Caffeine (slow-release microencapsulated)

Mechanism

Caffeine blocks adenosine, the molecule that builds up over your waking hours and makes you sleepy. Standard caffeine spikes and falls off in 4 hours. The slow-release form keeps you alert across a full 8–12 hour shift without the second-hour jitter or the fifth-hour crash. Paired with L-theanine, the result is steady focus rather than wired-and-tired.

Why we use it

Sleep-medicine guidelines support caffeine for shift workers because it works. The problem is the delivery curve — immediate-release leaves you crashing mid-shift. The slow-release form is engineered specifically for sustained vigilance.

How we dose it

Hericea uses 100 mg per serving (per On-Shift stick pack). The clinical trial range that anchors this dose is 100–200 mg/day.

100 mg of caffeine — about a single cup of coffee — but encapsulated in a slow-release coating so it dribbles into the bloodstream over 4+ hours instead of spiking once and crashing.

Quality & sourcing

Slow-release microencapsulated caffeine anhydrous; sustained release ≥4hr. NSF Annex C permitted.

SR microencapsulation tech; not immediate-release powder.

Cautions

• consult physicianAvoid if pregnant, on stimulants, or with arrhythmias.
• informationalAvoid within 6hr of intended sleep.