Caffeine Anhydrous vs Dicaffeine Malate
How caffeine anhydrous and dicaffeine malate differ in potency, absorption, tolerance, and cost.
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Side by Side
| Caffeine Anhydrous | Dicaffeine Malate | |
|---|---|---|
| Active content | 100% caffeine | 74.3% caffeine |
| Absorption | High | High |
| How it is absorbed | Essentially complete oral absorption, peak plasma levels in 30-120 minutes. Cleared mainly by hepatic CYP1A2 with a half-life of about 5 hours that varies widely. | Two caffeine molecules bound ionically to malic acid; dissociates to caffeine in the gut. Claims of smoother onset or fewer GI effects rest on limited, manufacturer-linked data. |
| Typical dose | 100-200 mg per dose; ergogenic dosing 3-6 mg/kg | 100-300 mg compound |
| Common uses | alertness, exercise performance, pre-workout formulas | energy and pre-workout formulas |
| Side effects | Jitteriness, tachycardia, insomnia, GI upset. | As for caffeine. |
| Cost | Low | Moderate |
| Also called | anhydrous caffeine, pure caffeine | Infinergy |
| Labels in index | 82 | 0 |
When to Choose Caffeine Anhydrous
Choose caffeine anhydrous when you want a precise, inexpensive dose. Dehydrated caffeine, the same molecule as in coffee. Bulk pure powder is dangerous: FDA notes a single teaspoon can contain about 3,200 mg.
Caffeine Anhydrous
Plain caffeine in a tablet. Precise dosing is its only advantage over coffee, and before competition that advantage is real.
What to look for: 100-200 mg tablets. Dose by body weight; 3 mg/kg is a reasonable starting point for exercise.
Find on iHerb Affiliate linkWhen to Choose Dicaffeine Malate
There is rarely a reason to choose dicaffeine malate: it behaves like caffeine at a premium. Caffeine content is about 74% of compound weight.
Dicaffeine Malate
Sold as gentler and longer lasting. No human data back either claim.
What to look for: Caffeine content per serving, which is about three-quarters of the compound weight.
Find on iHerb Affiliate linkProducts on Titrate
In Titrate's index of NIH label data, 82 labels named as caffeine products list caffeine anhydrous and 0 list dicaffeine malate.
Caffeine does not have its own search category yet. Each product above links to its full label in the NIH database.
Related
References
US Food and Drug Administration. Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine is Too Much?.
Juliano LM, Griffiths RR. A critical review of caffeine withdrawal: empirical validation of symptoms and signs, incidence, severity, and associated features. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2004;176(1):1-29.
Cornelis MC, et al. Coffee, CYP1A2 genotype, and risk of myocardial infarction. JAMA. 2006;295(10):1135-1141.
Drake C, et al. Caffeine effects on sleep taken 0, 3, or 6 hours before going to bed. J Clin Sleep Med. 2013;9(11):1195-1200.
Nehlig A. Interindividual Differences in Caffeine Metabolism and Factors Driving Caffeine Consumption. Pharmacol Rev. 2018;70(2):384-411.
Guest N, et al. Caffeine, CYP1A2 Genotype, and Endurance Performance in Athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2018;50(8):1570-1578.
Guest NS, et al. International society of sports nutrition position stand: caffeine and exercise performance. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021;18(1):1.