Questions & Answers: What are caffeine's effects?
The best way to determine the risks and benefits of a drug is to give the drug or a placebo to matched groups of people who have never been exposed to the drug before. But it’s hard to find people who don’t use caffeine, and the small minority who don’t may abstain because they are physiologically different from others, finding caffeine unpleasant rather than pleasurable. Another problem is that most controlled studies don’t last long enough to reveal the effects of chronic use. Researchers are more interested in habitual users.
To continue reading this article, you must log in.
Subscribe to Harvard Health Online for immediate access to health news and information from Harvard Medical School.
- Research health conditions
- Check your symptoms
- Prepare for a doctor's visit or test
- Find the best treatments and procedures for you
- Explore options for better nutrition and exercise
I'd like to receive access to Harvard Health Online for only $4.99 a month.
Sign Me UpAlready a member? Login ».
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.