Caffeine may help boost memory, study shows: Caffeine “may help boost long-term memory,” according a new study published in the journal Nature Neuroscience. In the study, participants took a 200 mg caffeine pill or a placebo after looking at a set of images. A day later, those who took caffeine were better at identifying certain pictures compared to those who took a placebo pill. However, “participants who took a caffeine pill before the memory test – as opposed to after – had no improvement in memory,” so you might want to wait on your morning coffee in order to remember the day better. Taking more than 200 mg (about one to two cups of coffee) was not associated with any further benefits.