Is caffeine the root of all evil or the root of all inspiration?

Attention all Jolt fiends and java junkies. Pour yourself a tall glass of your favorite liquid stimulant and get ready to toast the best news we've heard in years: Caffeine may be good for your health! On Monday's show, Leo and Pat ask if caffeine makes you smarter. Vote in our poll below and sound off in the Talkback section.
Here's the story
According to Bennett Weinberg and Bonnie Bealer, authors of The Caffeine Advantage: How to Sharpen Your Mind, Improve Your Physical Performance, and Achieve Your Goals -- The Healthy Way, caffeine has been wrongfully maligned as an unhealthy addictive substance, mentioned in the same shameful breath as cigarettes, alcohol, and speed.
That's just wrong, Weinberg and Bealer say. When consumed moderately and mindfully, caffeine has incredibly positive effects on the mind and body. These include:
  • Improved problem-solving skills
  • Raised IQ
  • Improved short-term memory
  • Improved mood and decreased depression
  • Improved stamina
  • Mild pain-relief properties
  • Powerful antioxidant benefits

However, Weinberg and Bealer acknowledge that there is such a thing as too much caffeine. Their book is partly a guide to understanding what amount of caffeine is optimal for you and how to use this magical chemical to reach new heights of productivity and creativity.
What do you think?
Do you bow to the god of caffeine? Does the smell of fresh-brewed coffee make you drool like an oral surgery patient? Do you work better and feel smarter after a couple shots of the good stuff? Could you do your job without caffeine? Does that idea scare you? Share your thoughts in the Talkback section below the poll and join our discussion on the message boards.