The Effects of Caffeine Consumption on Memory Recall in College
Students: A Randomized Controlled Experiment
Angela Mae R. De Ocampo, Blythe Ashley A. Exporna, Essiah Daylle P. Rabino, Gizelle D. De
Grano, Jana Camille A. Tolentino, Jeyanah F. Piamonte, Kate Dharlene J. Sulabo, Ken
Cedric N. Jaurigue, Noel Villena
INTRODUCTION
According to Smith, A., & Jones,
B.,(2022) Caffeine is a widely consumed
substance known for its stimulating effects on
the central nervous system. It is commonly
found in beverages like coffee, tea, and energy
drinks and is often used by college students to
combat fatigue and improve cognitive
performance. One area of interest is the impact
of caffeine on memory recall, which plays a
crucial role in academic success.
In addition to that, Samoggia & Riedel
(2020) added that consumers of coffee drink for
its energetic and therapeutic agents that is the
reason for its prevalence.
Also, Brown, C., et al. (2021) presented
that numerous studies have explored the
cognitive effects of caffeine, with some
suggesting that it can enhance attention,
alertness, and mental performance. On the
contrary, Brown, C., et al. (2021) cited the
specific relationship between caffeine and
memory recall remains a subject of debate and
requires further investigation. Understanding
this association has significant implications for
learning strategies and academic performance.
Moreover, prior research has produced
mixed findings, with some studies suggesting
that caffeine can enhance memory recall, while
others propose potential negative effects or no
significant impact. Factors such as dosage,
timing of consumption, individual differences,
and the type of memory task can influence the
outcomes. (Johnson, D., & Lee, S., 2020).
Abraham et al., (2019) indicated that
while caffeine is a commonly used stimulant
across campus, overuse was not revealed.
Majority of the students reported being able to
go 48-72 hours without caffeine and not
experiencing withdrawal symptoms when going
without it. The review of the literature also
presented that the use of caffeine was higher in
younger people. However, the research
completed as a part of this study from college
students indicated that caffeine overuse may not
be as prevalent as previously thought leading to
caffeine withdrawal in the long run.
In summary, this research aims to
investigate the effects of caffeine consumption
on memory recall in college students. By
examining if there is a significant difference
between the memory recall of the college
students in the commercial coffee and placebo
groups. Also, the practitioners wants to fill the
gap of the most preferred coffee, which is
Nescafé which is known to be produced by
Nestlé, a multinational food and drinks
processing Conglomerate with dominating
coffee production with over 80% of the market
in the Philippines which is the most probable
reason of its known reputation to Filipino
consumers, especially college students. (Alto et
al., 2023)
Thus, the practitioners aim to contribute
to the understanding of cognitive processes and
provide insights into effective learning
strategies. The findings of this study may assist
in enhancing academic performance and
informing recommendations regarding caffeine
consumption for cognitive enhancement.
METHODS
This study employed an experimental
research design with the objective of
establishing causality between caffeine
consumption and memory recall. The
experiment comprised a pre-test and a post-test,
with participants randomly assigned to either
the experimental or control group. The
experimental group consumed commercial
coffee, while the control group ingested a objectives, is presented in the following tables
coffee-like substance devoid of caffeine. The and textual presentation:
study took place in a café located in St.
Poblacion, Malvar, Batangas.
Table 1.
Various instruments were utilized in
executing the experiment. These included a The Descriptive Statistics of both groups in all
standardized coffee, specifically Nescafe tests.
Original, to ensure consistent caffeine levels, N Mean Median SD

and a placebo, rice coffee, without caffeine. PRE-EXP 10 14.9 15 3.755

Additionally, a technique akin to the Brown POST-EX
Peterson Method was employed to test P 10 17 17.5 1.247
participants' recall ability amidst a PRE-CTR
distractor—listening to heavy metal music for L 10 14.6 15.5 3.169
20 seconds. Blood pressure and pulse rate were POST-CT
monitored to ensure participants' well-being. RL 10 17.9 18 0.316
Necessary permissions were obtained before
commencing the study, and all phases were
meticulously documented. Table 1. displays the mean, median, and
standard deviation of each group across
Using a mixed design, twenty
different tests. In the Pre-test, the experimental
respondents were divided into two groups with
group attained a mean score of 14.9, a median
different conditions, as mentioned. The pre-test
of 15, and a standard deviation of 3.755.
involved a learning phase where trigrams were
Consequently, the average score of the 10
visually presented to both groups for 5 seconds
participants falls within the lower half of the
with a 3-second interval, followed by playing
scores. Conversely, the Post-test of the
heavy metal music for distraction. Participants
experimental group yielded a mean score of 17,
then recalled the trigrams. Pre-test scores were
a median of 17.5, and a standard deviation of
analyzed to ascertain any notable differences
1.247, with the average score of the 10
between the groups. Subsequently, participants
participants remaining within the lower half of
consumed either commercial coffee or the
the scores. Additionally, the Pre-test of the
placebo. After 30 minutes, they underwent the
control group produced a mean score of 14.6, a
same test procedures in the post-test. Results
median of 15.5, and a standard deviation of
from the post-test were compared to determine
3.169, indicating that the average score of the
differences in memory recall between the
10 participants also lies within the lower half of
commercial coffee and placebo groups. The
the scores. Lastly, the Post-test of the control
researchers gathered the results and tallied the
group exhibited a mean score of 17.9, a median
data, which were then analyzed by a statistician
of 18, and a standard deviation of 0.316, with
using descriptive statistics such as mean,
the average score of the 10 participants again
median, and standard deviation, alongside the
within the lower half of the scores.
Mann-Whitney U test to determine significant
differences at a 0.05 alpha level, particularly
assessing if those who ingested coffee Table 2.
exhibited greater memory recall than those who The Test of Significant Difference on the
consumed rice coffee. Performance of the Control and Experimental
Groups on the Pre-Test and Post-Test
Statistic p Decision Remarks
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Not
PRE-TEST 46 0.785 Accept Ho Significant
The discussion of the pretest and
posttest outcomes regarding the impact of POST-TEST 28.5 0.05 Reject Ho Significant
caffeine intake on college students' memory
recall, along with their analysis and Note. Hₐ μ Experimental ≠ μ Control
interpretation aligned with the study's
 Table 3 presents the test of significant
difference between the experimental and
control groups' memory recall in both the
Pre-test and Post-test. The p-value of the
Pre-test exceeds the 0.05 alpha level, leading to
the acceptance of the null hypothesis.
Consequently, it can be inferred that despite the
disparity in scores between the experimental
and control groups in the Pre-test, the
difference lacks significance. This suggests that
both groups exhibit similar performance in the
test prior to caffeine consumption. Conversely,
the p-value of the Post-test falls below the 0.05
alpha level, necessitating the rejection of the
null hypothesis. This indicates a significant
difference in memory recall between the
experimental and control groups following
caffeine consumption. However, it is
noteworthy that, based on the descriptive
statistics, the control group achieved higher
recall scores in the Post-test compared to the
experimental group.

CONCLUSIONS

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