#71 The one about Caffeine - Use or Abuse ?

Ever wonder why the 2pm slump hits even on “good” sleep? We pull apart the caffeine loop—from the adenosine blockade that masks true fatigue to the half-life math that keeps stray milligrams humming along when you’re trying to drift off. Larry and Daniel get honest about intake, tolerance, a hospital scare that prompted a rethink, and the simple shifts that return your edge without taxing your nervous system. We break down smart protocols: how to time caffeine 30 to 90 minutes before training so the peak lands when you need it, why evening lifters should consider non-stim pre-workouts if they care about recovery, and how vasoconstriction can blunt the pump you’re chasing. You’ll hear practical tactics for reducing reliance—decaf that actually tastes good, half-caff as a bridge, and short deloads that lower resting heart rate, calm reactivity, and resensitise receptors so smaller doses work again. We also touch digestion, hunger blunting during a deficit, and the pitfalls of masking low fibre or hydration with another flat white. For students and deep workers, we connect caffeine timing to memory consolidation and REM quality, showing how a casual afternoon coffee can quietly tax recall the next day. If jitters are your sticking point, we explain when a modest dose of L-theanine can help, and where it crosses into papering over a problem. Across the board, the theme stays clear: use caffeine as a tool, not a crutch. Know your cut-off, track your total from hidden sources like tea, chocolate, energy drinks, and pre-workouts, and match the dose to the job. If this chat helps you rethink your ritual, share it with a mate who lives by the long black, hit follow for more practical health and training breakdowns, and leave a quick review to tell us your cut-off time. Got questions? simply email or dm us with those questions Larry IG Daniel IG Website Coaching with us Email : info@larrydoylecoaching.ie

You can listen to #71 The one about Caffeine - Use or Abuse ? online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

#71 The one about Caffeine - Use or Abuse ? is an episode from The Gen Pop Podcast by Larry Doyle .

This episode is 30:34 long.

This episode was published on Dec 7, 2025.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from The Gen Pop Podcast when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.