Caffeine Patches (Transdermal Caffeine)

Of many mind altering substances, I have found that caffeine is a good stimulant when used in small doses. However, one thing I don't like about caffeine is the way it is usually taken: coffee. While I do savour the smell of coffee, the taste is unenjoyably bitter and the processing of ingested chemicals is dependent on how much food you have eaten beforehand. This means that one cup of coffee can make one very jittery if he/she hasn't eaten 4 hours beforehand or hardly affect one at all if he/she has eaten a lot recently, making coffee drinking a variable experience. Also, I just don't have an inclination towards coffee, I prefer tea.

I like exploring different ways of using chemicals. One method I have found that works for me and that I enjoy is transdermal administration of caffeine (through the skin). These caffeine patches give a more controlled release throughout the day and make the experience smoother, plus all I do is slap on a patch and forget about it.

This instructable will show you an alternative to the traditional method of ingesting caffeine from coffee: caffeine patches!

Step 1 Materials (Inexpensive)

Items you will need:

-Large Bandages (small ones work too but are less effective, found at your local pharmacy for ~4 dollars)
-Pure Caffeine/Caffeine Pills (found online or at local pharmacy. I bought 1/2 pound pure caffeine online for ~4 dollars)
-A Cup/Glass
-Microwave

Optional:
-A dropper
-A scale
-A caffeine addiction

Comments

[redwren]

Um. If you use the alcohol or ethanol, don't drink it. High purity alcohol can kill you, caffeine or no. Just thought I should mention that.

[WhatThePuck]

My apologies, but I seem to be slightly confused. This is an interesting Instrustable. Well made, and all, but I found it under the coffee contest. I see no use of coffee, however, in the instructable. I mean, yes, you are using caffeine pills, and are showing us a way to get the caffeine into our system, but this is not coffee, this is a pill. Commenting that it is comparable to X amount of coffee isn't using coffee.

That being said though, this is an interesting and well put together Inst.

[Morphone]

I don't really think you can blame me, Instructables makes the contest rules. What constitutes coffee is what we really should ask. Does it have to have a certain tannin content? Can dairy queen and starbucks drinks using artificial coffee flavouring with no real coffee content be considered coffee? Does it have to have a certain flavour? Do coffee-dyed scarves count? Does there have to be a liquid or only use brown beans? The line of defining coffee seems vague at this point and I'm in no position to decide what is right and wrong. I cannot say whether my submission qualifies.

[Dream Dragon]

Ordinary Caffine does not pass the dermal barriers very well. The average particle size is around 100 microns, in order to pass through the skin in this way it would need to be less than 20. it's POSSIBLE but not easy and not cheap.

[Morphone]

I would like to agree with that statement this but this only confuses me because there are other chemicals which are structurally far larger than caffeine (such as fentanyl, scopolamine, vitamin B12, etc) that are transdermally active as well. I have however edited the instructable to note that using alcohol (ethanol) will increase skin permeability. By calculating the longest length of a caffeine atom (based on bond lengths) if you were to stretch out it's longest possible side, it would be ~779 picometers, which is 1/1284th of a micron, much smaller than the average particle. Not to be mean, but could you clarify? The first structure below is caffeine, the second one is fentanyl and the third is vitamin B12.

[monsterlego]

I haven't slept in 8 days! Ive got the caffeine patch! each patch is worth the equivalent of 12 cups of coffee! you can stay awake for DAYS! with no side effects. AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!! sorry.

[Morphone]

No side effects? You sound a little...jumpy.

But as I said in the instructable, one patch can only hold roughly 200-300mg of pure caffeine (roughtly equivalent to one cup of strong coffee) + absorbency through skin delays and reduces caffeine administration. You have supercharged patches!

[monsterlego]

I was quoting "meet the Robinsons"

[Morphone]

Sorry, I've never seen it. =\