Caffeine as a Skincare Ingredient

Most consumers of coffee understand its potency; it jolts you out of sleep in the morning and keeps you going during the day. The drug in coffee responsible for this phenomenon is caffeine, a central nervous system stimulant. As such, it is able to direct the brain and spinal cord to quickly react to internal and external stimuli by activating specific neurons. Food ingredient supplier Bell Chem stocks high-quality caffeine for its customers, including those in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries where caffeine has become a key ingredient.

Reduces Inflammation

Caffeine is an effective vasoconstrictor. It shrinks the circumference of blood vessels, which alleviates inflammation in the outer layer of skin, the epidermis. For this reason, caffeine is often added to exfoliants to reduce inflammation after the skin is lightly abraded during treatment. Products touting skin hydration often contain caffeine since dehydrated skin is generally stressed, which leads to inflammation, which caffeine is able to control under certain conditions.

Improves Circulation

Dermatologist Dr. Rachel Nazarian of Schweiger Dermatology Group reports caffeine is effective in reducing puffiness around the eyes by improving circulation, especially in aging skin. She noted with a bit of awed surprise that this circulation boost caused her patients’ skin to take on a healthy glow. 

Converts Fat

Dr. Raymond Schep, the Chief Chemist for Colonial Dames Company and member of the CA Association of Toxicologists, focused on caffeine’s effect on cellulite below the skin. Caffeine actively degrades fat by converting it to fatty acids (a process known as lipolysis), which are easily circulated through the blood and metabolized. A small study reported a cream containing caffeine was applied to the upper arms and thighs of 15 participants over 6 weeks. Of those participants, 4/5 noted a decrease in the circumference of both arms and legs (approximately .75 cm) at the end of the study. 

Removes Free Radicals

The natural antioxidant properties of caffeine destroy free radicals in the body, which break down collagen and cause wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, sun spots, sunburn, and redness. Susie Wang is the founder and skincare chemist at 100% PURE. Her company adds caffeine to many of its products to stimulate healing from sun exposure. Caffeine contains chlorogenic acid that soothes while it heals not only sunburn but skin affected by acne. The antibacterial properties of caffeine assist in acne skincare as well. A study on lab mice reported the apoptosis (cell death) of cancerous cells caused by UVB radiation.

Bell Chem is a food ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including caffeine. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.

10 Myths About Caffeine

Caffeine is naturally found in the seeds, fruits, and leaves of many plants. In fact, it is commonly collected and extracted from the seed of the "coffee plant" and the leaves of the "tea bush." These plants use caffeine as a natural pesticide to protect against insects, who like to feed on them. The effect caffeine has on humans is quite different. Instead, caffeine acts as a stimulant drug for the central nervous system, providing alertness and energy to those who consume it. Therefore, it is often found in coffee, tea, soda products, and energy drinks.

There are many rumors, beliefs, and myths about what caffeine can and can't do. Here are ten myths about caffeine that we either busted or confirmed:

1. Caffeine causes heart disease – False Although caffeine will stimulate your heart, it will not cause heart disease. However, if you already suffer from over stimulation, it will worsen the symptoms.

2. Caffeine helps you exercise – True Not only can caffeine provide short bursts of energy, the effects of this chemical can enhance endurance and last for a considerable length of time.

3. Caffeine gets rid of the effects of alcohol – False Despite the common belief, drinking coffee will not eliminate the effects of alcohol.

4. Caffeine will cure a migraine – False Caffeine will relieve a migraine, but it will not cure all the symptoms. If you are taking other headache medications, caffeine will help your body absorb the medication more quickly and bring faster relief.

5. Caffeine will dehydrate you – False Caffeine will not dehydrate you. In fact, if you drink a caffeinated beverage like coffee, it counts toward your hydration for the day, just like water.

6. Caffeine will help with exercise recovery – True People who consume caffeine between sessions of physical activity have more strength than those who do not. Caffeine may also improve exercise recovery by helping to reduce muscle pain and soreness after work outs, training, or any other physical activity.

7. Caffeine can help you lose weight – False Although caffeine can speed up your metabolism, it does not have long-term effects leading to weight loss.

8. Caffeine will cause insomnia – False Because the human body can absorb caffeine so quickly, it also eliminates it quickly. Due to this short life span, having caffeine earlier in the day will not cause insomnia. However, if you decide to have caffeine later in the day, it may interfere with sleep (leave roughly six hours free of caffeine before sleep).

9. Caffeine is harmful for women trying to conceive – False There have been many studies conducted that have not shown any links between consuming low amounts of caffeine and harmful effects that prevent women from getting pregnant. It is suggested however, that when trying to conceive, you should regulate the amount of caffeine you do consume.

10. There are no health benefits to Caffeine – FALSE There are many benefits to consuming caffeine from the obvious signs of alertness, energy, concentration, sociability, and clear-headiness to an improved immune system (anti-inflammatory effects) and helping to lessen allergic reactions by reducing the concentration of histamines.

At our Orlando chemical supply company, caffeine is just one of the many chemical products we offer. In addition to nutritional chemical products, we stock many hard to find tech-grade chemicals and custom compounds. Our chemicals are used in a wide range of applications such as health and nutrition, personal rare care materials, pharmaceuticals, coatings, and industrial applications. Call us at 407-339-BELL (2355) for a full list of our chemical products.

Caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant used both recreationally and medically to reduce fatigue and restore alertness. This chemical produces increased wakefulness, clearer thought processes, enhanced focus, and better general body coordination. The amount of caffeine needed to produce these effects varies depending on a person’s body mass and sensitivity to the chemical. Because this food chemical is readily available as a byproduct of decaffeination, caffeine is not usually synthesized chemically. Caffeine is water-soluble (and lipid-soluble) and therefore easily crosses the barrier that separates the bloodstream from the center of the brain. Once in the brain, this chemical works to counteract the effects of adenosine, a substance that reduces neural activity levels.

90% of American adults consume caffeine on a daily basis. One of the world's main sources of caffeine is the coffee bean, from which coffee is brewed. Other common sources of caffeine include tea and (to a lesser extent) chocolate. Less common sources of caffeine include the yerba maté, guarana and ilex guayusa plants, which are used in the preparation of teas and energy drinks.

As a top-quality chemical supplier in Orlando, Tampa, and Daytona Beach, we look forward to the opportunity to provide your business with quality chemical products and unrivaled customer service. We have a full-time document coordinator as well as quality inspectors to ensure the accuracy and quality every order. Give us a call today at 407-339-BELL (2355) to order chemicals!