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Abstract

Rationale. There is a vast literature on the behavioural effects of caffeine. Many of the studies have involved single administration of a large dose of caffeine that is not representative of the way in which caffeine is usually ingested. Further information is required, therefore, on the behavioural effects of realistic patterns of consumption.

Objectives. The present study aimed to determine whether a realistic drinking regime (multiple small doses – 4×65 mg over a 5-h period) produced the same effects as a single large dose (200 mg). The smaller doses were selected so that the amount of caffeine present in the body after 5 h would be equivalent to that found with the single dose.

Methods. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, within-subjects experiment was, therefore, carried out. The participants (n=24) attended for four sessions. Each session started with a baseline measurement …