Caffeine pills, are they a good idea?

[Ulysees]

...for the addicts among us? I remember back in the early nineties there were what was called "pick-ups", or caffeine pills supposedly used by students, in order to ingest a lot of caffeine.

Do such pills still exist?

Has anyone thought of adding caffeine to orange juice or any other healthy drink, and make a much heathier substitute to coffee?

I remind you, in small quantities caffeine is supposed to be beneficial to health. The suspected cancer from large quantities of coffee is due to the toxins in it, not the caffeine.

Or you can't really isolate caffeine economically, and there will always be some toxins with it?

[chemisttree]

...for the addicts among us? I remember back in the early nineties there were what was called "pick-ups", or caffeine pills supposedly used by students, in order to ingest a lot of caffeine.

Do such pills still exist?

I think "NoDoz" pills are still available over the counter.

Has anyone thought of adding caffeine to orange juice or any other healthy drink, and make a much heathier substitute to coffee?

That would be 'energy drinks' or 'fitness water'.

I remind you, in small quantities caffeine is supposed to be beneficial to health. The suspected cancer from large quantities of coffee is due to the toxins in it, not the caffeine.

Or you can't really isolate caffeine economically, and there will always be some toxins with it?

I believe that most caffeine used as an additive is extracted from coffee in the manufacture of decaffeinated coffee.

[Andy Resnick]

Caffeine inhibits calcium channels; if too much is ingested there will be cardiac problems. We have a bottle of caffeine in the lab (powder), it's treated as a hazardous chemical.

[jim mcnamara]

I'm with Andy on this one - too many people have the if (x= good) {10X = Great;}
problem

[Alfi]

If you are going to slip on the slope of 'is this drug good?', consider.

screw the caffeine. go coke ( the drug not the drink ;) ) all the way and be done with it.
j/k

Regular sleep wins in the healthy department. And seems to be better in keeping the memory.

[Ulysees]

There are statistics on caffeine being good in moderation. It's like red wine, it's only good in moderation. But from coffee's toxins, nothing good can come out of.

So if it tastes good, has no toxins, has no sugar or aspartame, has the right nutrients in it, is drunk in moderation, and keeps you alert in the morning, then it's got to be a good thing.

[Greg Bernhardt]

my parents and sister are hooked on caffine mints