What is Caffeine Microdosing?

If you enjoy coffee, tea, caffeinated sodas, or energy drinks, you are not alone. Research shows that about 90% of Americans take caffeine daily. However, many of us also experience some kind of negative side effects from drinking multiple caffeinated beverages throughout the day. Common side effects include jitters, anxiety, headache, fatigue, and dreaded irritability. Many people are trying to bypass these side effects and still keep their energy up by caffeine microdosing. Caffeine microdosing is the practice of using small amounts of caffeine during the day to keep energy levels up. Rather than consuming a large cup of coffee, tea, or soda two or three times a day, you can microdose by using about 30-50mg of caffeine every few hours. (That’s about a quarter of a Mocca Shot energy gummy.) This allows you to avoid extreme energy fluctuations and maintain a more steady, stable energy throughout the day.

Is this just a new health fad? Maybe not, according to Harvard University. Harvard Medical School did a study on how frequent, low doses of caffeine impacts energy. They intended to find a way to support those in our society who need caffeine to perform their stressful or high-energy jobs, like shift workers, medical residents, and truck drivers. Results are quite promising and show a decreased need for naps throughout the day, as well as improved performance on cognitive tests.

Health Benefits of Caffeine Microdosing

When it comes to caffeine, not all sources are created equal. Caffeine aside, a cup of black coffee and a sugar and milk-laden mocha will have different effects on the body. High sugar intake can lead to a rise and fall in blood sugar levels, known as a blood sugar crash. In addition, high sugar intake can increase the risks of many other health issues.

However, caffeine sources like coffee and tea have many additional health benefits, in addition to their caffeine.

1. Coffee

America’s most popular caffeinated beverage has been found to decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It also has energy-giving vitamins B2, B3, and B5. The minerals potassium and manganese are also found in coffee. It’s also high in antioxidants, which protect the body from free radical damage. 

2. Tea

Tea is a classic caffeinated beverage and provides many health benefits beyond its caffeine levels. There are three types of tea, black, green, and white. There are many different types of these teas, which means you’re likely to find a flavor or kind that you enjoy. Tea contains the amino acid, L-theanine, which slows the rate of caffeine absorption, making your energy more steady. L-theanine also has an anti-anxiety and calming effect. In addition, tea contains antioxidants called flavonoids, which detoxify the body and prevent free radicals from forming. Free radicals are part of aging and disease, including blood clots and cancer. 

There are more health benefits to microdosing than just the ones found in what you’re drinking. Other health benefits of caffeine microdosing include:

• Lower blood pressure

• Lower levels of anxiety

• Better collagen synthesis 

• Reduced stomach acid

• Less sugar and calorie intake

How to Safely Caffeine Microdose

It’s important to give your body a chance to adjust to the new routine of caffeine microdosing. You might want to lower your caffeine intake incrementally to avoid any withdrawal symptoms, especially if you’re a heavy caffeine user. However, caffeine microdosing is less about reducing caffeine intake and more about spreading it out over the day. Here are a few ways to start caffeine microdosing.

1. Use more decaffeinated coffee

Switch over your regular coffee to a mix of regular coffee and decaffeinated coffee at a ratio of ¼ regular to ¾ decaffeinated.

2. Use coffee and green tea

Slowly sip a regular cup of coffee in the morning and switch to green tea for the rest of the day. One cup of green tea has about 28mg of caffeine, making it the perfect microdosing beverage. 

3. Try half a cup of coffee

Drink half a cup of coffee in the morning and another half in the afternoon. 

Microdose with a Mocca Shot

Seattle Gummy’s innovative energy gummy, the Mocca Shot, is chock full of energy-giving ingredients and makes it easy to microdose caffeine. These gummies come in a resealable pouch, so you can nibble on them throughout the day if you’re switching over to caffeine microdosing. The Mocca shot, in addition to 200mg of natural caffeine, also has B vitamins for energy and ginkgo biloba, an herb that increases circulation to the brain and is full of powerful antioxidants. This makes the energy you get from a Mocca Shot clean, steady, and non-jittery. No more coffee jitters or energy crashes like from a high sugar energy drink. The Mocca Shot comes in 6 yummy flavors including Dutch chocolate and salted caramel. There’s also a sugar-free Mocca Shot for those who are counting carbs. You can take these energy gummies with you wherever you go thanks to Seattle Gummy’s non-melting formula. Keep a stash in your car or bag so you can microdose caffeine whenever you need it!