Optimal Caffeine Intake for Test Day Forum

Nightingale · Post by **Nightingale** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 1:40 pm

Although this an extremely subjective question, I am hoping to get some anecdotal evidence regarding how much caffeine (if any) allows you to perform your best.

I've experimented over the past few months, and what seems to work the best for me is to take half of a five hour energy about an hour to two hours before testing. If I take more than that, I get jittery and tend to miss subtle inferences/wording clues, but any less results in a lack of concentration. (For reference, I am a 170 pound male)

And on a side note, I've found that taking adderall is a big no-no for testing (have prescription). While my focus goes up, adderall seems to inhibit my ability to think abstractly, which obviously is necessary for performing well.

So what works the best for you? Do you take caffeine both before testing and during the break?

Thanks for any replies.

Kimikho · Post by **Kimikho** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 2:11 pm

I'm not supposed to have caffeine, so I don't normally before PTs. I plan on bringing some GUs with caffeine in them as a backup (they have about as much caffeine as half a cup of coffee) at the test, but I doubt I'll need them.

But unless you want this to just be a "share what you do!" thread, it's a little moot. Everyone is different. The optimal caffeine for test day is whatever you've been taking during your PTs.

t-14orbust · Post by **t-14orbust** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 2:14 pm

5 hour energy screwed me on my first take. I thought we would start testing at 8 but we didnt start until 930 and I started to crash hardcore. My hand was literally shaking. Anyways, I find a good combination is a 100mg caffeine pill + 200mg theanine(reduces anxiety/jitters/nervousness). Try it out

ManoftheHour · Post by **ManoftheHour** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 2:21 pm

t-14orbust wrote:5 hour energy screwed me on my first take. I thought we would start testing at 8 but we didnt start until 930 and I started to crash hardcore. My hand was literally shaking. Anyways, I find a good combination is a 100mg caffeine pill + 200mg theanine(reduces anxiety/jitters/nervousness). Try it out

This.

Whatever you're doing while PTing, do the same.

t-14orbust · Post by **t-14orbust** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 2:27 pm

ManoftheHour wrote:
t-14orbust wrote:5 hour energy screwed me on my first take. I thought we would start testing at 8 but we didnt start until 930 and I started to crash hardcore. My hand was literally shaking. Anyways, I find a good combination is a 100mg caffeine pill + 200mg theanine(reduces anxiety/jitters/nervousness). Try it out
This.

Whatever you're doing while PTing, do the same.

Absolutely. FWIW I also planned my bathroom schedule 1.5 weeks prior to the test, and I tried to always eat similar dinners(night before) and breakfasts(day of) for PTs. Don't want to have explosive diarrhea during section 2

, caffeine can do that to you sometimes lol.

dowu · Post by **dowu** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 2:30 pm

Drink 3 redbulls and take a 30 mg adderall.

Report back afterwards.

t-14orbust · Post by **t-14orbust** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 2:37 pm

dowu wrote:Drink 3 redbulls and take a 30 mg adderall.

Report back afterwards.

I don't think they'll need to. National news media should have it covered

JJ123 · Post by **JJ123** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 2:54 pm

I'm a firm believer in pounding caffeine before the test and during the break, as long as you're used to it. I think it makes you go faster, and have the mental stamina to deal with stupid detail-oriented bullshit at 8 am. If Adderall weren't a controlled substance, I'd experiment with taking one, as I'm sure it would help.

PourMeTea · Post by **PourMeTea** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 2:58 pm

Post removed.

wtrc · Post by **wtrc** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 3:02 pm

NeuroSonic is really solid. Half a Bottle before test, half during break. No jitters but caffeine effects still there. I plan on a small cup of coffee at around 730 AM also.

Also, energy from cacao. Highly recommended. Powders like SynchroGenesis put into water. Started having this protein/energy shake for breakfast and it works really well.

akg144 · Post by **akg144** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 3:08 pm

For most of my PTs I just have a 6oz cup of Keurig coffee of various brands Folgers, Starbucks, Gavalia etc. When i'm super serious I skip my coffee intake and instead have 1 5 hr energy and feel an incredible and intense burst of energy, focus, and sustained boost in my levels of cognitive stamina. Although I'm sure some of this is the placeboa effect (working on the subconscious level I've seen tons of 5 hour energy commercials, I've heard others/friends talk about how great 5 hour energy is for their marathon regimine, lifting routine etc. and I look on the back and it talks about how great b12 vitamins are for energy etc) it nevertheless substantially improves my score and my ability to finish each section with time to spare. Instead of feeling lathargic towards the end of each section I have energy too spare. Coffee is 60-140mg of caffine whereas 5 hour energy is 208mg of caffine - that's a significant boost of energy/focus. For me 5 hour energy is a no-brainer, it keeps me focused, energized and alert for hours on end - coffee as much as I love it is no substitute it just gives me just slight enough of a boost for my regular graduate studies not for performance events like the LSAT. If you want to perform at your top level consider what elements of preparation will enable you to do so, perhaps its just 1 6oz cup of coffee for you - it depends on the person.

mojangles · Post by **mojangles** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 4:33 pm

this is way too subjectiveto get a "right" answer. all depends on your caffeine dependence/sensitivity.

day of the test i drank a 5 hour energy like 1.5 hours before the test, drank another one immediately before check in (like, while waiting in line), and drank another one on break. i know that was overkill but caffeine doesn't impact me much, i have on many many occassions drank 5+ redbulls during a night at the bars. if you are very caffeine sensitive this will be a bad idea.

guano · Post by **guano** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 4:35 pm

None - caffeine is a vile drug and you should kick the habit

KingofSplitters55 · Post by **KingofSplitters55** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 4:49 pm

A warm cup of joe about 1.5 hours before the test made with three tablespoons of instant coffee.

