Decaf Coffee May Still Give You a Buzz

Come again? Over 50% of us are drinking coffee each and every day, according to statistics from the National Coffee Association.

And why is that? Well, most of us have an affinity for caffeine in coffee, which works as a stimulant to promote attention and alertness day to day. But a 2011 University of East London study suggests that your response to coffee may have more to do with your expectations than with the actual caffeine content in your cup of Joe.

Basically, if you expect to get a buzz from your coffee, then you are more likely to notice its affects.

Volunteers in the study performed better on attention related tests when they were told that they were drinking caffeinated coffee, whether it was really decaffeinated or regular. When the volunteers thought that they were drinking caffeine, it affected their mood and attention levels.

Much of this response to caffeine was due to a placebo effect. Most of the volunteers in the study also had a coffee habit of a minimum of 2 cups a day. They were most likely accustomed to getting a buzz from their coffee, so their minds compensated by making them feel more alert.

Those that drink coffee regularly may be more prone to this placebo effect based on their daily coffee drinking habit.

Related posts:

• Is the Caffeine Buzz Only Hype?
• Is Your Coffee Buzz All in Your Mind?

Tagged as: caffeine, decaf coffee, national coffee Association, placebo, University of East London