caffeine pills instead of coffee?

To second Tim, I have used the Nuun + Caffeine both in the morning as a coffee replacement and in the afternoon for a pick me up. I’m a big fan of Nuun products in general and highly recommend them. For some reason, I do find that the Clif Shot Energy Gels are better in the morning. They contain caffeine extractions from both coffee and tea. In combination with the Maltodextrin, it makes for a smooth buzz without a crash. Also, it is made primarily with organic ingredients. Just in case that’s something you care about. Nuun also uses high quality non-gmo ingredients in their products. I’ve found it is cheapest to buy both products in smaller quantities at Walmart.

Not sure about others here but I am very in tune with my caffeine source. Synthetic causes a unpleasant, fast acting, agitating buzz-I avoid this at all costs.  Green tea extract hits fast, causes stomach growling quickly and peaks quickly-not a fan and is in most caffeinated tablets or electrolyte supplements.  Coffee sourced-be it instant, brewed or green bean extract, is the most pleasant, slowest to peak and longest to fade. I mix my caffeine with fat of some kind-butter usually-and it really helps level the peaks and produce the longest ‘energy’ feeling.

I guess I’m the odd man out.

I use caffeine pills and don’t drink coffee. I need the lift an hour or two after lunch. I cut a 200 mg pill into quarters and “microdose” 50 mg, then wait a half hour or more to see if I need another 50 mg. Usually 50-100 mg is enough. No upset stomach, no jarring buzz, no unpleasantness…don’t really notice anything except the veil of sleepiness lifts and I have energy again. I strictly cut off caffeine use at 3 pm, so its 5-6 hour half life doesn’t interfere with sleep.

Last overnighter, I completely forgot coffee. I did bring caffeinated hydration tablets, which I was planning on drinking in the afternoons as an experiment. I ended up drinking one in the morning and one in the afternoon. They worked pretty well to wake me up and may have kept me a little better hydrated, so I’ll keep bringing them. But I’m going to make sure I remember the coffee for breakfast.