Gender Differences in the Frequency of Positive and Negative Effects after Acute Caffeine Consumption

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology and Toxicology
• Human Physiology
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Caffeine is a widely consumed psychoactive substance.
• Understanding gender-specific responses to caffeine is crucial for public health.
• Previous research has not fully elucidated the differential effects of caffeine based on gender.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate gender-specific adverse and positive effects of caffeine consumption.
• To determine if gender influences the perception of caffeine's side effects.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 65 adult participants (30 men, 35 women) was conducted.
• Participants received varying doses of caffeine (3 mg/kg or 6 mg/kg) based on their habitual intake.
• Side effect questionnaires were administered one hour and within 24 hours post-ingestion.

Main Results:

• A significant association was found between gender and negative caffeine effects one hour post-ingestion (p=0.049).
• Gender significantly correlated with positive effects one hour (p=0.005) and within 24 hours (p=0.047) post-ingestion.
• Women reported higher rates of negative effects (54%) compared to men (30%), while men reported more positive effects (50%+) than women (20%).

Conclusions:

• Gender is a significant determinant of both negative and positive caffeine-induced effects.
• Differential physiological responses to caffeine between genders warrant further investigation.
• These findings suggest personalized caffeine consumption guidelines may be necessary.