<p>Some upperclass chemistry students at the University of Delaware put together a nice site that summarized the effects of caffeine (<a href="http://udel.edu/%7Edanikoll/index.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://udel.edu/~danikoll/index.html</a>), but it has been removed. (A snapshot is available in <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160523033703/http://udel.edu/%7Edanikoll/index.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Wayback Machine</a>.)</p>
<p>Particularly relevant was their description of metabolism of caffeine:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Caffeine is absorbed in the small intestine, metabolized in the liver cell and distributed to body tissues within 45 minutes of ingestion.</p>
<p>It has a half-life of 3-5 hours in adults but can have a half-life of up to 80 hours in pregnant women prior to delivery.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>A technical term in the literature is &quot;oral clearance&quot;, meaning the rate at which a drug administered orally is removed from the body, the three elimination pathways being renal, hepatic, and pneumatic.  As the references in the above link document, caffeine is eliminated primarily by the liver breaking it down into paraxanthine (84%), theobromine (12%), and theophylline (4%).  While these last two compounds have some CNS effects, it is believed that largely caffeine itself acts by competing with adenosine for adenosine receptors.</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/QWQ6F.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/QWQ6F.jpg" alt="caffeine and adenosine" /></a></p>
<hr />
<p>The simplest way to extend a caffeine buzz (setting aside pregnancy as impractical for most) is to consume more caffeine.  [A more difficult challenge might be finding a way to <em>shorten</em> the duration of a coffee buzz.]</p>
<p>A 1985 study <a href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00544361" rel="nofollow noreferrer">by Abernethy and Todd</a>, &quot;Impairment of caffeine clearance by chronic use of low-dose oestrogen-containing oral contraceptives&quot;, demonstrated that the half-life of caffeine is extended by progesterone administration.</p>
<p>You say that you wish to consume as little coffee as possible, so perhaps the same amount of coffee (espresso, once every other day) could be taken in divided doses.  This then converts the problem into how to create an equally intense buzz with (say) only half the caffeine.</p>
<p>I've noticed is that a sharp reduction in carbohydrates leads (after a couple of weeks, with mild ketosis) to a stronger physiological response to caffeine.</p>
<p>I can only offer this as an anecdotal observation.  There is research on the interaction of <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20521321" rel="nofollow noreferrer">caffeine and glucose on cognitive processing</a> and on the effects of <a href="http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/87/5/1254.full" rel="nofollow noreferrer">caffeine consumption on glucose homeostasis</a>.  But neither topic is precisely like what I'm suggesting.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-26T00:13:30.687Z
2018-04-14T13:35:30.017Z
2020-06-18T08:36:22.093Z
hardmath
<p>Without considering the amount or potency of the coffee as well as setting personal metabolism aside, you could adjust your coffee schedule according to your natural circadian rhythm, a methodology neuroscientist Steve Miller refers to as <a href="http://neurosciencedc.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/the-best-time-for-your-coffee.html" rel="noreferrer">chronopharmacology</a>.  Essentially, you use the caffeine as a propellant to your natural &quot;up&quot; rhythm. <a href="http://food-hacks.wonderhowto.com/how-to/youre-drinking-coffee-wrong-heres-really-maximize-your-daily-caffeine-boosts-0150662/" rel="noreferrer">Gabrielle Taylor's article</a> does a fine job of explaining this:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>When you drink coffee during the time when your body is already releasing cortisol, it won't have as strong an effect. Ideally, you want to get your caffeine during the lulls between cortisol spikes—otherwise, you start to develop a tolerance and have to drink more to get the same effect.</p>
<p>Assuming you're on a regular sleep schedule, your cortisol levels naturally spike about an hour after you wake up. If you get up at 7 am, your body is naturally most awake between 8 and 9 in the morning, noon to 1 pm, and again around 5:30-6:30 pm.</p>
<p>So, based on a wake time of 7 am, the best times to drink your caffeine vehicle of choice are 9:30-11:30 am and 1:30-5:00 pm. Obviously you can adjust the schedule according to your own wake time if it's earlier or later.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-23T20:00:20.067Z
If you add a reference/link to Miller's blog (Taylor's source) I will upvote.
daniel
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-23T17:16:17.910Z
2015-11-23T22:05:21.947Z
2020-06-18T08:36:22.093Z
Wookiee84
<p>You would like to prolong the <em>"high"</em> that coffee i.e. caffeine causes. </p>

<p>Caffeine is metabolized by your liver. So anything that interferes with your liver metabolizing caffeine would extend the high, although habitual use would see this eroded by habituation. </p>

