Natural Health Products

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Caffeine

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General Information

Caffeine can be derived from natural sources or made synthetically. It is found in common food items such as coffee, tea, soft drinks, energy drinks, and chocolate. It has a bitter taste.

Common Name(s)
caffeine
Scientific Name(s)
Caffeine, 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine
How is this product usually used?

Caffeine is available in oral dosage forms, including tablets, capsules, and strips. It is also commonly found in certain foods and energy drinks.

The maximum daily intake for healthy adults is no more than 400 mg per day, the amount found in about 24 ounces (750 mL, or 2 "tall" cups) of brewed coffee. Also, it should only be used on an occasional basis.

The maximum daily intake for women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant and breastfeeding women is 300 mg per day.

What is this product used for?

Caffeine provides temporary mild diureticdiuretican agent that increases urine flow effects, which increase the amount of urine eliminated from the body.

Caffeine also provides temporary relief of fatigue, and improves endurance, motor performance, wakefulness, alertness, and cognitivecognitiverelating to the ability to think, reason, remember, and discern performance. It acts as a stimulant. Caffeine is also used to treat tension headaches or migraine headaches when used in combination with analgesics.

It should only be used on an occasional basis.

Your health care provider may have recommended this product for other conditions. Contact a health care provider if you have questions.

What else should I be aware of?

Avoid using caffeine if you are hypersensitive or allergic to it and stop using it if you develop a reaction.

Caffeine can aggravate certain existing conditions. Please consult a health care professional if you have high blood pressure, glaucoma, anxiety disorders, osteoporosis, or overactive bladder syndrome.

Do not use caffeine in combination with other products that increase blood pressure, such as certain natural health products (e.g., bitter orange extractextractto get, separate, or isolate a desired active ingredient, or ephedra) or medications (e.g., ephedrine).

Do not use caffeine in combination with food products that contain caffeine such as coffee, tea, colas, cocoa, guarana, mate, and energy drinks.

If you are pregnant, breast-feeding, or able to become pregnant, consult a health care professional before using doses of over 300 mg per day.

Caffeine is a stimulant and in doses of over 600 mg per day it may cause anxiety, a rapid or irregular heartbeat, insomnia, restlessness, nervousness, tremor, and headache.

Additionally, there may be an interaction between caffeine and the following medications:

  • anticoagulants/antiplatelets (e.g., aspirin, clopidogrel, warfarin)
  • beta-adrenergic agonists (asthma medications; e.g., salbutamol, terbutaline)
  • antiepileptics (e.g., carbamazepine, ethosuximide, phenobarbital, phenytoin, valproate)
  • cimetidine
  • clozapine
  • diureticdiuretican agent that increases urine flows (e.g., hydrochlorothiazide, indapamide)
  • ephedrine
  • estrogens
  • fluvoxamine
  • lithium
  • quinolone antibiotics (e.g., norfloxacin, levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin)
  • verapamil

Talk to your doctor before using calcium if you are taking any of these medications

Before taking any new medications, including natural health products, speak to your physician, pharmacist, or other health care provider. Tell your health care provider about any natural health products you may be taking.

Source(s)
  1. Health Canada. Licensed Natural Health Products. Caffeine. http://webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca/nhpid-bdipsn/monoReq.do?id=53 (accessed March 2, 2014)
  2. Medline Plus. Caffeine. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/caffeine.html (accessed March 2, 2014)
  3. Medline Plus. Caffeine in the diet. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002445.htm (accessed March 2, 2014).
  4. Natural Medicines Database. Caffeine. Available from: ©2017 Accessed 22 March 2017
  5. Health Canada. Caffeine and foods. Available at http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/securit/addit/caf/food-caf-aliments-eng.php Accessed 22 March 2017.

All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2020. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.