Compound library
Understand what people are taking.
Browse medicines, supplements, herbs, and health foods. Each profile brings community reports and linked research into one clear view.
Browse medicines, supplements, herbs, and health foods. Each profile brings community reports and linked research into one clear view.
Stimulant that blocks the brain's adenosine ('tiredness') receptors, found in coffee, tea, energy drinks and pre-workout products. Meta-analyses of placebo-controlled trials show small but consistent gains in endurance (time trials about 2-3% faster at 3-6 mg per kg of body weight), in strength and power, and in attention and reaction time, with the biggest effects after sleep loss. The costs are just as well documented: it shortens and lightens sleep, raises blood pressure, and can trigger anxiety or panic in people prone to it. EFSA considers up to 400 mg a day from all sources, and no more than 200 mg at once, safe for healthy adults.
19 of 20 results reported a benefit, from 5 published studies.
5 studies, including a review of trials
These are the figures the studies reported, not a prediction for any one person. Where several studies measured the same thing in the same unit, we show a simple average and say so. Every individual result is listed below.
See every resultMemory, mental clarity, and overall brain health. Critical for healthy ageing and peak performance.
Also known as: Caffeine anhydrous, 1,3,7-Trimethylxanthine
Every published result for this pair, extracted and audited.
These charts group published studies by what they reported and how they were run — green marks studies that reported a benefit for this pairing. Tiers run from pooled analyses of many trials (strongest) to one-off observational reports.
Direction of reported outcomes for Caffeine in cognitive function.
Study designs behind these findings.
Hand-selected PubMed studies, linked to the originals.
Ordered by strength of evidence, then result direction.
01Ginkgo biloba for cognitive impairment and dementiaWieland LS, et al. · The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2026PMID 41641880 ↗02Effects of acute exercise on cognitive function: A meta-review of 30 systematic reviews with meta-analysesChang YK, et al. · Psychological bulletin · 2025PMID 39883421 ↗03Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761 is safe and effective in the treatment of mild dementia - a meta-analysis of patient subgroups in randomised controlled trialsRiepe M, et al. · The world journal of biological psychiatry : the official journal of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry · 2025PMID 39895346 ↗04Associations between Diet and Cognitive Function in Stroke Survivors: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysisAmanat S, et al. · Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) · 2025PMID 40355028 ↗Be the first to share what you noticed with Caffeine for cognitive function. Why counts start empty.
Every measured outcome, one row per finding - numbers exactly as reported.
| Study | Design | n | Duration | Outcome measured | Reported result | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PMID 40335666 2025 | Systematic review | 1455 | - | accuracy | 0.27 SMD | Benefit |
| PMID 40335666 2025 | Systematic review | 1455 | - | reaction time | 0.28 SMD | Benefit |
| PMID 31045484 2019 | Systematic review | - | - | Marksman reaction time | reported qualitatively | Benefit |
| PMID 31045484 2019 | Systematic review | - | - | Marksmanship (shooting) accuracy | reported qualitatively | No benefit |
| PMID 28969341 2017 | Systematic review | - | - | Attention and vigilance in sleep-deprived adults | reported qualitatively | Benefit |
| PMID 28969341 2017 | Systematic review | - | - | Complex reaction time in sleep-deprived adults | reported qualitatively | Benefit |
| PMID 28969341 2017 | Systematic review | - | - | Problem solving and reasoning in sleep-deprived adults | reported qualitatively | Benefit |
| PMID 33800853 2021 | Meta-analysis | - | - | Attention, accuracy and speed during exercise (pooled, 5 studies) | reported qualitatively | Benefit |
| PMID 33800853 2021 | Meta-analysis | - | - | Self-reported energy, mood and cognitive function during exercise | reported qualitatively | Benefit |
| PMID 31837359 2020 | Meta-analysis | - | - | Accuracy on attention tests | g = 0.68 (95 % CI: 0.48-0.88) | Benefit |
| PMID 31837359 2020 | Meta-analysis | - | - | Accuracy on information processing tasks | g = 0.43 (95 % CI: 0.30-0.55) | Benefit |
| PMID 31837359 2020 | Meta-analysis | - | - | Crystallized intelligence | reported qualitatively | Benefit |
| PMID 31837359 2020 | Meta-analysis | - | - | Executive function | g = 0.35 (95 % CI: 0.15-0.55) | Benefit |
| PMID 31837359 2020 | Meta-analysis | - | - | Lateral vehicular control on driving tests | g = 1.67 (95 % CI: 1.32-2.02) | Benefit |
| PMID 31837359 2020 | Meta-analysis | - | - | Longitudinal vehicular control on driving tests | g = 1.60 (95 % CI: 1.16-2.03) | Benefit |
| PMID 31837359 2020 | Meta-analysis | - | - | Memory | reported qualitatively | Benefit |
| PMID 31837359 2020 | Meta-analysis | - | - | Occupational performance | reported qualitatively | Benefit |
| PMID 31837359 2020 | Meta-analysis | - | - | Reaction time | g = 1.11 (95 % CI: 0.75-1.47) | Benefit |
| PMID 31837359 2020 | Meta-analysis | - | - | Response time on attention tests | reported qualitatively | Benefit |
| PMID 31837359 2020 | Meta-analysis | - | - | Response time on information processing tasks | g = 1.95 (95 % CI: 1.39-2.52) | Benefit |