-life is around 5-7 hours. That means it takes 10-14 hours to completely leave your body. Aka: You shouldn't consume coffee after midday if you plan on getting to bed at a reasonable time. Perfect if you know you're going to pull an all-nighter!

  • Caffeine has been shown to boost the effects of painkillers by dilation of blood vessels surrounding the brain. This also means when they wear off those blood vessels can restrict and cause headaches. Especially prominent in caffeine withdrawal symptoms.

  • Can raise blood pressure. This can cause unwanted additional symptoms for men with higher bp.

  • Caffeine has been shown to raise cortisol levels after consumption, similar to exposure of acute-stress. Cortisol is your #1 enemy for natural testosterone production.

To add to that:

In general, research has concluded that having up to 4 cups of coffee a day has no negative implications on test levels or general wellbeing for the short term. I have yet to see a proper long term study. If you find one please post it to encourage thoughtful discussion.

Take these factors into consoderation. Know what you're putting in your body.

To conclude, even if you disagree with the prospect of nexting caffeine, at least take home the message of experimenting with different dependancies in your life. We all have them. Maybe it's a car. Maybe it's a girl. Maybe it's where you live or your job. Spend every free moment you have becoming stronger. Whether that's in the gym, networking with other men or becoming wiser.