Sengoku and Ancient 'Doping Foods': Tracing the History of Caffeine, Alcohol, and Stimulant Herbs

1. Introduction: Battlefield 'Action Foods' Were the Supplements of Their Day

What we consider 'doping' today,

was considered common wisdom in ancient and Sengoku times as 'action foods to prepare the mind and body.'

Focus, calmness, excitement, endurance—

In every era, warriors had their own unique 'means of awakening.'

2. Japan, Sengoku Period: The Culture of Blending Matcha and Medicinal Sake

Matcha (caffeine + theanine)

→ Achieving both mental stability and alertness.

Records remain of tea being served in the camps of Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin.

Medicinal sake (alcohol + herbal medicine)

→ Used for tension relief and ritual purposes.

A small amount of sake infused with bamboo grass and ginger was consumed before battle.

3. Ancient Greece and Rome: 'Battle Potions' of Honey and Herbs

Melitites, a mixture of honey water, wine, and mint.

Kykeon, a mixture of barley and mint, had stimulant properties.

→ Used before combat and in religious rituals.

It could be called the prototype of modern energy drinks.

4. Vikings and Hallucinogenic Mushrooms

Fly agaric, said to have been consumed by 'Berserker' warriors.

It dulled pain and fear, inducing a 'berserker state'.

→ A form of combat doping.

5. 'Endurance Foods' of the Mongols and Middle East

Kumis (fermented mare's milk): A quick-acting energy source of sugar and trace alcohol.

Coffee and Khat (cathinone-based plants): Maintaining alertness during night watches and expeditions.

6. 'Ancient Doping Protocols' from a Modern Perspective

Purpose Modern Example Methods of the Time

Alertness/Focus Caffeine Tea/Coffee

Excitement/Morale Amphetamines Alcohol/Hallucinogenic Mushrooms

Fatigue Reduction Sugar + BCAA Honey water/Kumis

Anxiety Suppression Beta-blockers Theanine/Medicinal herbs

7. Conclusion: Humans Have Always Sought 'Awakening'

Whether Sengoku warlords or ancient warriors,

the goal was the same—ingenuity to 'perform at one's best when it counts'.

Energy drinks and protein supplements are both extensions of history.

At their foundation lies a culture of 'action food' as wisdom for overcoming fear.

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In the next article, we will break down 'Sengoku samurai field rations (dried rice, miso balls, and tea)'

from the perspective of nutritional science and psychological effects.