<p>The <em>"half-life"</em> of caffeine, which is how long it takes your body to eliminate half of the caffeine in your system is normally about five hours. A lot of foods, drugs and diseases can affect this though.</p>

<p>For example, narigenin, the enzyme that makes grapefruit juice bitter inhibits CYP1A2 and can prolong the half-life of caffeine by 30% . Oral contraceptives can double the half life of caffeine. And various prescription drugs e.g. fluvoxamine significantly extend the half-life as well.</p>

<p>Liver disease can have dramatic effects. One lady with alcoholic hepatic cirrhosis was reported in the literature as having a half-life of 168 hours for caffeine elimination. So her caffeine high would literally last for days after one espresso.</p>

<p>Unless you are taking a prescription drug that affects caffeine metabolism, your practical options would seem limited to grapefruit juice. Unless you were planning to undergo gender reassignment, then oral contraceptives would have a larger effect.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-13T13:39:28.323Z
Isn't it a bit ironic? If you want to feel the "high" for long, you should have cirrhosis. I'd rather have another cup.
MTSan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-12T04:01:44.520Z
Do we know for a fact that "CYP1A2" inhibition affects caffeine absorption? I was under the impression there was some debate that "CYP1A2" actually broke down caffeine at all.
Rastilin
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-10T15:18:55.950Z
2018-02-10T15:18:55.950Z
Modslacfilio
<p>Taking caffeine in combination with L-Theanine may be linked better cognition, better mood, and a more stable high. It could possibly allow you to consume more caffeine without the classic caffeine jitters.</p>

<p>Many people in the nootropic community swear by it.</p>

<p><a href="https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/138/8/1572S/4750819" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Study</a> by Simon P. Kelly, Manuel Gomez-Ramirez, Jennifer L. Montesi, and John J. Foxeabout about the possible synergy between caffeine and L-Theanine and cognitive performance.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.gwern.net/docs/nootropics/2008-owen.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Study</a> by Gail N. Owen, Holly Parnell, Eveline A. DeBruin, and Jane A. Rycroft about the combined effects on mood and cognition.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-17T03:02:00.893Z
2018-04-17T03:02:00.893Z
natemacinnes
<p><strong><em>Modified</em> Esresso Romano</strong> is the answer; let's call it "Espresso Hi-Grappo".</p>

<p>According to @Modslacfilio's answer above, you may prolong the effects of caffeine by 30% if you consume it together with grapefruit juice. Grapefruit's pharmaceutical effect is well-known. Many drugs have a remark to not to be consumed together with grapefruits.</p>

<p>Now, we can modify <em>espresso romano</em> according to our needs. Normally, the espresso romano is a cup of espresso served with a slice of lemon. The lemon is served to counter the bitterness of espresso. In some places, I have encountered that a few drops of lemon juice is added directly inside the espresso. Why not grapefruit juice? Taste will be similar, additionally <em>highness</em> will be prolonged.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-23T11:55:25.273Z
Interesting. I've tried "Lemonade Coffee" once in a Nespresso store in China. It tasted amazing. I can't seem to remember just how it's made, but I think they poured the Lemonade into the hot coffee and stirred.
ntrch
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-23T11:58:03.657Z
But I'm kind of sensitive to citrus, so grapefruit is not recommended for me. Lemon is fine somehow (I know that lemons surprisingly create a neutralizing effect on the acid in your stomach).
ntrch
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-13T13:53:18.880Z
2018-02-13T13:53:18.880Z
MTSan
<p>Funny you ask this. I can't remember the exact reason why, but I was just reading the other day that how hydrated you are has a pretty large effect on whether on your coffee tolerance. Turns out, the more water you drink, the more buzzed you feel. </p>

<p>If I were you, I'd be careful. It's finals for me right now, and I have so much work, you wouldn't believe. Last night, I decided to drink a medium dark roast with a shot of expresso.... boy! I had the shakes. Every time I would try and concentrate, I could literally feel my brain itch. It's like this tingly sensation that you can't get rid of. Plus, I had the shakes. I still haven't been to sleep and it's about one, here. The most I can manage is about 5 minutes at a time.. but I digress.</p>

<p>Drink more water and double up on the expresso. Just make sure that you sip slowly.. and with discretion.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-01T17:55:49.187Z
2015-12-01T17:55:49.187Z
CoderChic
<p>Out of personal experience, I get a pretty long and persistent buzz when I take coffee, go to sleep, and wake up 40-45 minutes later. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-23T11:53:32.923Z
I tried this a couple of times, even reducing the nap to 10-20 minutes. Some people call it a "Power Nap". I think it works just fine without the coffee, but yeah, it's another option :)
ntrch
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-01T17:01:58.020Z
2015-12-01T17:01:58.020Z
Arnav Gupta
<p>I know it's individual, but in general (or at least, in average):</p>

