Kick it like Caffeine - all about caffeine and its effects

A day without coffee is a day lost for many people. Where does this feeling of well-being come from when drinking coffee? And can tea actually do the same? We take a closer look at the social drug caffeine and shed light on its effects, side effects and alternatives.

Caffeine in the morning dispels sorrow and worries

Are you a morning grouch without your first coffee? You're not alone. Many of us need our morning cup of coffee or tea to get us going. What's behind this is not a mystery, but a simple chemical reaction triggered by the active ingredient caffeine, which occurs naturally in coffee and tea. Caffeine constricts your blood vessels, stimulating your circulation and promoting blood flow to your brain. This makes you feel alert, focussed and powerful. Because of this stimulating effect, caffeine is eventhe most popular psychoactive substance in the world. But coffee and tea not only wake you up, they also promote our health in many ways: antioxidants protect our cells and strengthen our immune system. Caffeine also reduces the risk of various illnesses, especially those related to the heart, circulation and respiratory tract.1But beware! The effect of caffeine is not only positive. An excess of caffeine can lead to restlessness or sleep disorders, among other things. As is so often the case, the dose makes the poison - or the medicine. Here we explain everything you always wanted to know about caffeine.

How does caffeine work?

Caffeine is a purely natural active ingredient that is found in several plant species: coffee, tea, mate, kola nut, guarana and cocoa are natural sources of caffeine.

Caffeine acts as a stimulant of the central nervous system, which you can feel from its energising effect. What exactly happens? Caffeine intake increases your heart rate and blood pressure. Your circulation is stimulated and your blood vessels constrict. This ensures that you feel vigorous, focussed and powerful. The wake-up effect is mainly due to the stimulation of blood circulation in the brain and the associated release of neurotransmitters (messenger substances).

Within 20 to 60 minutes, 100% of caffeine is absorbed into the bloodstream and transported throughout your entire body. It is largely broken down in the liver and excreted via the urine.2 The effective time of caffeine can last several hours. However, this depends heavily on your physical condition and the amount you take. Your tolerance also increases with regular caffeine consumption.3 This means that the more caffeine you consume, the shorter or weaker the effect.

What caffeine can do - health-promoting effects of caffeine

Caffeine to prevent diseases

In addition to stimulating the central nervous system, caffeine has a positive effect on the performance of the respiratory muscles, which is why it alleviates or prevents acute or chronic respiratory diseases. This prevents many secondary respiratory diseases or vasoconstriction.

Great news for coffee lovers: regular coffee or tea consumption can even reduce the risk of a heart attack. Another positive property of caffeine is its preventative effect on certain cancers.4 Its positive influence on blood vessels and metabolism has also been shown to have a preventative effect on diabetes mellitus (type 2 diabetes).5 It also helps to prevent liver cirrhosis and reduces the risk of Parkinson's disease.6

Caffeine for stress relief

Caffeine intake blocks adenosine receptors in the brain. These receptors reduce the uptake of various neurotransmitters, including the happiness hormone dopamine. The intake of caffeine inhibits this suppression, allowing happiness hormones to unfold their full effect. This creates the "caffeine high": your mood improves, while your feeling of stress is reduced or prevented.7

Caffeine to strengthen the immune system

Your Immune system is happy about a regular caffeine boost. Antioxidants, such as the chlorogenic acid in coffee or polyphenols in tea, protect our cells from damage and ageing. This strengthens your defences and reduces the risk of secondary diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease or type 2 diabetes.[<[sup>8

Positive effects of caffeine

  • Wakefulness
  • Improved concentration
  • Increased performance
  • Improved motor skills
  • Stimulated circulation
  • Strengthened respiratory muscles
  • Reduced risk of diseases such as type2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, liver cirrhosis, heart attack, cancer
  • Improved mood
  • Reduced feeling of stress
  • Strengthening the immune system

Negative effects of caffeine

  • Caffeine affects your sleep rhythm
  • Caffeine has a dehydrating effect
  • Caffeine can cause palpitations if consumed in large quantities, cardiac arrhythmia, convulsions, restlessness, vomiting
  • Caffeine can be addictive
  • Caffeine stimulates the production of stomach acid

Caffeine during pregnancy

Do you have to give up your morning coffee during pregnancy? Experts advise you to reduce your caffeine intake during pregnancy. Above all, it is recommended that you stop drinking coffee altogether. Tea should be enjoyed in moderation, around 2 cups a day.10

