The Effects of Caffeinated Drinks

• An eight-ounce cup of generic brewed coffee contains between 95 and 200 milligrams of caffeine. Emrah Turudu/Photodisc/Getty Images

  After a long night, caffeine is a morning must for some. You can find caffeine in coffee and tea, as well as soft drinks. For a larger energy boost, you can also find caffeine in energy drinks. In addition, you may find caffeine in places you may not expect, like chocolate and medications. Two extra-strength tablets of Excedrin include 130 milligrams of caffeine. Depending on the amount of caffeine you consume, it can have various effects on your body.

Increased Alertness

• Caffeine increases heart rate and is contraindicated with some medications. medication image by David Ng from Fotolia.com

  Most people enjoy caffeinated beverages for the energy boost. Caffeine stimulates the brain, causing an increase in heart rate, alertness and blood pressure. In the short term, these effects may be what you want, causing you to move faster, work better, or just get out of the fog. Each body is different, therefore each body has a different tolerance for caffeine. Too much caffeine can cause jitteriness and insomnia. If you experience insomnia, you should avoid drinking caffeinated beverages eight hours before bedtime. Because caffeine increases heart rate, it is contraindicated with some medications and herbal supplements, including ephedra and some antibiotics.

Extra Trips to the Bathroom

• Caffeine stimulates peristalsis in your colon. magazine image by charles taylor from Fotolia.com

  According to studies, caffeine has diuretic effects similar to water. Furthermore, it is not just an old wives' tale that coffee will relieve constipation. Caffeine stimulates peristalsis in your colon, and can send you to the bathroom with a magazine.

Miscarriage

• Pregnant women should avoid more than 200 mg of caffeine per day. pregnant woman image by Frenk_Danielle Kaufmann from Fotolia.com

  Whatever an expectant mother ingests also flows to her unborn baby. It may seem practical to pregnant ladies to avoid passing along a caffeine high to her baby. A 2008 Kaiser Permanente study linked high caffeine consumption with an increased risk of miscarriage. In the study, women who consumed more than 200 mg per day of caffeine had an increased risk of miscarriage.

Addiction

• With a coffee shop on every corner, and caffeinated sodas at every convenience store, it may be easy to forget that caffeine is a drug. With any drug there can be addiction and withdrawal. It can also be annoying and expensive to rely on caffeine to get you through your day. In addition, as your body begins to tolerate more caffeine, you will have to consume more to get the effect you desire. Additionally, caffeine withdrawal can cause crankiness, fatigue and headaches, which should subside after a few days.