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Caffeine reaches the bloodstream
about 45 minutes after it’s consumed,
so it takes that long before you can
expect to feel its effects. Your blood
carries caffeine to your brain and also
throughout your entire body.
Eventually, your liver will break
down the caffeine and turn
it into other chemicals. These
chemicals also have effects on
your body. They make your
blood vessels
dilate
, which
increases blood pressure. They
make you produce more urine
than usual.
Finally, the caffeine’s chemicals pass through your
kidneys and leave your body through your urine.
After about 5 hours, half of the caffeine you con-
sumed will be out of your body—but it takes a full
24 hours before it’s totally gone. This means you
may be feeling caffeine’s effect nearly a day after
you drank your last cup of coffee!