Caffeine: All about its effects and correct dosage

Whether in the morning to get you going or as a help against that afternoon slump, for many people, coffee and the caffeine it contains are simply a necessary part of being productive throughout the day. Learn more about the effects of caffeine on your body and how you can make the most of it.

You probably consume caffeinated beverages like coffee, tea, and hot chocolate to keep you energized during a long workday. However, caffeine is more than just a pick-me-up. Like any so-called psychotropic substance, caffeine affects your state of mind, lifting your mood and boosting your circulation and metabolism.

If you want to make even better use of caffeine and its positive effects, you have the option of not only consuming caffeine in coffee or other beverages, but you can also use caffeine in a targeted manner with the help of certain dietary supplements.

A whole range of different caffeine supplements are available to ensure you get the ideal caffeine dose. The result: You'll be fully focused during exercise and at work.

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1. What is the effect of caffeine on the human body?

The effect of caffeine occurs at the cellular level, namely in the nerve cells, i.e. the cells responsible for transmitting information in your body.

Caffeine has a similar chemical structure to your body's own substance adenosine. This substance can slow down the functioning of nerve cells by binding to certain receptors.

Due to its similarity to adenosine, caffeine can occupy the same receptors without sending the message to nerve cells to work less. This way, caffeine can maintain your productivity and performance over a longer period of time. [1]

In addition to stimulating the nervous system, caffeine has the following effects:

• Greater concentration and alertness

• The heart beats faster and stronger

• Pulse and blood pressure increase

• Dilation of blood vessels, especially in the arms and legs

• Digestion and metabolism work more actively

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2. How does caffeine reduce fatigue?

With caffeine in coffee, espresso, tea, or other caffeinated beverages, your tiredness can sometimes be a thing of the past. How can this effect of caffeine be explained?

The chemical structure of caffeine causes a number of positive caffeine side effects. By stimulating the cardiovascular system, your heart pumps faster, which accelerates oxygenation. Your blood contains more oxygen and flows faster because the blood vessels dilate.

As a result, your muscles and central nervous system are better supplied and can therefore function more effectively. You feel full of energy. [2]

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3. How long does caffeine stay in the body?

The effects of caffeine extend from the time it's absorbed into the bloodstream to its breakdown and excretion. After a cup of coffee, cola, or energy drink, it takes about 45 minutes for the caffeine to enter your bloodstream.

How long the effects of caffeine last depends on how quickly your body can break it down. Experts usually say the effect lasts for at least four hours. [3]

With very high doses of caffeine over a long period of time, your body becomes accustomed to this chemical and develops strategies that mitigate its effects. This accustoming process occurs after about two weeks of strong coffee consumption or caffeine intake.

So that you don't have to miss out on a warm, delicious drink in the morning, but still give your body a break from caffeine, we recommend that you try decaffeinated coffee every now and then.

4. What you need to know about caffeine dosage

Regularly consuming large amounts of caffeine can lead to side effects such as fatigue and nervousness. For this reason, proper caffeine dosage is important. Generally, you should pay attention to your body and see how strongly it reacts to caffeine.

One thing is certain: the maximum amount of caffeine you should consume depends on your body weight. A safe intake of 400 mg of caffeine per day for a body weight of 70 kg is considered safe. This corresponds to an amount of 5.7 mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight.

There's no definitive answer to the question of whether caffeine is healthy or not. Caffeine works through similar mechanisms to other psychoactive substances, but it's not considered an addictive substance.

Learn more about caffeine from our mental coach Patrick in this podcast:

5. How much caffeine is in 1 cup of coffee?

To avoid exceeding the recommended caffeine intake, you should know the caffeine content of common caffeine sources. In everyday life, it's certainly easier to count the number of cups of coffee than the caffeine in milligrams. Here's a clear summary of the caffeine dose per cup: [4]

• Coffee : The amount of caffeine per cup of coffee is 50 mg, based on a standard 125 ml coffee cup. Larger cups contain a correspondingly higher amount of caffeine. A 250 ml cup, which is also common, contains 100 mg of caffeine.

• Cappuccino : Caffeine in a cappuccino has a quantity of about 90 mg in the usual size of 200 ml

• Espresso : Despite the small amount of liquid, the caffeine content in espresso is comparable to coffee or cappuccino: one cup of espresso has about 80 mg of caffeine

• Tea : The amount of caffeine in tea is higher than you probably think: 80 mg in 200 ml is common in mate tea. However, almost all tea contains caffeine. A regular cup of tea contains about 11 mg of caffeine.

Since a caffeine dose of about 400 mg (at a body weight of 70 kg) per day is considered safe, four or eight cups of coffee per day are acceptable, depending on the cup size.

6. What are the sources of caffeine?

Caffeine is a natural component of many plants. They use the chemical to protect themselves against pests. Caffeine-containing plants include coffee and cocoa, various tea plants, the kola plant, and the guarana tree. [5]

In addition, there is now artificially produced caffeine. Its effects are no different from those of plant-based caffeine.

7. Caffeine tablets: How do they differ from plant-based caffeine sources?

Everyone can use a power boost sometimes in their daily life, especially when there's a lot on their plate, such as sports, presentations, or stressful exam periods. To effectively boost your performance, caffeine tablets are the right tool. They're healthier than sugary energy drinks and more effective than coffee, as just one or two tablets can have the same effect as a cup of coffee.

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Conclusion

Whether tea or coffee, caffeine boosts your metabolism, awakens your spirits, and improves your ability to concentrate. For a short-term boost, caffeine supplements like caffeine tablets are ideal.

INDIVIDUAL REFERENCES:

[1] Nieber, K., Felke, S., et al. (2007) Pharmaceutical Journal, Vol. 4. Caffeine. Luxurious Food and Medicinal Product. [https://www.pharmazeutische-zeitung.de/ausgabe-042007/coffein-genussmittel-und-arzneistoff/]

[2] Borota, D., Murray, et al. (2014) Nature Neuroscience. Vol. 17. Post-study caffeine administration enhances memory consolidation in humans. [ https://www.nature.com/articles/nn.3623 ]

[3] Schulz, SC (2019) Caffeine: Effects, Side Effects, and What Else You Should Know, Utopia. [ https://utopia.de/ratgeber/koffein-wirkung-nebenwirkung-und-was-du-sonst-noch-wissen-solltest/ ]

[4] FoodData Central, US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA), Agricultural Research Service. [ https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171890/nutrients ]

[5] Entry on caffeine at Vetpharm, accessed on 14 October 2019. [ https://www.vetpharm.uzh.ch/wir/00000005/8082_01.htm ]