Waking up each morning to a piping hot cup of coffee is something most of us enthusiasts have come to associate with the beginning of a great day. For some, it’s the taste of coffee that brightens their eyes each morning, or throughout the day if you choose. Others drink coffee as their beverage of choice thanks to the caffeine that gives them that extra boost their body needs to either get going each morning or stay energized throughout the day. But how long does the caffeine in coffee last?
If you’re a coffee-lover, you’ve most likely asked yourself, what is the half-life of caffeine? The answer is an average of 5 hours. There’s more you should understand, however, when it comes to caffeine half-life in your body and how it affects you. Let’s take a deeper look at caffeine and how long you should expect it to energize you after drinking a cup of coffee.
What Is Caffeine?
Caffeine is a stimulant that is naturally found in many of the things we eat or drink. Coffee beans and tea leaves have caffeine. Cacao, which is used to make the chocolate we love so much, is high in caffeine. The sodas you drink even feature naturally occurring caffeine thanks to the kola nuts used during their making. This is why coffee, chocolate, and sodas are known to give us a boost when we need them throughout the day. Luckily for us, caffeine not only stimulates our nervous system but is also tasty.
Caffeine is known to increase your heart rate, boost your energy levels, and enhance your mood. It is the main reason so many people have a cup of coffee or a soda each morning when they wake up. The caffeine inside is a great way to get the day off on the right foot, especially if you’re struggling to wake up. Most people will notice peak effects within 30 to 60 minutes of drinking or eating something with caffeine. This is when the caffeine is strongest in your body.
What Is Caffeine Half-Life?
Half-life is the amount of time it takes for a substance to be lowered by half its original amount. For a regular cup of black coffee with the standard 95 milligrams of caffeine inside, the half-life is roughly 5 hours. This means, 5 hours after having your cup of coffee, your body will still be metabolizing 47.5 milligrams of caffeine. So, for people who enjoy coffee, sodas, teas, and other forms of caffeine, you can expect to feel the effects for quite a while.
The Effects of Caffeine
When it comes to the amount of caffeine consumed by adults, the FDA recommends no more than 400 milligrams per day. This translates to roughly 4 cups of regular coffee a day. If you enjoy a lot of foods and beverages with caffeine in them, this means you could be experiencing the half-life of caffeine throughout most of your day. As we mentioned above, caffeine enhances your mood and gives your body energy. It’s also known to boost your metabolism and help with focus. There are other side effects of caffeine you should be aware of, however. If you ingest high amounts of this stimulant, you may notice sleeplessness, jitteriness, nausea, or an increased heart rate.
You’ll notice when it comes to the effects of caffeine, everyone has a different level of tolerance. For those with a high caffeine tolerance, drinking coffee several times throughout the day doesn’t bother them. Others can drink two cups and feel as though they can get to sleep later that night. This is due to several factors including weight, tolerance, and caffeine sensitivities that many people suffer from.
Conclusion
With the half-life of caffeine being around 5 hours, it’s important to monitor your daily intake. If you don’t pay attention, you may be feeling the increased energy caffeine provides the body well into the later hours of the evening and night. If you find yourself lying awake at night, after a day of caffeine consumption, consider limiting how much you have in the afternoon hours. This can help you get a better handle on caffeine’s effects on your body.
Featured Image Credit By: bluehand, Shutterstock