<p>What are the main factors in how long does a coffee's "high" last? Can I deliberately make it last more than an hour? More than 3?</p>

<p>I would prefer to actually drink as less as possible, so please consider that.</p>

<p><em>If it makes it easier to answer: I'm 24, male, and my coffee intake is about one dose of espresso every other day.</em></p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-22T06:23:58.537Z
I am confused by questions that make coffee sound like some esoteric drug. One "dose" of espresso? Maximizing the "high?" You want to drink "as less as possible" but prolong the effect of caffeine...why not just have another cup and be done with it?
daniel
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-22T13:35:05.453Z
@daniel I meant "high" as in higher blood pressure and flow, higher level of alertness. And the "dose" is only because I didn't want to deal with the exact measure of how many grams I'm putting in my body.
And obviously there are "stronger/weaker" types of coffee. So I naively thought that someone would answer appropriately, and not tell my to "just have another cup". Sorry not sorry :)
ntrch
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-22T13:42:00.157Z
Also, even if I have 6 cups, it starts to wear off about half an hour after the last cup, and also eventually makes me more tired than I was, and keeps me up at night - sleepy but can't sleep.
ntrch
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-23T06:31:38.877Z
Hint: coffee is measured either in "cups" or, in case of espresso, optionally in "shots". Your individual metabolism and individual acquired caffeine tolerance are probably the main factors here, combined with caffeine content of the beverage of your choice.
Stephie
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-23T10:58:50.757Z
I really was under the impression I'd get a comprehensive answer. At least more than what I got in the comments. This question can be removed.
ntrch
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-23T20:02:52.320Z
Actually the answer below, if you go to the neurologist's blog, is interesting and probably the best response possible to your question.
daniel
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-24T06:38:15.757Z
@eontorch, Coffee SE is a pretty small comunity as far as Stack Exchange sites go. We do our best to answer, but there are limits. So please stick to the [be nice](http://coffee.stackexchange.com/help/be-nice) philosophy of all SE sites and assume good intentions on the side of all commenters and answerers. Should you ever want a question to be removed (and I think it would be a shame to loose this one), you may always delete it yourself.
Stephie
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-24T06:43:52.560Z
Plus, I read @daniel's question not as criticism, but simply as a request for details and clarification.
Stephie
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-24T10:44:03.363Z
@daniel I'm really sorry, was having a really bad day, I learned something here, not just about coffee. Thank you for commenting, both you and Stephie! Have a great day :)
ntrch
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-24T15:14:11.727Z
@eontorch: No problem, I was surprised by the answer and so I have to give your question some credit for that. +1.
daniel
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-29T19:39:19.357Z
Looking back at this 2 and a half years later, I wish I'd replied to the comments differently.. Hope I helped some people here :)
ntrch
<espresso><caffeine>
How can I maximize the time the "high" lasts?
ntrch
# How can I maximize the time the "high" lasts?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-11-21)

I know it's individual, but in general (or at least, in average):

What are the main factors in how long does a coffee's "high" last? Can I deliberately make it last more than an hour? More than 3?

I would prefer to actually drink as less as possible, so please consider that.

*If it makes it easier to answer: I'm 24, male, and my coffee intake is about one dose of espresso every other day.*

Thanks.

**Tags:** espresso, caffeine

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I am confused by questions that make coffee sound like some esoteric drug. One "dose" of espresso? Maximizing the "high?" You want to drink "as less as possible" but prolong the effect of caffeine...why not just have another cup and be done with it?  
> **username_0**: @username_1 I meant "high" as in higher blood pressure and flow, higher level of alertness. And the "dose" is only because I didn't want to deal with the exact measure of how many grams I'm putting in my body. And obviously there are "stronger/weaker" types of coffee. So I naively thought that someone would answer appropriately, and not tell my to "just have another cup". Sorry not sorry :)  
> **username_0**: Also, even if I have 6 cups, it starts to wear off about half an hour after the last cup, and also eventually makes me more tired than I was, and keeps me up at night - sleepy but can't sleep.  
> **username_2**: Hint: coffee is measured either in "cups" or, in case of espresso, optionally in "shots". Your individual metabolism and individual acquired caffeine tolerance are probably the main factors here, combined with caffeine content of the beverage of your choice.  
> **username_0**: I really was under the impression I'd get a comprehensive answer. At least more than what I got in the comments. This question can be removed.  
> **username_1**: Actually the answer below, if you go to the neurologist's blog, is interesting and probably the best response possible to your question.  
> **username_2**: @eontorch, Coffee SE is a pretty small comunity as far as Stack Exchange sites go. We do our best to answer, but there are limits. So please stick to the [be nice](http://coffee.stackexchange.com/help/be-nice) philosophy of all SE sites and assume good intentions on the side of all commenters and answerers. Should you ever want a question to be removed (and I think it would be a shame to loose this one), you may always delete it yourself.  
> **username_2**: Plus, I read @username_1's question not as criticism, but simply as a request for details and clarification.  
> **username_0**: @username_1 I'm really sorry, was having a really bad day, I learned something here, not just about coffee. Thank you for commenting, both you and username_2! Have a great day :)  
> **username_1**: @eontorch: No problem, I was surprised by the answer and so I have to give your question some credit for that. +1.  
> **username_0**: Looking back at this 2 and a half years later, I wish I'd replied to the comments differently.. Hope I helped some people here :)  

