Natural vs Synthetic Caffeine - What's The Difference?

It's a modern staple in energy drinks, sodas and of course - the big reason we love tea and coffee!

But did you know, there is two main sources of caffeine that is used in the food and drink we know and love?

Found in over 60 different plant species. These include..

• Coffee
• Tea
• Guarana
• Cacao
• Kola nuts
• Yerba Maté

Natural caffeine is rarely found on its own. It is usually bound with vitamins and methylxanthines found in the plant. These substances help regulate how fast your body uptakes caffeine making the lift and fall from the stimulant less intense.

This prevents the jitters and the nasty crash that hits you after a synthetic caffeine energy hit. This slow release makes you less susceptible to the red face, difficulty sleeping and anxiousness synthetic caffeine can give some individuals.

Synthetic is made in a lab in and is a highly concentrated form. It doesn't have the vitamins and methylxanthines that regulate release in the body. Instead, it is quickly processed by the digestive system. This means you have a bigger energy rise and crash.

It's cheaper to produce in mass quantities as natural caffeine is harder and more expensive to source. This means synthetic caffeine is more available in widely distributed soft drinks and energy drinks whilst often accompanied with high levels of sugar.

There you have it!

You can learn more via the articles below:

True Protein

Harvard