Works every time.

ms9 · Post by **ms9** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 4:50 pm

wtrcoins3 wrote:NeuroSonic is really solid.

Agreed 100%. I have one every day. Karen Buttenbaum (my new business partner) was just out here and made fun of me for it. I feel vindicated!

KingofSplitters55 · Post by **KingofSplitters55** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 4:51 pm

guano wrote:None - caffeine is a vile drug and you should kick the habit

Why? Caffeine stimulates the mind, betters one's health from increasing bone density to preventing cancer, and tastes great. Negative effects only come when overdosing, which is extremely difficult to do (whether accidentally or even on purpose - you'd have to drink at least several dozen cups of coffee in a day for such).

Seems like a net benefit to me.

mhaas · Post by **mhaas** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 4:55 pm

1 2500MG B12 pill
1 Extra strength five hour energy
1 Red Bull

Seems to be the perfect blend for me.

guano · Post by **guano** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 4:56 pm

KingofSplitters55 wrote:
guano wrote:None - caffeine is a vile drug and you should kick the habit
Why? Caffeine stimulates the mind, betters one's health from increasing bone density to preventing cancer, and tastes great. Negative effects only come when overdosing, which is extremely difficult to do (whether accidentally or even on purpose - you'd have to drink at least several dozen cups of coffee in a day for such).

Seems like a net benefit to me.

Caffeine is addicting, affects your natural rhtyhm and fucks with your energy levels and metabolism

KingofSplitters55 · Post by **KingofSplitters55** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 5:29 pm

guano wrote:
KingofSplitters55 wrote:
guano wrote:None - caffeine is a vile drug and you should kick the habit
Why? Caffeine stimulates the mind, betters one's health from increasing bone density to preventing cancer, and tastes great. Negative effects only come when overdosing, which is extremely difficult to do (whether accidentally or even on purpose - you'd have to drink at least several dozen cups of coffee in a day for such).

Seems like a net benefit to me.
Caffeine is addicting, affects your natural rhtyhm and fucks with your energy levels and metabolism

Sure, it screws up those things if you drink it half an hour before going to sleep...

And going for a solid run is addicting too, thanks to the "runner's high" - does that somehow make it bad because of its addictive effect (as you imply addiction inherently is bad in your statement, by listing it as among the qualities that are among caffeine's negative effects)?

Addiction results from the brain thinking something is 'good' and therefore acting accordingly chemically. Some "good things" make the brain think they are good and act accordingly chemically with the dopamine/serotonin/etc (doing well on a performance, eating a delicious food, having a good time with friends, reading a good book, the previous example of a run, etc), and therefore will be addictive. If some good things can be/are addictive, how can addiction be inherently bad then unless some good things are also bad (aka a contradiction - unless you want to say those good things are also bad, but that's a pretty sad life then)?

Rollontheground · Post by **Rollontheground** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 6:45 pm

Way, way too much. I used to be a speed-freak, but now that I'm clean Caffeine's all I've got. I consume around 1,000 MGs a day; 300 in the AM and 150 every two hours afterwards, with a strict cut-off at 5pm.

What I've noticed, though — and I'm not sure how to rectify this on test-day — is that I go to the bathroom (1, not 2) every 45 minutes or so. Keep that in mind. Needing to piss during a LR section causes me to sometimes take shortcuts that I later regret.

t-14orbust · Post by **t-14orbust** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 6:47 pm

Rollontheground wrote:Way, way too much. I used to be a speed-freak, but now that I'm clean Caffeine's all I've got. I consume around 1,000 MGs a day; 300 in the AM and 150 every two hours afterwards, with a strict cut-off at 5pm.

What I've noticed, though — and I'm not sure how to rectify this on test-day — is that I go to the bathroom (1, not 2) every 45 minutes or so. Keep that in mind. Needing to piss during a LR section causes me to sometimes take shortcuts that I later regret.

just wear an adult diaper. That's how robin singh got so many 180s. You can't take control of the LSAT if you don't have control over your urine

PourMeTea · Post by **PourMeTea** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 7:00 pm

Post removed.

Rollontheground · Post by **Rollontheground** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 7:06 pm

LOFL, guys.

ManoftheHour · Post by **ManoftheHour** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 7:26 pm

PourMeTea wrote: Pocket catheter is tcr

180

Catheter or bust.

akg144 · Post by **akg144** » Thu Sep 12, 2013 8:42 pm

Gotta love online forums - intelligent conversations invariably devolve into topics completely unrelated to the subject matter of the original poster - case in point - diapers and catheters, which pertained to a comment about excessive liquid intake which pertained to detoxing from speed. Interesting development, gotta love 21st century convos.