---

## 7 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2015-11-26. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

Some upperclass chemistry students at the University of Delaware put together a nice site that summarized the effects of caffeine ([http://udel.edu/~danikoll/index.html](http://udel.edu/%7Edanikoll/index.html)), but it has been removed. (A snapshot is available in [Wayback Machine](http://web.archive.org/web/20160523033703/http://udel.edu/%7Edanikoll/index.html).)

Particularly relevant was their description of metabolism of caffeine:

> Caffeine is absorbed in the small intestine, metabolized in the liver cell and distributed to body tissues within 45 minutes of ingestion.
>
> It has a half-life of 3-5 hours in adults but can have a half-life of up to 80 hours in pregnant women prior to delivery.

A technical term in the literature is "oral clearance", meaning the rate at which a drug administered orally is removed from the body, the three elimination pathways being renal, hepatic, and pneumatic. As the references in the above link document, caffeine is eliminated primarily by the liver breaking it down into paraxanthine (84%), theobromine (12%), and theophylline (4%). While these last two compounds have some CNS effects, it is believed that largely caffeine itself acts by competing with adenosine for adenosine receptors.

[![caffeine and adenosine](https://i.sstatic.net/QWQ6F.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/QWQ6F.jpg)

---

The simplest way to extend a caffeine buzz (setting aside pregnancy as impractical for most) is to consume more caffeine. [A more difficult challenge might be finding a way to *shorten* the duration of a coffee buzz.]

A 1985 study [by Abernethy and Todd](http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00544361), "Impairment of caffeine clearance by chronic use of low-dose oestrogen-containing oral contraceptives", demonstrated that the half-life of caffeine is extended by progesterone administration.

You say that you wish to consume as little coffee as possible, so perhaps the same amount of coffee (espresso, once every other day) could be taken in divided doses. This then converts the problem into how to create an equally intense buzz with (say) only half the caffeine.

I've noticed is that a sharp reduction in carbohydrates leads (after a couple of weeks, with mild ketosis) to a stronger physiological response to caffeine.

I can only offer this as an anecdotal observation. There is research on the interaction of [caffeine and glucose on cognitive processing](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20521321) and on the effects of [caffeine consumption on glucose homeostasis](http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/87/5/1254.full). But neither topic is precisely like what I'm suggesting.


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2015-11-23. Score: 12

Without considering the amount or potency of the coffee as well as setting personal metabolism aside, you could adjust your coffee schedule according to your natural circadian rhythm, a methodology neuroscientist Steve Miller refers to as [chronopharmacology](http://neurosciencedc.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/the-best-time-for-your-coffee.html). Essentially, you use the caffeine as a propellant to your natural "up" rhythm. [Gabrielle Taylor's article](http://food-hacks.wonderhowto.com/how-to/youre-drinking-coffee-wrong-heres-really-maximize-your-daily-caffeine-boosts-0150662/) does a fine job of explaining this:

> When you drink coffee during the time when your body is already releasing cortisol, it won't have as strong an effect. Ideally, you want to get your caffeine during the lulls between cortisol spikes—otherwise, you start to develop a tolerance and have to drink more to get the same effect.
>
> Assuming you're on a regular sleep schedule, your cortisol levels naturally spike about an hour after you wake up. If you get up at 7 am, your body is naturally most awake between 8 and 9 in the morning, noon to 1 pm, and again around 5:30-6:30 pm.
>
> So, based on a wake time of 7 am, the best times to drink your caffeine vehicle of choice are 9:30-11:30 am and 1:30-5:00 pm. Obviously you can adjust the schedule according to your own wake time if it's earlier or later.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: If you add a reference/link to Miller's blog (Taylor's source) I will upvote.  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2018-02-10. Score: 5

You would like to prolong the *"high"* that coffee i.e. caffeine causes.

