[Mick]

I think that is taking an ad campaign too literally.

Saying "smoking causes lung cancer" is not wrong just because there are smokers who don't develop lung cancer.  In fact, just like most drug users are mentally healthy, most smokers don't go on to develop lung cancer.  And yet, smoking causes microscopic cellular changes and DNA mutations in pretty much all cigarette users, and most substance use, even a substance as benign as caffeine, can lead to synaptic changes in the brain.

BC

Well if you want to argue that caffeine causes brain damage, I won't put up a fight.

As I drink a diet coke, I would not interpret "can lead to synaptic changes in the brain" as "caffeine causes brain damage".

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29251842

The data suggest that age is an important factor in both caffeine and taurine toxicity. Although the aged or diseased brain might benefit from taurine or caffeine supplementation, it appears that adolescents are not likely to benefit from supplementation and may, in fact, suffer ill effects from chronic ingestion of high doses.

Thankfully, my brain is aged and probably diseased.

BC

From personal experience, I would say that caffeine enhances synaptic activity, particularly before 9 a.m....

[Mick]

I think that is taking an ad campaign too literally.

Saying "smoking causes lung cancer" is not wrong just because there are smokers who don't develop lung cancer.  In fact, just like most drug users are mentally healthy, most smokers don't go on to develop lung cancer.  And yet, smoking causes microscopic cellular changes and DNA mutations in pretty much all cigarette users, and most substance use, even a substance as benign as caffeine, can lead to synaptic changes in the brain.

BC

Well if you want to argue that caffeine causes brain damage, I won't put up a fight.

As I drink a diet coke, I would not interpret "can lead to synaptic changes in the brain" as "caffeine causes brain damage".

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29251842

The data suggest that age is an important factor in both caffeine and taurine toxicity. Although the aged or diseased brain might benefit from taurine or caffeine supplementation, it appears that adolescents are not likely to benefit from supplementation and may, in fact, suffer ill effects from chronic ingestion of high doses.

Thankfully, my brain is aged and probably diseased.

BC

From personal experience, I would say that caffeine enhances synaptic activity, particularly before 9 a.m....