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Longer Lasting Caffeine

Posted by michael on from the good-to-the-last-drop dept.

falser writes "Caffeine addicted geeks everywhere may rejoice that scientists have discovered a protein that appears to be responsible for amplifying the caffeine buzz. It also makes the effects last longer. Just one question: how soon until we have a new generation of ultra powerful caffeine products?"

9 of 51 comments (clear)

  1. Please Read the Article by Mick+D. · · Score: 5, Informative

    The Chemical they are talking about (DARPP-32) is what makes as long lasting as it is in humans and mice. We already have it in our brains and it creates a positive feedback mechanism that keeps the stimulating effects of caffeine going.

    The mice without DARPP-32 reacted very minimally to ~6 cups of coffee worth of caffeine.

    --

    Is this the end yet?...How 'bout now...how 'bout now...how 'bout now?
  2. Hyper-caffeinated products? by evalhalla · · Score: 3, Interesting

    From the article it seems that the proteine is already in the human (or mice's) brain, and that it prolonges the effect of caffeine, but the effect of adding such proteine in the body directly aren't clear. Maybe it has more or less the same effect of caffeine, maybe if you take it together with caffeine the body feels that there is already enough of it and you have the (gulp!) opposite effect. So one of the few researchs that could have helped caffeine-addicted people ends helping those sad "decaffeinated" people out there, and this is not good. :)

    Me, I'll just stick to real coffee and use chocolate to enhance the effect of caffeine.

    By the way, I wonder whether the big number of people in favour of "caffeinated" as opposed do "decaffeinated" in the pool has something to do with people from slashdot. :)

  3. It's too big a molecule... by Peter+T+Ermit · · Score: 4, Insightful
    A 32,000-dalton protein tends to get digested rather than passing directly into the protein, so you'd have to administer it intravenously. And then it has to get past the blood-brain barrier. Even if you got it directly into the brain it's far from obvious that it would have the effect you like.

    Sorry, no Jolt++ for you.

  4. So THAT'S why coffee has so little effect on me by renehollan · · Score: 5, Interesting
    I have to drink massive quantities of strong coffee to feel anything. It's effect on me is mostly psychological: "... ah, that first cup of warm coffee in the morning shakes off the cold of getting out of bed..." ('course I now live in Texas, where it can be 95F at 6:00AM, but you get the idea).

    Perhaps I have a genetic mutation that causes this protein to not be present. Researchers also said that it may play a role in enhancing the effects of cocaine and amphetemines. If coke's reputation weren't so dangerous, it might be worth snorting a small line to see if I was immune to that too (though I do not indulge in illicit drugs for recreational purposes). Of course the U.S.'s "War on Drugs" makes such research practically impossible. Perhaps people with an excess of this protein are more likely to become addicted to coke. Certainly formal research in this area might go a long way toward understanding the chemical basis for certain drug addictions.

    --
    You could've hired me.
  5. Why aren't there any caffiene patches? by kiick · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Wouldn't it be really convenient to just slap on a caffiene patch in the morning and forget about it? I'm sure there are times when, for whatever reasons (medical, maybe) drinking lots of coffee/coke is not advisable. We need a patch!

    1. Re:Why aren't there any caffiene patches? by dreamchaser · · Score: 3, Informative

      There are, you just can't buy them anywhere. Several hosptials are testing them as a means of helping people shake off the foggy after effects of anasthesia faster.

  6. Make the leap by Hoi+Polloi · · Score: 3, Funny

    I've already switched to methamphetamines!

    --
    It is by the juice of the coffee bean that thoughts acquire speed, the teeth acquire stains. The stains become a warning
  7. L-Tyrosine is known to do this by Deagol · · Score: 3, Informative
    A few years ago, I was researching the ACE "stack" (Asprin, Caffeine, and Ephedra). This is often used to either: a) loose weight; or b) increase effectiveness of strength training. L-Tyrosine is an amino acid which, when added to this mix (or caffeine alone), prolongs its effects and reduces the "jitters". So go visit your local health food store for similar stuff.

    Never tried it myself, though.

    --
    Method of processing duck feet
  8. Eat grapefruit. by digitaltraveller · · Score: 4, Informative

    Seriously. The naringin in grapefruit prevents the breakdown of xanthines in the liver. The net effect is that certain pharmacological substances last longer. It works with other drugs too. It can conceivably contribute to OD-type situations as well. Also, as someone above said, the amino acid tyrosine also will potentiate the effects, as will other substances. Bodybuilders use this for dieting and have known about this for years. They are after all mostly walking lab experiments