![]() When it comes to mood, more caffeine isn’t necessarily better.Ī study found that a second cup of coffee produced no further benefits unless it was consumed at least 8 hours after the first cup ( 9).ĭrinking between 3–5 cups of coffee per day or more than 3 cups of tea per day may also reduce the risk of brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s by 28–60% ( 10, 11, 12, 13). ![]() In addition, a study linked drinking 2–3 cups of caffeinated coffee (providing about 200–300 mg caffeine) per day to a 45% lower risk of suicide ( 7).Īnother study reported a 13% lower risk of depression in caffeine consumers ( 8). One review reports that after participants ingested 37.5–450 mg of caffeine, they had improved alertness, short-term recall, and reaction time ( 1). This change in brain messaging is thought to benefit your mood and brain function. This causes a relative increase in other signaling molecules, such as dopamine and norepinephrine ( 5, 6). It stimulates the brain by blocking the effects of the neurotransmitter adenosine.Ĭaffeine has the ability to block the brain-signaling molecule adenosine. SummaryĬaffeine’s main effect is on the brain. Because it affects your brain, caffeine is often referred to as a psychoactive drug.Īdditionally, caffeine tends to exert its effects quickly.įor instance, the amount found in one cup of coffee can take as little as 20 minutes to reach the bloodstream and about 1 hour to reach full effectiveness ( 1). This combination further stimulates the brain and promotes a state of arousal, alertness, and focus. It may also increase blood adrenaline levels and increase brain activity of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine ( 3). This blocks the effects of adenosine, leading to reduced tiredness ( 3). Normally, adenosine levels build up over the day, making you increasingly more tired and causing you to want to go to sleep.Ĭaffeine helps you stay awake by connecting to adenosine receptors in the brain without activating them. It functions by blocking the effects of adenosine, which is a neurotransmitter that relaxes the brain and makes you feel tired ( 2). That said, caffeine’s main effect is on the brain. That energy drinks are labeled as supplements ties the FDA's hands in dealing with such products.Once consumed, caffeine is quickly absorbed from the gut into the bloodstream.įrom there, it travels to the liver and is broken down into compounds that can affect the function of various organs. One victim, age 14, is said to have consumed two 24-ounce Monster drinks containing 240 mg of caffeine each within a day or two. Whether the Monster Energy drinks are really responsible for the reported deaths will not be easy to establish. ![]() ![]() had caffeine about 70 percent below the labeled amount.Ĭonsumer Reports noted one other key point: The FDA considers caffeine as GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) and does not require amounts to be listed on labels.Ī representative of the Monster Beverage Corporation explained that his company does not list caffeine levels "because there is no legal or commercial business requirement to do so, and also because our products are completely safe, and the actual numbers are not meaningful to most consumers."Ĭonsumer Reports points out that Monster drinks - like those of 16 other products - warn against use by children, pregnant or nursing women, and people sensitive to caffeine, and recommend a daily limit. Five of the 16 products that list a specific amount of caffeine.had more than 20 percent above their labeled amount on average in the samples we tested. ![]()
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