By far the most popular stimulant drug in America is caffeine. It helps us wake up in the morning and stay awake during the day. Sadly, many of us ‘need’ it because we don’t get enough sleep, but that’s another issue. We know it works, but often we don’t know how caffeine works. It’s in all sorts of drinks like soda, coffee, tea and energy drinks. And we don’t often pay attention to how much we consume either. In fact, there is 100mg in a typical cup of coffee, 75mg in instant coffee and 50mg in the average tea.1 It is recommended that we get a maximum of 400mg per day. Exercisers are probably OK with a little more, but this much is found in 4 cups of coffee, 10 sodas or about 2 energy drinks. Of course, these amounts are only estimates; products will vary.2

1. How Caffeine Works in Your Body
By: Paul Claybrook, MS, MBA
Nutritionist @
SuperDuperNutrition.com
By far the most popular stimulant drug in America is caffeine. It helps us wake up
in the morning and stay awake during the day. Sadly, many of us ‘need’ it because
we don’t get enough sleep, but that’s another issue. We know it works, but often

2. we don’t know how caffeine works. It’s in all sorts of drinks like soda, coffee, tea
and energy drinks. And we don’t often pay attention to how much we consume
either. In fact, there is 100mg in a typical cup of coffee, 75mg in instant coffee
and 50mg in the average tea.1 It is recommended that we get a maximum of
400mg per day. Exercisers are probably OK with a little more, but this much is
found in 4 cups of coffee, 10 sodas or about 2 energy drinks. Of course, these
amounts are only estimates; products will vary.2
The Side Effects of Too Much Caffeine
Getting too much can cause a condition called caffeinism. It will make you feel
restless, agitated and excited.1 It will then turn into rambling thoughts and speech
as well as insomnia. Plus, you might feel anxious, experience eating disorders and
have trouble sleeping normally. Some caffeine is fine, although usually not within
4-6 hours of bedtime, but be aware and limit your intake to avoid these nasty side
effects.
How Caffeine Works in Plants (Where it Comes From)
The chemical name for caffeine is 1, 3, trimethylxanthine, but we’ll stick with
caffeine.’ It naturally occurs in the seeds or leaves of plants. The content varies
widely among different plants, but the most well-known are the seeds of the coffee
plant. Its purpose is a deterrent to bugs. Caffeine often messes up insect chemistry
and thus keeps them away, but in humans it causes stimulation of the brain.3,4
How Caffeine Works in Your Brain?
You certainly already know that caffeine makes you feel more alert, awake and
perhaps focused. The reason for this that its structure is very similar to that of two
chemicals. First, adenosine and second, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP
for short), which is essentially how caffeine works as you will see. Adenosine
attaches to brain cells and causes certain effects, namely fatigue. As more and

3. more builds up in brain cells, you become more and more tired. Normally, when
you sleep, this adenosine is cleared away. But caffeine has a similar effect. Since
it ‘looks’ so much like adenosine, it can bind to the receptors on brain cells that are
normally reserved for it. If the caffeine is binding it, then adenosine can’t. Thus,
you don’t feel tired.
Caffeine and cAMP
cAMP is a chemical messenger that helps regulate blood pressure and oxygen
levels. This is particularly important in the brain as higher oxygen and higher
blood pressure deliver more nutrients, more quickly and allow the brain to function
at its best. To counteract this so that pressure and oxygen level don’t get too high,
our bodies make something called cAMP-PDE. This breaks down cAMP and
eliminates its effects of increasing blood pressure and oxygen level.. Because of
its structure, caffeine hinders this enzyme. Since it can’t eliminate cAMP, at least
for a while, your blood pressure increases and more oxygen makes it to your brain
cells. Of course, this means that you feel more energetic and alert.
A Last Word
There are lots of other benefits to caffeine as well. Although I won’t go into the
biological reasons for each, it does a lot of good. Again, you don’t want to overdo
caffeine because too much can have some nasty side effects. But here is a list of
additional benefits5:
• Increases memory
• Replenishes muscle energy after exercise more quickly
• Detoxes the liver (as an enema)
• Helps you drive better
• Stimulates hair growth
• Decreases post-exercise muscle pain by half

4. • Relieves sleep deprivation pain
• Protects against Parkinson’s
• Helps you avoid Alzheimer’s
• Increases exercise stamina
• Prevent eyelid spasms
• Prevents skin cancer
• Keeps you from committing suicide
• Reduces fatty liver
• Lowers liver fibrosis risk
• Improves semen health
• Protects against cataracts
• Lower the risk of erectile dysfunction
• Prevents ringing in the ears
• Fewer kidney stones
• Improves reaction time and logical reasoning
• Helps asthma
• Prevents weight gain
• Decreases chronic inflammation
• Strengthens the heart
• Improves lung function and survival in premature infants

5. References
1. Winston, A., Hardwick, E., & Jaberi, N. (2005). Neuropsychiatric effects of
caffeine. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment,11(6), 432-439.
doi:10.1192/apt.11.6.432
2. Mayo Clinic Staff (2019). Caffeine: How much is too much?. [online] Mayo
Clinic. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-
and-healthy-eating/in-depth/caffeine/art-20045678 [Accessed 2 Nov. 2019].
3. Ashihara, H, & Ashihara, H. (2004). Distribution and biosynthesis of
caffeine in plants. Frontiers in bioscience, 9(1-3), 1864-.
4. Mohanpuria, P, & Mohanpuria, P. (2009). Caffeine biosynthesis and
degradation in tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze] is under developmental
and seasonal regulation. Molecular biotechnology, 43(2), 104-
5. Kallmyer, T. (2019). Top 25+ Caffeine Health Benefits. [online]
Caffeineinformer.com. Available at: https://www.caffeineinformer.com/top-
10-caffeine-health-benefits [Accessed 2 Nov. 2019].