Caffeine is metabolized by your liver. So anything that interferes with your liver metabolizing caffeine would extend the high, although habitual use would see this eroded by habituation.

The *"half-life"* of caffeine, which is how long it takes your body to eliminate half of the caffeine in your system is normally about five hours. A lot of foods, drugs and diseases can affect this though.

For example, narigenin, the enzyme that makes grapefruit juice bitter inhibits CYP1A2 and can prolong the half-life of caffeine by 30% . Oral contraceptives can double the half life of caffeine. And various prescription drugs e.g. fluvoxamine significantly extend the half-life as well.

Liver disease can have dramatic effects. One lady with alcoholic hepatic cirrhosis was reported in the literature as having a half-life of 168 hours for caffeine elimination. So her caffeine high would literally last for days after one espresso.

Unless you are taking a prescription drug that affects caffeine metabolism, your practical options would seem limited to grapefruit juice. Unless you were planning to undergo gender reassignment, then oral contraceptives would have a larger effect.

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: Isn't it a bit ironic? If you want to feel the "high" for long, you should have cirrhosis. I'd rather have another cup.  
> **username_7**: Do we know for a fact that "CYP1A2" inhibition affects caffeine absorption? I was under the impression there was some debate that "CYP1A2" actually broke down caffeine at all.  

---

### Answer by username_8 on 2018-04-17. Score: 3

Taking caffeine in combination with L-Theanine may be linked better cognition, better mood, and a more stable high. It could possibly allow you to consume more caffeine without the classic caffeine jitters.

Many people in the nootropic community swear by it.

[Study](https://academic.oup.com/jn/article/138/8/1572S/4750819) by Simon P. Kelly, Manuel Gomez-Ramirez, Jennifer L. Montesi, and John J. Foxeabout about the possible synergy between caffeine and L-Theanine and cognitive performance.

[Study](http://www.gwern.net/docs/nootropics/2008-owen.pdf) by Gail N. Owen, Holly Parnell, Eveline A. DeBruin, and Jane A. Rycroft about the combined effects on mood and cognition.


---

### Answer by username_6 on 2018-02-13. Score: 3

***Modified* Esresso Romano** is the answer; let's call it "Espresso Hi-Grappo".

According to @username_5's answer above, you may prolong the effects of caffeine by 30% if you consume it together with grapefruit juice. Grapefruit's pharmaceutical effect is well-known. Many drugs have a remark to not to be consumed together with grapefruits.

Now, we can modify *espresso romano* according to our needs. Normally, the espresso romano is a cup of espresso served with a slice of lemon. The lemon is served to counter the bitterness of espresso. In some places, I have encountered that a few drops of lemon juice is added directly inside the espresso. Why not grapefruit juice? Taste will be similar, additionally *highness* will be prolonged.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Interesting. I've tried "Lemonade Coffee" once in a Nespresso store in China. It tasted amazing. I can't seem to remember just how it's made, but I think they poured the Lemonade into the hot coffee and stirred.  
> **username_0**: But I'm kind of sensitive to citrus, so grapefruit is not recommended for me. Lemon is fine somehow (I know that lemons surprisingly create a neutralizing effect on the acid in your stomach).  

---

### Answer by username_9 on 2015-12-01. Score: 2

Funny you ask this. I can't remember the exact reason why, but I was just reading the other day that how hydrated you are has a pretty large effect on whether on your coffee tolerance. Turns out, the more water you drink, the more buzzed you feel.

If I were you, I'd be careful. It's finals for me right now, and I have so much work, you wouldn't believe. Last night, I decided to drink a medium dark roast with a shot of expresso.... boy! I had the shakes. Every time I would try and concentrate, I could literally feel my brain itch. It's like this tingly sensation that you can't get rid of. Plus, I had the shakes. I still haven't been to sleep and it's about one, here. The most I can manage is about 5 minutes at a time.. but I digress.

Drink more water and double up on the expresso. Just make sure that you sip slowly.. and with discretion.


---

### Answer by username_10 on 2015-12-01. Score: 2

Out of personal experience, I get a pretty long and persistent buzz when I take coffee, go to sleep, and wake up 40-45 minutes later.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I tried this a couple of times, even reducing the nap to 10-20 minutes. Some people call it a "Power Nap". I think it works just fine without the coffee, but yeah, it's another option :)  

---

