Caffeine is a stimulant of the central nervous system that provides energy and alertness. Caffeinated beverages, such as coffee, tea and sodas, are common among most people to provide energy throughout the day. Recently, caffeine pills have emerged as a popular trend and are preferred over caffeinated beverages.

Caffeine pills are around the same size as an Advil, or Ibuprofen capsule, and contain 200mg of caffeine per pill. This is equal to about two cups of coffee. It is not recommended to consume more than 400mg of caffeine per day for men or women. Two caffeine pills are equivalent to four cups of coffee, which is the maximum recommended daily dose.

“I love the taste of coffee and will still get a coffee probably once a week, just for the taste, but I like taking caffeine pills,” Pace junior Josie Lovallo said. “They are more cost efficient than buying a coffee every morning and are easy to take when I wake up or before I leave for class.”

A bottle of caffeine pills ranges from eight dollars to ten dollars, at CVS or Walgreens, and contains 40 to 60 pills.

According to Julie Boehlke of Livestrong, “Popping an additional caffeine pill to get more energy and stamina can be easy, but doing so can be dangerous. Consuming over 500 mg a day is considered heavy use. You may begin to experience extreme nervousness, insomnia, rapid or irregular heartbeat, muscle tremors, nausea, irritability, and restlessness.”

The side effects of caffeine pills are dependent on the dosage consumed and the person’s tolerance to caffeine.

“One pill of around 100 to 300 mg of caffeine will generally feel like you have consumed between two to four cups of coffee,” Boehlke said. “At this point, you will begin to feel alerted and more aware of your surroundings and will be able to focus and concentrate better.”

The sudden rush of energy provided from a caffeine pill may tempt consumers to take more than the recommended dose. Overdosing on caffeine can cause dizziness, insomnia, headache, fever, irritability, hallucinations, confusion, chest pain, irregular or fast heartbeat, uncontrollable muscle movements, and convulsions. Caffeine pills should be taken with caution at all times.