The reason for this is that caffeine passes unhindered through the placenta after ingestion. This means that the caffeine absorbed by the expectant mother is also present in the foetus's blood serum. Here, too, it unfolds its stimulating effect and can lead to increased activity and an increased heartbeat in the foetus. Unlike in adults, the growing organism is already overloaded with small amounts of caffeine. A baby in the womb also experiences caffeine withdrawal much more intensively. Subsequently, caffeine consumption can influence birth weight. The more caffeine is consumed, the lower the newborn's body weight will be.11

Caffeine during breastfeeding

Here too, caffeine is only recommended in small amounts, and it is even better to avoid it. Caffeine is also passed on to the baby through breast milk after birth. Although it is not passed on directly via the placenta as it is during pregnancy, the residual dose of caffeine contained in breast milk is still a concern for newborns. If a breastfeeding mother drinks coffee or large quantities of tea, this can result in irritable, easily irritated and restless behaviour in her baby.12

Caffeine for children

Similarly to babies, children also react sensitively to caffeine. An important tip in this context: it's not just coffee or tea that cause symptoms for children. Soft and refreshing drinks also often contain caffeine, which can be problematic for children under the age of 10. The combination of caffeine and sugar is particularly dangerous and can cause hyperactivity followed by enormous tiredness and mood swings.13

Caffeine content in drinks

The most caffeinated natural drink is coffee with 50-150 mg of caffeine per 125 ml.14 The exact caffeine content depends on the method of preparation. There are legal restrictions for industrially produced soft drinks with added caffeine: They may contain up to 320 mg of caffeine per litre.15 The recommended daily dose of caffeine is a maximum of 400 mg. This corresponds to around 4 cups of coffee.16

How much caffeine do caffeinated drinks contain?

Drink / serving: Caffeine (serving)

Coffee / 125 ml: 50-150 mg

Espresso / 50 ml: 50-150 mg

Green tea / 125 ml: 50-100 mg

Energy drink / 250 ml: up to 80 mg

Guarana / 1 g: 40-80 mg

Cola drink / 200 ml: 20-60 mg

Black tea / 125 ml: 20-50 mg

Mate / 100 ml: 20-25 mg

Cocoa / 125 ml: 2-6 mg

.

Our favourite coffee alternatives

Caffeine kick without coffee - is that possible? Yes! A variety of coffee alternatives provide the same positive effects. And in some cases without negative side effects.

Caffeine kick without coffee - is that possible? Yes! A variety of coffee alternatives provide the same positive effects. And in some cases without negative side effects.

Green tea comes very close to coffee in terms of caffeine content. Black tea has slightly less caffeine, but is more intense in flavour. The differences mainly arise during preparation. The dry caffeine content of coffee and tea is relatively the same. However, fewer dry tea leaves are used to make a cup of tea than coffee beans are used to make a cup of coffee. Tea therefore contains less caffeine per portion size than coffee. What also distinguishes both types of tea from coffee is the special effect of the teein they contain.

What is teein?

Teein is the caffeine in green and black tea. In purely chemical terms, it is the same active ingredient as caffeine, which is only labelled differently due to its occurrence. Caffeine and teein produce the same effects, albeit at different speeds and intensities. Teein works more slowly, but over a longer period of time. The big difference is the acid binding of the caffeine: in coffee, caffeine is bound to chlorogenic acid, in tea to tannic polyphenols (secondary plant substances). The differentiation arises in the absorption of caffeine in the intestine, which happens much faster with coffee than with tea. The caffeine effect from tea therefore occurs more slowly and is therefore less intense, but lasts longer.19

Mate - the hip coffee substitute from South America

After coffee and tea, mate is the next largest natural source of caffeine. The dried leaves of the mate holly species, Ilex paraquariensis to be precise, are prepared like tea. The exact caffeine content of mate cannot be determined as it always depends on the different composition and method of preparation. However, a caffeine content of approx. 20-25 mg per 100 ml is a guideline. In addition to caffeine, mate also contains many important secondary plant substances, antioxidants, minerals and vitamin C, which is why it is a particularly healthy coffee alternative.

