How caffeine affects boys, girls after puberty

After puberty, boys and girls experience different heart rate and blood pressure changes after consuming caffeinated sodas and energy drinks, new research says.

Girls also experience some differences in caffeine effect during their menstrual cycles, it added.

Previous studies have shown that caffeine increases blood pressure and decreases heart rate in children, teens and adults - including pre-adolescent boys and girls.

"We found an interaction between gender and caffeine dose, with boys having a greater response to caffeine than girls," said Jennifer Temple, an associate professor at University at Buffalo's School of Public Health and Health Professions.

Researchers also found differences in responses to caffeine across the menstrual cycle in post-pubertal girls, with decrease in heart rate and increase in blood pressure.

"In this study, we were looking exclusively into the physical results of caffeine ingestion," Temple added.

The study, titled "Cardiovascular Responses to Caffeine by Gender and Pubertal Stage," was published in the Pediatrics journal.