What Does Caffeine Really Do to Your Body? We Break Down 14 Favorite Drinks

Caffeine is temporary, and not for good reasons. The drug has been linked to two deaths after it appeared in a lemonade offering that was discontinued from the Panera Bread chain, and has even been criticized by lawmakers for appearing in carbonated drinks. sold by children.

But despite the negative attention, caffeine is still a popular ingredient in many products that Americans consume regularly. Case in point: Nearly 70% of US adults said in a recent survey that they had a cup of coffee in the past 24 hours – the highest number of drinkers daily coffee recorded in the last two decades. Americans also eat 10 pounds of chocolate a year, and there are many other invisible sources of caffeine that we throw away.

Doctors say it’s important to know what you’re actually eating when you have caffeine products, as well as why you don’t want to overdo it. Here’s how caffeine affects your body, as well as how much it’s in a range of popular products, from espresso to Red Bull.

How does caffeine affect the body?

“Caffeine reduces the effects of adenosine, the signal that makes you feel sleepy, by blocking adenosine receptors,” explains Rob M. van Dam, Ph.D., a nutrition researcher and professor in the departments a Exercise and Nutrition Pathology and Epidemiology, Milken School of Public Health, George Washington University. This means that caffeine stimulates your central nervous system, making you feel more alert and energetic than you otherwise would.

But caffeine is also a diuretic (meaning, it can make you pass out more), increases the release of acid in your stomach, raises blood pressure, and can interfere with absorption. calcium in your body, according to MedlinePlus. Caffeine reaches its peak in your bloodstream within an hour of consuming it, although you may feel the effects for up to six hours.

Caffeine does not affect everyone in the same way. “If someone has ADHD, they may feel drowsy after caffeine,” says Jamie Alan, Ph.D., Pharm.D., assistant professor of pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Michigan. State. He also pointed out that some people may also be more sensitive to the effects of caffeine than others.

The opposite can also be true, especially if you continue to use caffeine over time. The adenosine receptors in your body are less sensitive to caffeine when you expose them to the drug, says Alan. As a result, you can build up a tolerance to caffeine over time.

Do all sources of caffeine affect your body the same way?

It is often assumed by doctors that all sources of caffeine affect your body in the same way. “It doesn’t matter how you use caffeine – eating or drinking – the effect is the same,” says Alan.

However, van Dam notes that emerging studies show that some components of coffee can prevent the effects of caffeine, although more studies are needed to examine these relationships further. “However, it’s helpful to keep track of your total caffeine intake during the day from all sources to avoid overeating,” he says.

These are some of the more popular sources of caffeine you may encounter on a regular basis, and how much caffeine each contains.

Popular sources of caffeine
An 8-ounce cup of drip coffee	95-200 milligrams (robusta coffee beans have twice as much caffeine as arabica)
1-ounce shot of espresso	60-65 milligrams
12-ounce can of Coke	34 milligrams
12-ounce can of Pepsi	38 milligrams
12-ounce can of Diet Coke	46 milligrams
12-ounce can of Mountain Dew	54 milligrams
8-ounce cup of black tea	47 milligrams
8-ounce cup of green tea	28 milligrams
8 ounces of matcha tea	70 milligrams

But there are also expensive products that have reached the market.

In fact, caffeine appears in other foods, too. Dark chocolate (70% to 85%), for example, has more than 22 milligrams of caffeine per ounce, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Since many people eat a lot of chocolate at one time, you can have a lot of caffeine from dark chocolate without realizing it.

How much caffeine is too much?

This is a strange question to answer. Most adults can have 400 milligrams of caffeine per day, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “That’s like four to five cups of coffee,” says van Dam. However, the rate at which caffeine is used in the body varies greatly from person to person.”

Caffeine recommendations are very limited for pregnant women, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) suggests no more than 200 milligrams per day for expectant mothers. People with certain cardiovascular conditions may also have low caffeine thresholds, says Alan.

Signs that you have too much caffeine

You will often experience uncomfortable symptoms if you have too much caffeine. These may include, according to the FDA:

• Trouble sleeping
• Jitters
• Anxiety
• High heart rate
• Stomach ache
• Nausea
• Headache
• Feeling unhappy

“High doses can cause seizures, hallucinations and confusion,” says Alan.

If you feel that your heartbeat is too fast or seems to have an irregular rhythm, Alan recommends seeking medical help. But if you’re feeling sick after having too much caffeine, van Dam says you should give it up. “Usually, waiting it out and cutting back on caffeine in the future is enough,” he says.

“You can also take an antacid to soothe your stomach or eat something unsweetened, like oatmeal or a banana,” says Alan. He points out that going for a walk or doing light exercise can help reduce the effects of caffeine. And, of course, do your best to have as little caffeine as possible.

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