Guarana - caffeine kick from the Amazon

The coffee alternative guarana is a plant from the Amazon basin and belongs to the soap tree family. To obtain the caffeine drink from guarana, the roasted and ground seeds of the tree are infused and then drunk - similar to how coffee is prepared. Guarana is also often sprinkled over muesli in powder form or taken in capsule form. It is easy to overlook the amount of caffeine intake. Therefore, an important tip when using guarana powder: keep an eye on the caffeine content. Here, too, the daily amount of 400 mg of caffeine should not be exceeded.20

Kick without caffeine - other energy boosters

Naps and breaks for more energy

Apart from the caffeine-containing substances mentioned, you can also create an invigorating, stimulating effect without caffeine.[<[sup>21 "Powernaps", for example, live up to their name and work wonders. A short sleep break during the day energises you, increases your attention span and improves your memory. Even a 6-minute nap is enough to produce these positive effects. Regular breaks - especially in combination with exercise and fresh air - also revitalise you, boost your circulation and refresh your brain. So if you're not so keen on taking a power nap at work, you can at least occasionally stretch your legs for a few minutes and air out your head.

Nutrients instead of caffeine - more energy through a healthy diet

We say it again and again: a balanced diet is the basis for health and performance. Citrus fruits, for example, can keep you awake thanks to their high vitamin C content. You can also ensure stable energy levels with regular and balanced meals. Particularly important here are 23

The best coffee alternatives

.alternatives at a glance

Coffee and tea are an integral part of everyday social life. As long as you keep your caffeine consumption moderate and combine it with a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle, there is nothing to be said against these stimulants. You can even benefit from some health-promoting effects, which can make the24

An overdose can make itself felt through nervousness, palpitations or sleep disorders.

FAQs - Everything you always wanted to know about caffeine
Is my daily breakfast coffee unhealthy?

Not in principle. Coffee is a social stimulant that can even be beneficial to your health if consumed in moderation (1-4 cups per day). However, if you notice negative side effects such as nervousness or insomnia, you can minimise your coffee consumption or temporarily stop drinking it altogether.
How much coffee per day is healthy?

The recommended daily dose is a maximum of 400 mg. This is roughly equivalent to 4 cups of coffee or green tea and 6 cups of black tea or mate.
How much caffeine is in a cup of coffee?

A 125 ml cup of coffee contains 50-150 mg of caffeine, depending on how it is prepared.
What happens with a caffeine overdose?

An excessive amount of caffeine in the body manifests itself in strong tremors or severe palpitations. An overdose is when symptoms such as muscular twitching, severe restlessness, cardiac arrhythmia or even vomiting occur.25
Can I drink coffee during pregnancy and while breastfeeding?

Born babies and infants are extremely sensitive to caffeine. As caffeine is passed on via the placenta and breast milk, you should avoid coffee and limit your tea consumption during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Is caffeine addictive?

Yes. Withdrawal symptoms such as extreme tiredness, irritability, palpitations, tremors or vomiting can occur when caffeine is discontinued. Dependence develops with long-term, daily and increasing consumption.
Does tea also contain caffeine?

Yes, but the caffeine in tea is called teein. Chemically, the substance is the same. However, teein is metabolised more slowly. The effect is therefore milder and lasts longer.
How much tea can I drink per day?

Depending on how it is prepared, green tea can contain just as much caffeine as coffee. We therefore recommend a maximum of 4 cups a day. Black tea has a lower caffeine content. You can drink up to 6 cups a day. The same applies to mate.
What does caffeine do to the body?

Caffeine acts as a stimulant in the body: it blocks the neurotransmitter adenosine, which makes you tired, and releases adrenaline and dopamine. As a result, it increases alertness and concentration, raises blood pressure and heart rate and stimulates the metabolism. The effect sets in after approx. 30-60 minutes and lasts for 3-6 hours.
What are the side effects of caffeine?

In high doses, caffeine can cause side effects such as restlessness, nervousness, palpitations, sleep disorders and gastrointestinal complaints. Headaches and withdrawal symptoms such as tiredness and irritability are also possible if you regularly consume large amounts of caffeine and suddenly give it up. Caffeine can also promote anxiety and panic attacks in sensitive people or if consumed in excess.
Is caffeine good for the body?

In moderate amounts of 200-400 mg per day, caffeine is considered safe for healthy adults and can even have positive effects: It has been shown to boost physical and mental performance, increase fat burning during exercise and can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and some cancers. However, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, children and people with pre-existing conditions should limit their caffeine consumption or avoid it altogether.
How much caffeine for effect?

The optimum caffeine dose for a stimulating, performance-enhancing effect is between 50 and 200 mg (equivalent to 1-2 cups of coffee). As a rule of thumb, 1-2 mg of caffeine per kg of body weight is considered effective - for a person weighing 70 kg, this would be 70-140 mg. It is important not to consume caffeine on an empty stomach and to take the last dose at least 6 hours before going to bed to avoid problems falling asleep.

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