27. Caffeine | The Wakefulness That Stays

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of Mohivate, Dr Mohi Sarawgee explores caffeine beyond the morning habit, bringing clarity to the world’s most widely consumed psychoactive substance.Caffeine is not just a pick-me-up. It is a molecule with a thousand-year history, a fascinating pharmacology, and a surprisingly complex relationship with your body.This episode traces caffeine from its origins in the Ethiopian highlands, through the coffeehouses of the Ottoman Empire and the penny universities of Oxford, to the biology of what happens the moment it enters your bloodstream.The conversation covers how caffeine works in the brain, why your genetics determine how long it stays in your system, and what that means for your heart, your sleep, and your health.It explores the science behind energy drinks, the truth about decaf, the clinical reality of caffeine dependence, and emerging research linking caffeine to neurodegeneration.Alongside the science, the episode draws on history, culture, and a little Sufi poetry to place caffeine in its full human context, and asks what it means to consume something so powerful, so unconsciously.A grounded, science-based, and warmly delivered look at the molecule the world runs on, and what it is actually doing to you.References: 1. Cornelis MC, El-Sohemy A, Kabagambe EK, Campos H. Coffee, CYP1A2 Genotype, and Risk of Myocardial Infarction. JAMA. 2006;295(10):1135-1141.https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2025022.Silverman K, Evans SM, Strain EC, Griffiths RR. Withdrawal Syndrome after the Double-Blind Cessation of Caffeine Consumption. New England Journal of Medicine. 1992;327(16):1109-1114.https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM1992101532716013.Gardiner C, Weakley J, Burke LM, et al. The Effect of Caffeine on Subsequent Sleep: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2023;69:101764.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36870101/4.Zhao Y, Lai Y, Konijnenberg H, et al. Association of Coffee Consumption and Prediagnostic Caffeine Metabolites With Incident Parkinson Disease. Neurology. 2024;102:e209201.https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.00000000002092015.StatPearls. Caffeine Withdrawal. National Library of Medicine. Updated 2025.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430790/Comprehensive clinical reference on caffeine withdrawal including DSM-5 criteria, symptoms, and timeline.Just a gentle reminder: this episode is for information, education, and inspiration only. It’s not a substitute for your doctor’s advice. For any personal health concerns, always seek guidance from your doctor.