Caffeine Intake

What a difference a decade makes. Since we last surveyed beverage caffeine intake, a host of new energy drinks, caffeinated waters, and specialty and cold brew coffees have come on the market.

So how have consumption patterns changed?

What does this new survey mean for decisions going forward?

Current Consumption

We last estimated the caffeine intakes of the U.S. population in 2010-2011. The findings from this study showed that 85% of the US population consumed at least one caffeinated beverage per day, and that the mean daily caffeine intake from all beverages was 165 milligrams.

  • With today’s expanded offerings of caffeinated beverages, shifts towards remote work and e-learning, and broader use of online grocery shopping and food delivery apps, IAFNS is pursuing an updated perspective on beverage caffeine intakes in the US.

See Our News Release on the current Caffeine Intake Work

New Survey

This new survey will provide regulatory officials, including FDA, and health professionals with the information to determine how estimated caffeine consumption compares to recommended intake levels. It will also show whether intakes appear to exceed levels associated with adverse health effects.

  • Government regulators may use these and other data in considering new product applications and proposals related to the food and beverage ecosystem.

The new survey will provide a current perspective on caffeinated beverage consumption patterns and caffeine intakes in 2021-2022 from a nationally representative sample of the U.S. population. In this study, participants will report all beverages consumed the day before as part of a 24-hour recall survey.

Brand-specific caffeine concentrations will be applied in calculations of caffeine intake across 16 beverage categories — including colas, energy drinks, sports drinks, ready-to-drink coffees and teas, specialty waters and powdered tea mixes — allowing for a robust assessment of caffeine intake. This work will update our prior publication on beverage caffeine intakes (Mitchell et. al. 2014).

To learn more, please reach out to science@iafns.org