Can caffeine boost your performance?

Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken untangle the confusion around every aspect of our health and wellbeing.

This week, Chris thinks he has seen a hack to optimise his caffeine intake, but will it stack up? To find out if there is any evidence behind Chris’ theory, the Docs have a stimulating conversation with Andy Smith, Professor of Occupational and Health Psychology at Cardiff University, who has been studying the effects of caffeine for over 30 years. They discuss what caffeine does to the brain, why some of us can handle more of it than others, and whether consuming it is a safe way to enhance both our cognitive and physical performance.

If you want to get in touch, you can email us at [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08000 665 123.

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

Guest: Professor Andy Smith

Producer: Jo Rowntree

Executive Producer: Rami Tzabar

Editor: Kirsten Lass

Assistant Producer: Maia Miller-Lewis

Assistant Producer and Researcher: William Hornbrook

Tech Lead: Reuben Huxtable

Social Media: Leon Gower

Digital Lead: Richard Berry

Composer: Phoebe McFarlane

Sound Design: Melvin Rickarby

At the BBC:

Assistant Commissioner: Greg Smith

Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4